Usage and perceived effectiveness of marketing strategies at two-year colleges in the United States.

摘要

The purpose of this study was to examine the usage and perceived effectiveness of twenty-three marketing strategies at two-year colleges in the United States. This study was based on a 1988 study that examined usage and perceived effectiveness of twenty-two marketing strategies at four-year institutions in the United States. One assumption of the study was that there would be changes in the usage and perceived effectiveness of marketing strategies over time. Another assumption was that usage and perceived effectiveness would vary from two-year to four-year institutions.;The quantitative study questioned two-year institution admissions directors on the usage and perceived effectiveness of twenty-three marketing strategies at their institution. Surprisingly, there were no real significant differences in usage and perceived effectiveness of marketing strategies from the study performed in 1988 at four-year institutions in the United States and the current study. Sales promotion was the only marketing strategy that the majority of public and private school respondents from both studies reported not utilizing to recruit potential students. Due to an increase in technology, the current study added online marketing as a marketing strategy. Unexpectedly, online marketing was not utilized as much as expected in the recruitment of potential students. Personal selling was utilized more than online marketing in most of the two-year schools that responded to the survey.;There were several implications in this study. In addition to the primary questions being answered, the data exposed significant differences between usage and perceived effectiveness of marketing strategies among type of institution, geographic location, freshman student class size, and first-generation class size. Examining these relationships could prove useful for admissions directors in need of guidance on marketing strategies that would be appropriate for their institutions. Additionally, admissions directors should evaluate current marketing strategies being used to determine if they are actually effective in recruiting potential students. It is crucial that admissions directors regularly engage in dialogues with colleagues at their institutions, current students, and community members to monitor the trends of the potential student population. Effective communication ensures that the appropriate image of the institution is being conveyed to potential students via marketing strategies.