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December 8, 2000

Marketing communications

Research data gathered for plan

Substantial progress this semester has been made in the research phase of the development of an integrated marketing communications plan. A series of 13 focus groups were conducted on campus in September with input from 39 faculty, 22 administrators, 18 middle-management staff, 10 non-managerial staff, 18 current students, and 12 prospective students (a total of 119 individuals). This input was used for preliminary identification of issues and concerns in order to develop survey instruments for telephone and web-based surveys.

In October, the President's Integrated Marketing Communications Advisory Committee met for a workshop with a consultant from Stamats Communications, Inc., to discuss strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relative to perceptions of various audiences regarding Loyola. In October and November, telephone surveys of alumni and prospective students in New Orleans and the key geographic markets of New York, Washington D.C., Houston, Miami, and Atlanta, and telephone surveys of donors were conducted. Web-base surveys of faculty/staff/administrators and students began the week after Thanksgiving. Telephone surveys of the media and community influencers took place the first week in December. A web-based survey of current law students is being developed and will be conducted in January. A telephone survey of prospective law students is being planned for the spring.

A number of offshoots have developed on campus as a result of this university-wide initiative. A campus pride campaign was developed by Shawn M. Donnelley Professor Teri Kline Henley's advertising class. Elements of class plans will be incorporated into the university overall plan. The SGA initiated a Loyola Wear Day to encourage students to wear school colors and T-shirts with logos.

A marketing team at the law school was established to develop plans for specific law marketing needs. As a result, legal employers across the U.S. are now receiving the For the Record newsletter and were sent the first issue with a letter from the dean. The purpose is to increase visibility for the School of Law nationwide and assist our students in career placement. New promotional brochures for the international program are being designed as well as brochures promoting the successes of law alumni.

The law marketing team is integrating efforts of law admissions, career placement, alumni, and development. The team consists of the Dean James Klebba; Stephanie Jumonville, associate dean of students; Michele Allison-Davis, assistant dean of admissions; Pam Occhipinti, director of career services; Edward D'Antoni, director of alumni relations and the annual fund; Kim Page, senior development officer; and faculty member Mitch Crusto.

A written report of research efforts will be provided by Stamats to the core team before the end of the semester. The team will review the data in January and begin development of the plan.

Because the research phase has proceeded on schedule, plans are still on target to present a draft of an integrated marketing communications plan to the University Planning Team and the president's cabinet in April and the Board of Trustees in May.

The purpose of this effort is to determine how Loyola is perceived by key internal and external audiences through the gathering of important baseline data; to develop a comprehensive integrated marketing plan that will bridge any gaps between how we want the university to be perceived and how it actually is perceived; to develop communications and image goals; and to enhance our image to achieve the institution's strategic goal.

 

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