The final full day of AMA was another great one. Complete with Diet Coke (and coffee), there were several great takeaways from the day.
Consistent Values Bode Well for Organizations
The morning keynote panelists shared some of the latest data from the Harris Poll about sentiment. In looking at values of organizations, they found consumers respected organizations with consistent values. Often, the survey respondents didn’t agree with the values but appreciated the company for having and living them consistently. In higher education, this principle is important in recruitment and retention. Specifically, it’s important to know who the institution is, articulate what that culture is like, and recognize that it might not be a fit for all students. That approach could really set students up for success in navigating the search journey.
Metrics Matter
As a MarComm leader, we have to find understandable ways to talk about our metrics with our leadership. There is no right or wrong answer in how those numbers are shared. However, it’s important to find what works for your organization and get in the habit of sharing those out regularly. It’s also really critical to provide context with the numbers to help leaders have the meaning of market benchmarks, changes in the spend, or the changes in the engagement.
Bringing Beer to Market
Food marketing is such an opportunity for universities. Having a licensed food product is a way to grow your brand awareness, create institutional pride, and drive revenue. This session hosted a deep dive on how to bring a licensed food product (beer) to market. It provided several takeaways including legal requirements, partner/distribution alignment, and how to motivate people to buy the product. We are always looking to grow our licensed food options, and this session gave great insights about how to think through the process.
Own Your Wins
I had a conversation with a friend, and in it we talked about owning our wins. Sometimes (especially as a female) I struggle with celebrating my success. It feels a little braggish, but Myla reminded me that we can and should own the victories that we achieve. I need to work on that but leaving here really proud of some of the success we’ve seen at UA Little Rock and am claiming that I played a key role in those victories.
Closing Thoughts
Today was the last full day of AMA, and I really hope you’ve enjoyed the highlights and takeaways. I hope you will stay connected and continue learning together.
Also — if you’re heading home filled with ideas, here’s a framework I use to help me figure out what to do with those when I get home.
Signing off from AMA but remember Carry On!
And Carrie On 