IT S AS EASY AS ABC PROMOTING IREM ED

IT’S AS EASY AS ABC: PROMOTING IREM® ED Lynn Disbrow, CAE Vice President, Membership & Marketing Matthew Lesh Marketing Manager

Today’s Session • Share best practices – the do's and don'ts of marketing IREM® ED • Share strategies to promote IREM® education and increase course attendance • Develop a plan to promote courses in 2012 • Share ideas

As easy as A B C • Awareness – Those who know us – New markets/new prospects • Branding – Consistent Messaging – Look & Feel • Commitment – Plan and execute – Result in new customers and repeat customers

Why is it important to grow our students?

More Students = More Members

Best Practices

Best Practices: E-mail The Do’s • • Use IREM® ED design guidelines Target the message Use course descriptions Create a schedule Cross-promote Create a call to action Be bold

Best Practices: E-mail The Don’ts • Be too wordy • Hide the message • Send to people for whom the message is irrelevant

Best Practices: E-mail The Art of Writing Subject Lines • Always be concise – 35 characters or less • Be clear but attention-grabbing – recipients should know what the e-mail is about and want to read it • Avoid words that set off SPAM alarms – free, act now, offer* • Source: "The Seven Dirty Words you can't say in subject lines; plus 100 others you shouldn't use either. "

Best Practices: E-mail Testing and Tracking • Test subject lines • Test days and times, and “from” • Record results and learn from your efforts

Best Practices: E-mail Tips and Tricks • Fewer words and more links receive better open rates and fewer unsubscribes* • Careful use of graphics – mobile users will have problems reading e-mails^ *Source: Hub. Spot ^Source: Informz

Best Practices: E-mail Did You Know? • Smaller target groups outperform (under 50 average 60% open rate) • 61% read on desktops • Web and mobile device usage increasing • Mobile readership more than doubled in 2010, from 6% to 13% *Source: Informz

Best Practices: Print The Do’s • Use IREM® ED Design Guidelines • Use IREM® ED logo, fonts, and styles consistently • Use full chapter logo • Include dates, location, web address and phone • Include a call to action - create a sense of urgency • Use IREM® trademarks correctly

Best Practices: Print The Do’s • Balance content vs. design • Maintain a professional appearance • Stock photos and images – www. istockphoto. com • Use white space

Best Practices: Print The Don’ts • • • Use meaningless graphics Overuse “cute” clip-art, if at all Mix your messages – be consistent Use lofty, trite, or “cutesy” themes Use insensitive or inappropriate design or content

Chapter Samples

IREM® Georgia Chapter No. 67

IREM® Houston Chapter No. 28

IREM® Michigan Chapter No. 5

IREM® Minnesota Chapter No. 45

Practicing Leadership Your upcoming course has low enrollment. The course dates are fast approaching. What’s your promotion strategy?

2 Minutes Left!

The Market Prospecting

The Market Red = Rank of IREM® Members Blue = Property Managers from U. S. Census

The Market: Prospecting • 499, 025* property managers who are not IREM® Members • Without prospecting, there is no marketing • Prospects become students, students become members • Existing customers vs. new customers * Source: U. S. Census Bureau

The Market: Prospecting • Swap lists with other associations and organizations • Hold joint events with other organizations • Attend trade shows and acquire lists • Data-mining – comb the web for contact information • Member referrals – word of mouth • Solicit prospects via your website • ODIE visits

Branding: Messaging IREM® ED is. . . A professional development program to maximize your potential and the value of the real estate assets you manage

Branding: Messaging • New customer vs. existing customer customize • Your Choice. Your Pace. Your Program. • Your Career Partner. • It’s all about you – your professional development, your business, your success. • Up-to-date, leading-edge information. • Solutions you can use in your business tomorrow.

Branding: Messaging • A diverse learning environment. • Heighten your abilities and maximize the value of the assets you manage. • Enables real estate managers of all levels of experience to reach their potential and maximize their earnings. • Subject matter that matters to you and your business. • Course descriptions and benefits.

The Right Marketing Mix • Don’t rely exclusively on e-mail marketing – avoid “E-mail Exhaustion” • A mix of print, e-mail and phone calls is ideal • Develop a budget for marketing expenses • Multiple touches increases likelihood of action

The Right Marketing Mix

Practicing Leadership A nearby chapter is holding the same course your chapter is holding, at a similar time. What changes in your marketing strategy?

2 Minutes Left!

2012 Headquarters Promotions • Monthly targeted e-mails (members & nonmember) • Annual Education Catalog mailing • Direct mail to targeted markets • Customer relations outreach • Phone calls to targeted markets • Content marketing campaigns • Prospecting • Advertisements

Chapter Resources for IREM® ED Marketing

A version for every track and every individual course Second page is a registration form

Recruitment Promos Education Promos

• IAE login only • Excel Report • Members & non-members • Contact information • Which CPM® courses completed

Online request for lists Online request for brochures, catalogs, and applications

Chapter Resources • $50 chapter rebate for online and selfpaced registrations with chapter referral – $20, 750 in 2010 (415 referrals) – $7, 150 in 2011 thru July (143 referrals) – Promote all course delivery formats • Coming in early 2012 – Hot prospect lists 50. 00

Commitment: Course Marketing Timeline • Dedicate the right resources • Plan and execute • Start promotion as soon as your course is scheduled: – Review your Student/Candidate Course Reports for targeted promotions – Craft a targeted message for your audience with a call to action and a sense of urgency, i. e. , Register today! – Add your course schedule to your chapter website

Commitment: Course Marketing Timeline • Four months out: – build awareness with flyers, e-mails, and advertising • Three months out: – contact local employers, place phone calls, utilize your newsletter • One month out: – notify the media of your course

Commitment: The Full Customer Experience • Happy customers become repeat customers and word-of-mouth ambassadors • Marketing doesn’t end when the course begins • Cross-promote other courses and membership on-site (use powerpoint) • Every touch matters – from confirmation letters to returned messages to on-site

As Easy as A B C • Awareness – Those who know us – New markets/new prospects • Branding – Consistent Messaging – Look & Feel • Commitment – Plan and execute – Result in new customers repeat customers

As Easy as A B C • Always • Be • Closing

2012 Course Schedule Coming November 1 visit www. irem. org

Lynn Disbrow: ldisbrow@irem. org 800 -837 -0706 ext. 6009 Matthew Lesh: mlesh@irem. org 800 -837 -0706 ext. 6064