1. Topic and Motivation: Since I’m an outsider (what I’ve always been as a copywriter on any project) it makes sense for me to approach this project as a Marketing program for a Writing Center. I can’t pretend to offer advice about what I haven’t experienced either as a student or tutor, but I can take an approach more familiar to me, which is to listen to what insiders have to say about themselves, their product/service, and who they think their audience is.
2. Research Questions and Methods: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to a marketing program for a “type” of institution, so I’ll have to focus specifically on the needs of a particular Writing Center, which, in this case, would be Ball State’s Writing Center. My first task would be to determine what the Writing Center’s goals are and where a marketing program can possibly help based on constraints, such as budget and time. I would need to know what marketing materials are currently in place, what seems to be working and what doesn’t, and what facts and figures are available to illustrate that. What, specifically, does the Writing Center want to accomplish? Some results might be measurable (increased number of visitors), while other results might be less tangible (improved reputation). My next task would be to understand the Writing Center’s mission in order to articulate an effective message. Would teachers and students be marketed to using the same materials—or are different messages required? What can a student reasonably expect to gain from a Writing Center visit? If the Writing Center has any competition (Learning Center?), is there a way to differentiate itself? What kind of language should be emphasized, and what kind of language should be de-emphasized or avoided? What are the demographics of the target audience, both teachers and students? Are any students or tutors willing to provide testimonials? In addition to getting the answers to some of these questions, I can start researching other university Writing Centers online to determine how they are marketing themselves, particularly universities with similar demographics and stated objectives. This not only helps to generate ideas but to be aware that “fresh” ideas might turn out to be stale—not necessarily a bad thing if stale, i.e., commonplace, is what works. I also plan to research scholarly articles to find out what I can about what has worked or not worked for other Writing Centers.
3. Format of Project: This project would most likely take the form of a written proposal with speculative creative work in rough drafts (scripts, storyboards, thumbnail sketches, etc.). I would present these in handouts and some kind of visual presentation.
4. Questions Now: Are you available for interviews? An important consideration for me is to understand exactly how the Writing Center wants others to view its purpose so that I can accurately communicate this to the target audiences. There is nothing worse than prospects perceiving that the Writing Center is selling “A,” when it is actually selling “B.” Those who show up for “A” will be disappointed; those who want “B” won’t show up at all. Another question is whether I should visit the Writing Center myself to get help on a paper to find out how the process works and to get a general feel for the atmosphere. Other questions are related to perceived goals: 1. Increase in use: How many students could the Writing Center handle versus how many actually use the services now? Are there space/hiring restrictions that would prohibit growth at this time? 2. Increased goodwill: How is the Writing Center perceived on campus by students, teachers, administrators? Is there a lack of awareness? Confusion about its purpose? Any particularly positive or negative attitudes?
5. Issues and Problems: Time is going to be an issue, but that’s a given. I should be able to access most of the information I need. I anticipate problems because I’m under the jurisdiction of Murphy’s Law, but the nature of those problems is unknown at this point.
1 comment:
To answer some of your research questions, you might want to take a look at how the Writing Center is talked about in Ball Point. Although it is only mentioned a few places, the places in which it is mentioned might be of interest to you in trying to find out how the Writing Center at Ball State is perceived by faculty and students.
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