Marketing Strategy

Helping campus partners promote academic programs, launch successful initiatives, and advance the institution’s reputation.

Marketing is about creating value for our audiences. It could be argued we’re living in the golden age of marketing as our digital-first world gives us more tools to understand our audiences than ever before.

More tools also means more ways to listen, create, measure, and communicate. Never before have marketers had so many options available to them to reach their goals. It is essential that marketing decisions – product, positioning, content, technology, advertising – are grounded in a data-driven strategy and a solid understanding of our audiences.

Before approaching OSC to discuss individual projects, we strongly recommend you engage us in a conversation around audiences, goals, and measurement. Regardless of the size of your unit, we’re here to help you formulate a strategy through an informal, consultative process. The focus of these discussions is on external and potential audiences.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

We can help with

Equipping you with valuable insights and thorough analysis about your target audience, helping you better understand their behaviors.
Guiding you through the process of new program development and fine-tuning existing programs.
Providing support in navigating marketing infrastructure and offering guidance to help you craft compelling value propositions.
Partnering with you to develop comprehensive strategies and go-to-market plans.
Supporting Iowa students to share their academic successes through our Merit Pages program.

Audience insights

Let’s talk through your priority audiences and what actions you’re asking them to take. We can connect you with several free (and some paid) resources for better understanding their needs and behaviors.

New program development

You can count on us to talk through all aspects of developing new programs, from market sizing to naming, pricing, format, and modality. The earlier you engage us in the process, the better.

Program refinement

As the world changes rapidly, so should our programs and initiatives. If you’re thinking about re-envisioning your offerings, we can be a supportive partner in formulating a plan.

Value proposition development

Some of the hardest questions to answer are also the simplest. What is our right to exist? What market need are we filling? How does that align with the needs of our audience? We’re here to help.

Marketing infrastructure planning

With strategy and positioning out of the way, it’s time for execution. What people, technology, partner infrastructure will you need to make it all happen? We’re here to guide you in the process.

Go-to-market plans

From advertising mix to email marketing, social media, and web content strategy, there is a lot to think about when it comes to marketing plans. You can count on us for advice, feedback, and connections.