Social Marketing Techniques: Reaching AtRisk Students

1
Social Marketing TechniquesReaching At-Risk
Students

• College Board Presenters
• Lezli Baskerville, Esq.
• Vice President of Government Relations
• Alexis King Holmes
• Associate Director of Government Relations

Albuquerque, NM
18 September 2002
2
Reaching At-Risk Students

• The Power of Effective Social Marketing
• Social Marketing and You
• Findings Survey Updates on Current Social
  Marketing Campaigns

3
What is Social Marketing?

• The planning and implementation of programs
  designed to bring about social change using
  concepts from commercial marketing.
• Social Marketing Institute

4
The Power of Social Marketing

• Changes behavior
• Benefits society as a whole
• Relies on research-based strategies

• Brings together the best resources
• Targets a diverse set of audiences

5
Social Marketing and You

• Increased demand for postsecondary training
• Persistent gap in minority achievement
• GEAR UP a source of funding
• You as part of the solution

6
Social Marketing Research

• Survey Participants
• Pathways Members
• 35 State Higher Education Executive Officers
  (SHEEOS)
• 86 State, local, national organizations outside
  Pathways, SHEEOS
• 57 Outreach programs nationwide

7
Key Findings Many Gaps

• Insufficient, deliberate identification of
  underserved students, families
• No powerful, compelling national message
• No message delivery in popular culture

8
Key Findings Many Gaps

• Lack of good information about the product, a
  college or university education
• Most effective strategies, most underutilized
• No coordinated national political or substantive
  role business

9
Key Findings Programs

• 10 comprehensive and targeted to students,
  community, parents, and educators.
• Four out of five state programs included
  involvement with community, business groups
• 18 emphasized mass media

10
Key Findings Programs

• State leaders were 2.5 times more likely to focus
  on outreach to schools than on public campaigns
• State leaders were 3.5 times more likely to focus
  on school outreach than media outreach
• Brochures were the most commonly used materials

11
Key Findings Messages

• Importance of early college preparation
• College is accessible and feasible for all
• Motivational slogans
• Financial aid

12
Key Findings Best Messages

• Financial aid Conflict and Humor
• Mother works three jobs. She (students) has
  four university acceptance letters. (Fulfillment
  Fund)
• Theres a easier way to get money for school.
  (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board)

13
Key Findings Success Indicators

• Increases in college enrollment
• High exposure to program materials
• Increases in high school graduation

14
Key Findings Least Used Indicators

• Academic Improvement
• Early awareness of programs
• Information requests
• Honors and awards

15
Key Findings Funding

• GEAR UP
• Provides about 300 million a year and has funded
  30 state and 1,000 local partnership initiatives
  nationwide.
• Foundations
• Product sales

16
Components of Effective Social Marketing Campaigns

• Advertising
• Public Relations
• Community Outreach, Partnerships
• Targeted stakeholder communications
• Referrals to resources

17
Stages for Behavioral Change

• Raise awareness and increase understanding
• Change attitude
• Change behavior

18
Conclusions

• Behavioral change is harder than raising
  awareness
• Often requires more than communication and/or
  persuasion
• Critical to have enforcement, support and/or
  services

19
Thank you for your attention!

• Please contact us at the Washington Office of the
  College Board
• [phone]