The Learning Strategy - B Harmony

The Learning Strategy - B Harmony: A place where Businesses and Colleges Meet... We serve and represent a wide range of businesses and colleges in sales training, industry research, customer profiling, setting appointments and needs assessments and analysis. We can help you develop, customize and even execute a sales and marketing solution for your ideal customers!

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Top Five Ways to Market Higher Education to Businesses...

With the increasing pressure for Higher Education to meet business educational needs, the label of “off-the-shelf” traditional classes has flipped.  Rather than meeting the needs of its faculty, it’s now meeting the needs of a dynamic, rapidly changing business environment.  Is this even possible, given the college’s resources and experience?

There are plenty of college institutions out there that have workforce development, corporate training, contract training and continuing education departments who are more than eager to offer the ideal customized solution to a business.  For-profit and non-profit institutions alike are becoming increasingly savvy at delivering need assessments/analysis, cobranding curriculum design/development and delivering non-traditional learning platforms (i.e. blended, hybrid, virtual, webinars, online, etc.).  Just send out a flyer, email blast, and make some phone calls or lately, an invitation to chat with a live representative.  Will those messages aim to educate or persuade a business?  Just as education providers are becoming better in marketing, so are the prospective businesses.  So the question becomes-do you have their attention-will you sell them or will you serve them?  The following are the top 5 ways to market Higher Education to Businesses:

1.       Provide a business-friendly website experience.

Many colleges ignore business program information as an afterthought to their traditional student-centric marketing.  Off-the-shelf and traditional programs are less complex and are simply what college instructors know best, so they tend to dominate traditional catalogs that migrate to their website for students.  Don’t make it difficult for a business find out what is available to them with an experience that speaks to their needs.  Create value added content messaging and linking throughout the experience.

2.       Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – seek B2B professional help.

Adding a few meta-tags is simply not going to cut it if you want to be a thought leader in education and be on top of the search results of businesses.  Your key pages, keywords, blogs, podcasts, social media, must be targeted and handled by professionals who know business.  Do-it-yourself SEO is a dangerous way handle a critical element of your digital marketing strategy.  This is especially true due to the fact that many institutions of higher education have minimal marketing budgets that try to cover students, community and business organizations.  Identify areas where you offer a business solution and optimize your content to get businesses there quickly.  You’ll better serve the business and your institution.

3.       Use a B2B Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System – A traditional Student Information CRM won’t suffice.

If you plan to provide an efficient and effective experience for businesses interested in learning about your programs, it will most likely be a combination of automation and personalization.  A CRM helps you to collect information from businesses, industries, employee-students, grant programs in an organized way.  Marketing automation enables you to respond to their needs immediately, track your interactions and offer them valuable feedback on what’s working and what’s not working.  This is a different dynamic compared to information data gathering.  Determine what communication is valuable to the business so you can automate and make the time required for relationship building.

4.       Integrate traditional customer service and content-rich self-service resources.

Businesses, more than any other segment, are constantly being sold to before they even inquire.  By incorporating interactive tools and self-service elements to your website and landing pages, you give them the opportunity to feel in control to educate themselves on your educational options.  Video testimonials, program previews, CEU-credit transfers, grant programs, live chat, and unfiltered social media conversations provide a way for the prospective business to get to know you on their terms.  We found an increasing number of businesses that know about their local colleges but don’t know how they, as a business, can benefit from their programs and services. 

5.       Most importantly, proactively reach out to businesses – The Personal Touch.

While website, email blasts, and social media of the business shopping experience are important to learn about your programs, there is no replacement for proactive, personal business outreach.  Businesses know about your college and want explore more about information regarding new trends in education, customized training, partnerships, grant opportunities, campus career fairs, community and foundation events, sponsorships, etc.  

It’s a win-win relationship and both parties will learn more by meeting each other….

We, www.thelearningstrategy.com help colleges and universities guide these strategies and tactics in an informed way that will lead to a more relevant, useful experience for businesses.  When businesses can make a balanced and informed decision about the best ways in serving their educational needs, this is a critical first step in trusting and valuing an educational partner in accomplishing their educational goals and objectives.

Contact info@tlstrategy.com

The Learning Strategy: What is a Cold Call?

The Learning Strategy: What is a Cold Call?: In my next series of blogs, I need to learn and get a better understanding of traditional terms and definitions in combining the new age...

A Community College - Employer Case Study #1...

One specific community college’s workforce department representative placed a call to a Joe Smith, the Vice President of an energy company who didn’t have time to talk, but was interested in scheduling an appointment.  The VP explained to the corporate college representative that their son recently graduated from college and had received his two year Associates degree at the college.  However, he didn’t know anything about the college’s corporate college and required more information to guide his comprehension during the meeting.

As the meeting took place, the corporate college representative established rapport with the VP,  which permitted him to provide a brief introduction of the corporate college.  The VP intently listened, and when the corporate college representative began to delve into a need assessment, the VP responded by stating that much of the training was handled internally at the facility or through his headquarters in Atlanta.   While there may have been a need, at present, it wasn’t pressing.  However, the VP continued to explain that he did have some needs for which the college seemed to be a great fit.  He continued to express that he wanted to have better exposure in the community and wanted to know about any events at the college which he could sponsor.  In essence, he was looking to be part of a foundation or an advisory board because he is as a big believer in helping students to get ahead.  At that time, the VP was ready to develop a recruiting relationships with colleges.

The corporate college representative nodded his head and explained that he would check back with the VP.  Unfortunately, the representative didn’t see an immediate revenue opportunity for his department or motivation to direct Joe to the right departments— nor could he predict the time it would detract from his main responsibilities.  The representative determined that the meeting would not be valuable to him or his workforce development training products and services; therefore he didn’t pursue further or follow-up with Mr. Smith.

Questions:

1.       Could there have been a better way to proactively capture the community college’s total value proposition with an employer before the meeting was contracted?

2.       Since the VP didn’t know anything about the college’s corporate college, was it worthwhile to visit and educate him? Why or why not?

3.       At present, it appears that the VP’s priorities do not lie in corporate training, but rather, in understanding how the college’s capabilities could help his own business.  Was this a productive meeting for the college’s corporate training department? Why or why not?

4.   As a result of not following up on the VP’s needs, what impact on the employer’s trust and credibility with the community college and the corporate college division could you foresee occurring? 

Given the work that you do at the Community College, what were your big takeaways?  What messages spoke loudest to you?  Or which ones prompted more questions or concerns?  I'd love to know!  Email me at http://www.thelearningstrategy.com/contact.html and write "Community College - Employer Case Study #1" in the subject line.

What is a Cold Call?

In my next series of blogs, I need to learn and get a better understanding of traditional terms and definitions in combining the new age of technology with the human network.

The Wikipedia definition of a cold call is defined as the solicitation of business from potential customers^[1] who have had no prior contact with the salesperson conducting the call, therefore making the call cold.^[2]Cold calling is used to attempt to convince potential customers to purchase either the salesperson’s product or service. Cold calling is generally referred to as an over-the-phone process, making it a source of telemarketing, but can also be done in-person by door-to-door salespeople. Though cold calling can be used as a legitimate business tool, scammers can use cold calling as well.

This was relatively easy to understand 20 years ago.  But with the technological advancements such as lead generation databases, email campaigns, inbound, mobile marketing and Robo calling, are the below scenarios changing the definition of a cold call:

• Lead Generation Databases - When customers exchange their contact information or buy access to customer information.  Is it appropriate calling these leads for the first time and is this considered a cold call?

• Email and email campaigns - When first sending an email or an email campaign that can provide informative and useful information (i.e. products, services events), with or without a email response.  Is this appropriate for a follow-up phone call and would you consider this a cold call?

• Inbound Marketing - If you are providing great content (blogs, eforms, white papers) on your website and businesses are clicking on your site or a call to action (CTA). Is this appropriate for a follow-up phone call and would you consider this a cold call?  

• Instant Text Messaging/Mobile Marketing -  This is someone who is reading a mobile advertisement or responding to a text message.  Is this appropriate for a follow-up phone call and would you consider this a cold call?

• Social Media - A business contact who is interested in your Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram or social media site. Is this appropriate for a follow-up phone call and would you consider this a cold call?  

A "warm phone call" is another definition that could fall in some of these categories depending how the person responds (clicks on your website, fills out a form, answers a text, joins your linkedin?). 

How do we justify a cold call in this new age of communication without invading each others privacy?  

Is the Sales Role Changing - Becoming More Specialized...

Over the past twenty-years I've noticed significant changes in roles and responsibilities that have become much more specialized.  Below are two (2) examples and I know you can come up with many more:

Baseball:  Remember the starting pitcher was measured on how many complete games he pitched. Many starters would even stay in the game and pitch extra innings.  Now, we have pitching specialists who are long relievers, middle relievers, set-up men and closers.  

Marketing:  For the most part, the role of a Marketing person was being responsible for the 4Ps: Product, Price, Promotion and Positioning.  Now, you have pricing specialists, business development (quasi positioning and sales) and traditional - even digital promotional specialists.

As a result of the interactive, web-based technology that is available today and the expertise that is needed in all phases of the sales process, isn't it time to have a team of specialists who are focused on finding leads, selecting prospects (or getting prospects to find you), defining needs, solving problems and developing solutions?  Isn't this the most important piece of your business?  Here are some ideas:

1st Quarter

• Internet and Inbound Marketing - For this to be successful, you need a great website (i.e. structure, skeleton and surface) and excellent content writers that frequently research and write about interesting and informative topics - making it easy for customers to find YOU!

• "All Prospects are Leads, But All Leads are not Prospects" -  So how do sales people find leads and select prospects that best fit your ideal customers?  It's not easy, it takes time and you have choices.  1) You can pull lead lists, collect business cards and randomly call or email and pitch your product or 2) the smarter way is "you" determine who your ideal customer profile is and research those prospects who are important to you. 

2nd Quarter

• So you have your prospects, now what? If you follow choice 2 (above) then you better be prepared to know something about the prospect before you reach out to them. For you to stand out and have a prospect be interested in a meeting, you should have a valuable business reason.  You should have professionally designed information available about your company, yourself, great success stories and testimonials that would appeal to your prospects.  Finally, you have to be persistent.  Remember, these are not leads, they are prospects you want to do business with...  Ideal customers!

Halftime - More Study Time

3rd Quarter

• Now the 1st meeting takes place.  Not only do you have to be prepared for the sales visit, you have to have the interpersonal skills to establish rapport with the prospect.  You have to make the connection and get the prospect (or stranger) to feel comfortable.  Being prepared nowadays is checking their website, looking at Linkedin profiles, social media, etc., anything where there is a connection that will open up a conversation.  You have to take the initiative because the prospect won't. Instinctively, this can be the most important part of your visit.

• You got each others attention and you're starting to establish credibility, start to ask intuitive open ended questions and start to "listen and take notes."  Keep the Q&A flowing between both of you throughout the needs assessment. Don't jump to the close!

• Start to formulate with the prospect what you're hearing into a list of needs, If you established rapport and if you're engaging the prospect throughout the assessment you should have a good list of needs.  

• Ask this question, "If you need to get something done tomorrow, what would it be?"  I think you'll see your list of needs be reduced to a few critical assignments.  That's OK...  Start to perform a deeper dive into the needs analysis of those critical assignments. You may want to stop here and assign some homework for the next meeting.  Don't jump to the close!

• Collaborate with the prospect and include the prospect at every stage of the assignment(s) in solving problems throughout the needs analysis process.  Depending on the complexity of each assignment, this could take a lot of your time and effort, but it increases your probability of closing the project.  Don't jump to the close!

• Make sure that everything up to this point has been confirmed and agreed too and start prepping for the close.  Start the "what if feelers" "What if we can do this, is this what you want, would this work?"

4th Quarter

• Build and deliver your "No Surprise" proposal.  By this time, your prospect should not be surprised by the proposal content, the value you are providing and the 3rd quarter process you went through together. Most importantly, this will help you to establish trust and credibility with each other over the long term.  Yes, it's all about relationships!

• Now it's time to ask for the close... Both of you put the "skin in the game" and should be ready to start the project.

Based on the all of the above, think about the amount of time, effort and skillsets needed in transitioning a lead to a prospect, a prospect to an appointment, conducting a need assessment/analysis and collaborating with the prospect up to the close.  BTW, you may need 100 of these projects (some easier, some more difficult than others) to make your revenue number..  

Is it time to redefine the role of the sales organization?