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Vintage Personality
by Bob Topor, Senior Consultant
I live near the "wine country" (Napa and Sonoma Counties
in northern
California). I was listening to a local radio program. A vintner (wine
merchant) was being interviewed by the program's host. During the conversation,
the vintner spoke of a certain wine's personality. He listed the attributes
of that particular vintage, a Cabernet Sauvignon. He expressed it magnificently,
providing an excellent "word picture" of the taste, color,
flavor and texture. As I listened, I thought to myself, "can a
wine have a personality?" If so, can a college or university? Of
course it can.
Differences; not Similarities
What is the personality of your institution? How can it be quantified?
Traditionally we have used very inclusive and common terms such as "private
school," "state school," "co-ed", "liberal
arts", "religious", four year, community college, etc.
But, by doing so are we missing the true personality of the place? We
may be overlooking what we in marketing refer to as the "comparative
differential advantage." Schools, like wines and other tangible
products are known by their differences; not similarities. These differences
can be thought of as personalities. Just as people have individual personalities,
colleges and universities have unique personalities. These can be described
orally, through written words, visually (pictorially) and digitally
on your web site or CD-ROM.
Quantify ideas
Think about the institution you know best. How can you differentiate
it through its personality? What visuals come to mind? What adjectives?
What music? What colors? What feelings? How can these ideas be quantified
and used in marketing communications? How can these ideas be used to
create an ad for the place? What sound bites can be used to characterize
its environment? If your school was a book, what would its title be?
If it were a vehicle of transportation, what kind? A bus? A race car?
An antique Bentley? Why? If it were a piece of music what kind would
it be? A classical symphony? A fugue? Jazz? Hip hop? A ballad? A psalm?
And why?
Sounds of Education
Think about sound bites. What sounds best represent your school? Do
you, for example, have a famous Nobel laureate professor? I worked at
Cornell. At Cornell in Ithaca, the famous carillon sounded daily. So
did Carl Sagan, a famous professor. Both were an important part of the
school's personality. At Wright State University, where I also worked,
the campus had underground tunnels so handicapped students (Viet Nam
vets) could easily traverse the campus. At Stanford the palm treed campus
and Palm Drive (the entrance to campus) and famous quadrangle helped
identify the place. At Princeton, Gothic architecture and outdoor sculpture
set the institution apart. Of course many other features contribute
to a school's personality, just as they do for people.
So stop to think about your school. How could you
describe its personality?
I hope you find ways to do this. It will help in
marketing the place.
© 2004 Topor Consulting Group International,
Robert S. Topor
Remember.. Schools, like wines and other hard products are known by
their differences; not similarities.
An exercise:
- What words can be used to describe your academy?
- What images (pictures) best show your school
for marketing?
- What sound bites typify your institution?
- Can you think of other ways to describe your
school? Colors? People? Architecture? Environment? Location?
- If your school was a song, what would it be?
A literary novel?
- Think about the faculty on your campus/ And students?
How do they typify the place?
- How can your alumni be characterized?
- Can you think of other ways to establish a comparative
differential
advantage? If you can, let's discuss. Think "out of the box"
Write me about it!
NOTICE:
As a subscriber to this electronic newsletter, you have permission
to reproduce and use this article on your campus.
All others please note ©2004, Topor Consulting Group International.
Comments about, or requests to reprint should be directed to Bob Topor
at: topor@marketinged.com.
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