The article describes the features of the integration of marketing communications of the university through the implementation of corporate projects. Combining internal and external marketing communications, involving different target groups of consumers, corporate projects contribute to creating a positive image of the higher education institution. Integrating Marketing Communications provides mutual support for all of their constituent elements and leads to a synergistic effect. This approach allows for enhanced communication impact on project participants (both external and internal customers) and enhance its reputation in the market of educational services.
In modern conditions of improvement of competition, in the education market becomes more important effective management of university, which based on marketing approach.
Among the many ways of attraction consumers of educational services which used by universities, more effective way of increasing is communications, which is an important component of the marketing activities of the institution providing the transfer of the necessary information about the services of the university to consumers, who is the target audience which affects on the formation and effectiveness of the implementation of marketing decisions.
Due to increasing of importance of non-price factors of competition, institutions are increasingly focused on the development of an effective communication policy, by using a variety of communication tools, implementing university's projects as a set of measures aimed at creating a corporate culture, establishing and maintaining on justifiable relations and a positive image of the university. However, any set of elements of communications need of integrated approach, which aimed at different groups of consumers of educational services.
Consequently, there is a necessity to develop models and mechanisms for an integrated approach to the development of marketing communications of the university, searching more effective ways to integrate with a variety of factors — communication purposes, the nature and needs of the audience, the ability of institutions, the influence of external conditions and others. Integrated Marketing Communications have to formed not only on peculiarities of the technology of applying the elements of the set of marketing, but also based on building interpersonal relationships with the necessary persons, organizations and entities. In addition, formed mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, which affect all the activities of the university, including attracting new entrants, increasing the number of students from among the graduates and partners [1].
There are many forms and methods of promoting educational programs of the university, information about services, qualities, teacher training, and others. The university can use newspaper and magazine publications, other media, publish own brochures, to conduct traditional open days and presentations in schools. In addition to the promotion of products of the university, also may use different anniversaries or memorable dates of the university and its staff, graduates meeting, the institute of associations of graduates conducted by the university conferences and symposia, which have become popular in recent years on the job fairs, which can be not only a method of moving goods, but also distribution channel graduates. In conjunction with the using of various forms of promotion of educational services, can be provide integration of marketing communications.
One of the most important particulars of the education sector is the multiplicity of subjects as consumers of educational systems. Furthermore, users are divided into groups, which participated directly and indirectly.
A special feature of the university marketing communications is that they must be directed at both the external (indirect) users — students, parents, graduates of colleges and universities, entrepreneurs, employers, government agencies, service providers and others. Also, internal consumers of educational services, which apply educational institutes, such as, students, parents, faculty and staff of the university, directly involved in the educational process. For each group of consumers is necessary to develop targeted marketing communicational programs. This dual aimed to the fact that studies show that internal consumers have an impact on the external (through friends, media, personal communication), they formed a imagination about the university before personal acquaintance with an educational institution. In this regard, the educational institutions to improve the effectiveness of providing information to potential customers must use an integrated approach that includes two types of marketing communications: internal and external.
With regard to the separation of two consumer groups (internal and external) are: — External marketing communications — messages are distributed outside of the institution, i.e the receiver of message is outside of the organization (university).
Internal marketing communications — information disseminated within the educational institution. In this case, and the device and the receiver of the message are inside (high school).
The above-mentioned features, necessity for a personal approach to different segments of the market, which involves building a personal relationship with each customer, determines the formation of the university integrated marketing communications as a set of communication tools, aimed at internal and foreign consumers of educational services with the personal approach.
Given the separation of consumer groups classification marketing communications of university is shown in Table.
Classification of marketing communications of university
T a b l e
Note. Source [1] was used.
As seen from Table, communication channels are divided into personal and non — personal, according to chosen of marketing communications. Each of the tools has its own specifics that must be taken into account when determining the structure of the complex promotion. Regarded classification of communication tools is a convenient technique to determine the most effective means of exposure to specific customer segments.
Forming integrated marketing communications, educational institution carefully consider and coordinate the work of own channels of communication, providing information on educational services, their quality, teacher training, and i.e. Integrated Marketing Communications — is a purposeful, complex effect on the internal and external environment of the organization in the form of complex elements, combines traditional communication (mass media, direct communications, public relations) and communication aspects of the processes of production and consumption of services, i.e. there is the relationship between internal and external customers which enhance the image of the university.
Integrated Marketing Communications combine types, channels and means of marketing communications — internal (implemented within the organization) and external (distributed outside the organization). Integration of marketing communications involves the integrated using of all elements — advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, which give a greater effect on sharing than the using of each of them separately. Integrating Marketing Communications provides mutual support for all of their constituent elements, joined communicative actions which cause an effect more than just summation. Application of a complex of marketing communications, interaction with help with the consumers of educational services will enable institutions to establish a good business reputation and «good relations», which, in turn, have a positive impact on the development of the university and the attainment of the maximum positive results. The aim of integrating marketing communications — not only reduce costs, but also to obtain synergies, which coordinated using of several tools of marketing communications that are able to bring a greater effect than their single application [2].
On the existence of this effect based model of integrated marketing communications, formulated by D.Schultz, S.Tansnbaumom, R.Lauretbornom and widespread practice (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Model of integrated marketing communications
Note. Source [3] was used.
In addition, a synergistic effect — the effect of interaction is coordinated (integrated) marketing and advertising actions of different types, united by one goal, so that the overall effect of exposure may increase the amount of the impact of each of them individually, that is one of the ways to promote educational services.
There is creation of integrated marketing communications determined by the sequential alignment of levels of the integration process. The base is the level of vertical integration, which enshrines the situation compliance staged objectives of integrated marketing communications objectives of marketing and general objectives of the corporation.
From current levels of occurrence of synergistic effect of integrated marketing communications greatest manifestation of the theory and practice related with the concept of marketing communication's complex, the content of which may vary depending on the level of market development and characteristics of the types of market. Schematically occurrence synergy levels are shown in Figure 2.
This sequence preserves the continuity of the model of integrated marketing communications, proposed by A.V.Arlantsev and E.V.Popov (levels 1–3 in Figure 2) [4] and supplemented (level 4) O.Yu. Leynveber [5]:
- On the first level there is a synergistic effect of the interaction of the structural elements of a communication message that affect different channels of human perception (sight, hearing, smell, touch). Thus, TV advertising can be more effective than radio advertising, due to exposure to the audience through both image and audio means. The magnitude and direction of the effect is directly dependent on the stereotypes holding influence to object and degree of severity;
- On the second level of the synergistic effect is manifested promote integration complex. Thus, advertising and sales promotion activities produce a greater effect on sharing than using separate only advertising and sales promotion;
- On the third level, a synergistic effect is enhanced when promoting communication resources are utilized all elements of the marketing;
- On the fourth level synergistic effect is enhanced by the direct interaction of direct (internal) and indirect (external) consumers of educational services. An additional effect arises from the interaction of a corporate university implemented projects involving different groups of consumers who formed a complex integrated marketing communications, taking into account the positioning of each target segment until his individualization.
Figure 2. Levels of education synergies with the integration of marketing of communications
Note. Source [5] was used.
Traditionally, it is believed that in the consumer market forms of communication in order of importance as follows: in the first place — advertising, then to reduce the degree of importance of sales promotion and personal selling. If you look at the elements of the complex from the standpoint of promoting the formation of an effective communication strategy for the university, the scheme will look otherwise. Thus, in the structure of the communication tools of educational institutions the most important role assigned for interventions to shape public opinion. There is their exceptional importance in the promotion of educational services due to the increased requirements for interaction with consumers.
With increasing competition in the market of educational services institutions are experiencing increasing difficulties in differentiating products through quality and price, which is due to the requirements of the standards. More and more the success of educational institutions depends on the state of the environment. In connection with this updated value of the individual elements of the complex of marketing communications mainly those who create public opinion about the university. One of the features of educational services is the value to consumers of certain factors shaping the image of the institution, its reputation, image, which becomes an important factor of competitiveness of the All this necessitates the proper use of funds universities to shape public opinion.
Integral part of the image formation of educational institution becomes the application as special and corporate PR-activities that allow to systematically and in combination using the full set of internal and external marketing communications.
Among the large variety of PR-activities can be distinguished corporate projects, which combine all the elements of marketing communications aimed to participants, both external and internal consumers of educational services.
Corporate projects in the education system are a set of programs aimed to creating a common corporate culture of all structural units and to ensure their competitiveness and efficiency.
Through participation in corporate projects of different consumer groups, the process of information transmission through integrated marketing communications helps to perpetuate in their minds the image required, provided the memorability of the university also forming a positive image of the educational institution.
Implementation of the university enterprise project involves not only the union of different target groups, which developed general, involve them in the activities of the specific objectives of the project, but also the integration of marketing communications for the project participants. Enhancing the impact on the image of the university is due to the interaction in the process of participation in corporate projects of internal and external consumers of educational services. Integration of marketing communications in the corporate design provides maximum to attract consumers. Cause they are tar For the successful implementation of corporate projects is advisable to establish closer contacts with target audiences, which include not only the staff, students and employers, but also potential customers who have as a result of the management of their actions formed a favorable opinion on the benefits of education in multi-level educational complex and benefits interaction, provide the greatest awareness of participants — target groups.
It's necessary to achieve harmony between the external and internal customers of the organization, and this is largely dependent on its existing relationships. It is considered that this harmony is achieved when formed corporate relations. Corporate relations of the university based on the using corporate projects.
Being the main form of integration of marketing communications, corporate projects united for participation in the activities of the various groups of consumers. Implementing the tasks, they become one of the tools to achieve the strategic objectives of the university, affecting basic aspects of activities and orientated aims on prospect. Achieving a positive image of the university, which was built on the using of corporate projects, including integrated marketing communications, carried out by the impact on the target audience, both internal and external. Taking part in the activities which the corporate project organized for consumers of educational services receive positive impressions of the college, which remained in the memory for a long time and the most importantly — are transmitted acquaintance through, friends, relatives, other consumer groups, forming a positive image of the university.
Thus, the selection of the target audience allows to communicate more effectively with people of different segments. At the same time, may figure out how to position them more effectively, how to better convey information to consumers.
A distinctive feature of the corporate project — to go beyond the standard tools of marketing communications and to provide educational services or activities of the institution, in accordance with the needs of each target audience. Thus, the complex integrated marketing communications aimed to promoting the educational services of the universities, creating a positive image of the university entrants, students, teachers, employers, graduates and other target audiences.
Necessary to carry out marketing communication activities at the university regularly used in conjunction marketing communications. However, studies have shown, universities are not in a limited way, the possibility of using means of communication, the frequency of their use has been a surge of activity usually occurs in anticipation of receiving campaign. Stir in the rest of the news reports «on the occasion.»
By acting on the internal and external environment of the organization, universities are using integrated marketing communications tools that are focused on establishing long-term relationships through joint implementation of corporate projects aimed to creating a positive image of an educational institution.
References
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- Principles of Marketing, per. trans. from English, Kotler, G. Armstrong, G. Saunders et al., 2nd Europ. ed. MM: «Williams», 1998 — 1056
- Schultz E., Tannenbaum S.I., Lauretborn R.F. New Paradigm Marketing: Integrated Marketing Communications, Moscow: INFRA-M., 2004, p. 233.
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