Purpose:
Gordon State College wishes to begin an immediate comprehensive marketing effort to improve the college’s position in the regional and state marketplace, particularly as it relates to its efforts to recruit, enroll and retain students. This effort will assess the perceptions of GSC’s internal and external audiences, stakeholders and key influencers, analyze its enrollment management practices and strategies, review its current marketing and communication materials to then identify strategies and tactics needed to leverage and optimize the Gordon State College brand. The effort should result in a comprehensive, integrated communication effort. Products produced through this relationship may include, but are not limited to: recruitment collateral (viewbook, brochures, posters, postcards, video, etc.), website design and advertising for print and electronic media.Background:
Founded in 1852 by a small group of farming families, Gordon State College is the second oldest continuously operating college in the state. Prior to 1972, the College operated for most of its existence as an honor Army military school with a high school division as well as a junior college. The president of the College served also as the school superintendent for the City of Barnesville grades 1-12. In 1972, it joined the University System of Georgia as a two–year college and served the middle Georgia region in this capacity until 2006 when it was granted approval to provide baccalaureate degrees. The last comprehensive marketing analysis and plan was conducted in 2008 when the College offered a very limited number of baccalaureate degrees. The College conducted a limited perception study in 2013. Today, Gordon serves approximately 4,000 students with almost 1,000 of those students residing on campus. Located below what is often called the Southern arc of metropolitan Atlanta and between the I-75 and I-85 corridors, the majority of GSC students commute from the north with a smaller segment of the population coming from the area north of Macon. GSC now offers 12 baccalaureate degrees and number of graduates receiving baccalaureate degrees has gradually risen. In 2011, Gordon had 5,009 students, but afterwards experienced several years of declining enrollment. The Fall 2017 enrollment number of 3,986 represents a 2.2 increase from Fall 2016.Scope of Work:
Ultimately, the institution seeks a neutral assessment of the institution’s strengths and weaknesses, the identification of opportunities to improve the college’s name recognition and the development of effective messaging to result in improved positioning and enrollment growth. This comprehensive study will assist GSC in determining how to best position itself going forward by examining several key areas:- Perception among key constituencies
- Market position
- Recruiting and enrollment management
- Communication collateral to include GSC’s online presence
- Messaging platform: Why Gordon?
- Research instruments, surveys and tools to facilitate effective assessment of GSC’s perception and standing.
- Written report of market research and enrollment audit results to include recommendations and specific marketing strategies and tactics to close any perceptual gaps or incongruences in perception and messaging and for improved practices and procedures to meet GSC’s goals.
- Messaging to take GSC forward for the next three to five years.
- Implementation of the messaging through a combination of internal and external resources to include a new website and new enrollment recruiting collateral and other items as deemed necessary to effectively market GSC.
