|
Outreach Strategy Helps College Stores Build Stronger Relationships
THE CLIENT:
Headquartered in Oberlin, OH, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the trade association representing the $10 billion higher education retail industry. NACS is the leading resource and advocate for the industry. Association members include more than 3,100 college stores and 1,000 associate members who supply products and services to college stores.
THE CHALLENGE:
One of the association’s major strategic priorities is helping NACS member stores develop stronger relationships with key constituents on college campuses, such as students, faculty, administrators, and athletics. NACS selected Gianfagna Strategic Marketing to undertake a major strategic initiative to provide members with practical communications and outreach tools. NACS wanted to help its members:
-
Gain insight into the perceptions and concerns of constituent groups and university decision-makers regarding the college store;
-
Conduct campus relations outreach and communications campaigns to create closer alliances with constituents and engage more effectively in a meaningful dialogue;
-
Raise the store’s visibility among university decision-makers and create positive perceptions of its value to the campus community.
THE GIANFAGNA SOLUTION:
Gianfagna Strategic Marketing consulted with NACS and its members to understand:
-
The outreach challenges and communications opportunities typical for college retailers;
-
The common concerns stores of all types share about their perceived value on campus;
-
Key audiences with whom college stores communicate;
-
The information needs of those audiences regarding college stores.
Gianfagna then developed a comprehensive communications strategy and a large array of outreach materials for a campus relations toolkit that NACS members could tailor to their communication needs. Included in the campus relations toolkit were:
-
Outreach assessment tools, such as interview guides for one-to-one discussions with administrators, students, faculty, and others, and focus group discussion outlines for gaining insight from small groups;
-
A vast compendium of “best practice” ideas and tactics for conducting outreach and communication to various groups;
-
A sample plan for implementing campus relations communication programs and outreach initiatives across a typical academic year;
-
Templates for content development and graphic design to create a professional annual report showcasing a store’s achievements and contributions to the university community.
THE RESULTS:
The Campus Relations Toolkit is one of the most popular tools NACS has ever created for members. Stores across the nation have used the toolkit to implement more effective outreach and communications and build strong relationships with important campus audiences.
The toolkit also won a 2008 “Cleveland Rocks!” award for communications effectiveness from the Cleveland chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
CLIENT FEEDBACK:
“The Campus Relations Toolkit Gianfagna Strategic Marketing created for us has been a runaway hit with our members, with over one-third of them accessing it, far more than any other product we have created. The kit is easy to use and eminently scalable - two of the primary requirements we had when beginning the project.”
Charles Schmidt, Director of Public Relations, National Association of College Stores
|
