the importance of strategic, data-led marketing€¦ · understanding the speed of your offers and...

The importance of strategic,

data-ledmarketing

Sarah Barr MillerHead of Insight Sales, UCAS Media

The who

The what The why

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Understanding the who

Understanding the geography of your catchment area

Understanding direct to Clearing

Understanding the trends from each cohort to UK HE

Many factors make up the

‘who’ Understanding the demographic landscape of HE

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How will the demographic ‘dip’ affect the area you recruit from?

Are you more at risk for certain courses?

Government population statistics Number of births, aged by 18 years

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Non-UK applicants have increased, broadly offsetting the decrease in UK domiciled applicants.

How well placed are you to attract these types of students?

+11%

+3%

-3%

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Direct to Clearingis a growing trend which doesn’t seem to be waning.

Do you know who applies to you directly?

% c

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UK based 2.5% of all UK acceptances

used this route

Who is applying direct to Clearing?

NursingMade up almost half of

Group B DTC acceptances

Lower tariff4% of all acceptances to these

providers were DTC

70% aged 20 & over

91% Englishdomiciled acceptances

Close to home60% at providers less than 45mins away from home

LondonAlmost ¼ from London

Business and admin Most popular subjects

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Are certain courses more reliant on Clearing than others?

How does that impact your marketing strategy?

Do you understand where you recruit from, and what type of students apply to you?

How national are you?

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Do you understand areas of potential growth for you?

How does this map to your school outreach and your marketing?

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Understanding thewhy

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Understanding the speed of your offers and how these might influence behaviour

Understanding your conversion rates and where you lose

Understanding your applicants’ decision-making and what’s important to them

Many factors make up the

‘why’ Understanding your competitor landscape and who is rejecting your applicants first

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0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Fewer than 4 4 5 6 7 8 More than 8

Pro

po

rtio

n o

f st

ud

ents

Number of universities researched

We asked applicants how many universities they researched when choosing their final selection:

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x Do you understand who’s rejecting your CFs?

X’s

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92%told us that reviews were important in their firm reply choice

89%of final year students believe reviews should be important to others

End of Cycle and Finalist survey 2017 &New Applicant survey 2017Security marking: CONFIDENTIAL

Med tariff High tariffMedium tariff High tariff

1 Range of modules

2 Communication

3 Student reviews

4 Earning potential

5 Location

6 Work experience

7 Social life

8 Fit with other students

9 Ease of travel

10 Accommodation quality

1 Range of modules

2 Student reviews

3 Social life

4 Communication

5 Location

6 Earning potential

7 Accommodation quality

8 Fit with other students

9 Work experience

10 Accommodation availability

1 Range of modules

2 League table position

3 Social life

4 Student reviews

5 Location

6 Earning potential

7 Accommodation availability

8 Accommodation quality

9 Fit with other students

10 Accommodation proximity

Low tariff

UCAS Track survey 2018

Understand what’s important to students

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What factors could you promote more?Security marking: CONFIDENTIAL

Offers are typically made quickly, but is this a successful strategy?

Offers given to all Main scheme applications in 2018Security marking: CONFIDENTIAL

Various competitor groups

Do you understand your course conversion rates?

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Profile slide

Can you tie this data together (the who and the why), to shape your marketing?

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Understanding thewhat

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Your course portfolio is the equivalent of your shop window

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We have seen some sector changes – there hasbeen a swing in acceptancesfrom languages and combinations of subjects,towards scientific and vocational subjects.

Figure 3.3 — Proportional change in acceptances by subject group UCAS End of Cycle Report, 2017

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Courses which are doing well

Keep an eye on sector demandCourses at

risk

Courses with more

opportunity

Your score

Do you know how to assess your health?

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Courses which are doing well

Keep an eye on sector demandCourses at

risk

Courses with more

opportunity

Your score

5

5

1 2

Segment your entire portfolio

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Use this to make strategic choices

More opportunity

Doing well

Keep an eye on sector demand

Risk

‘Retain’‘Decide’

‘Determine’‘Review’

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Courses doing well – ‘retain’

More opportunity

Doing well

Keep an eye on sector demand

Risk

These are subjects where sector demand is stableor improving, and you are performing in line with or better than the sector.

For these subjects, how can you improve your score and increase your market share, should you wish?

Considerations:

• Any growing competitors you need to watch for?

• Do your reviews reflect this position?• Can you learn from any of these courses to

improve others?

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Keep an eye on sector demand – ‘determine risk’

More opportunity

Doing well

Keep an eye on sector demand

Risk

These are subjects where sector demand is declining, and you are performing in line with or better than the sector.

You must decide – are you happy with the risk of sector decline in these subjects?

Considerations:

• Do you need to remedy anything in order to prevent it slipping into ‘risk’?

• Is the size of the market sufficient to continue to offer in this space?

• Will any future policy changes affect this subject?

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Courses at risk – ‘review’

More opportunity

Doing well

Keep an eye on sector demand

Risk

These are subjects where sector demand is in decline, and you are performing worse than the sector.

These are subjects to review to decide if you will continue to offer them, or move them into ‘keep an eye on’, by improving your score.

Considerations:

• Closing courses has implications, but so too does continuing to run courses which detract from your success.

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Courses with more opportunity – ‘decide’

More opportunity

Doing well

Keep an eye on sector demand

Risk

These are subjects where sector demand is stable or increasing, and you are performing worse than the sector.

Can these subjects be moved into ‘doing well’ by improving your score?

Considerations:• How are you rated for this subject area?• Can you make any efficiencies, or is the cost to

improve prohibitive?• Is the size of the market sufficient to warrant

investment?• What are better performing competitors doing

differently?• Are you marketing these courses effectively?

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UCAS Media want to enable the sector to make informed, data-led decisions.

We can support your ambitions, whatever your current level of understanding.

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Explore, inform,and understand

Data products and servicesAccess tactical and strategic tools and products, to

drive your own data-driven decisions.

Data masterclassesUnderstand the sector and identify your

position in a competitive market, across a series of key areas.

Insight daysDelve into one hot topic, as we

bring our insight to you.

Bespoke data consultancyReceive actionable recommendations for

your specific challenges – all delivered through close collaboration.

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Data consultancy

• Our dedicated team of data scientists, policy specialists, and sector consultants will crystallise the challenges you face, and highlight where data can add clarity.

• Combine your resources with ours for maximum impact – our collaborative data and insight-driven approach is targeted and outcome-driven.

• Receive bespoke, actionable recommendations, in person, through a detailed project report.

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‘Genuinely felt like an extension to our team.’

Director of Marketing and CommunicationsMedium tariff provider

Understand the macro landscape, how it relates to you, and then the specificsof your students

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