Monday 7 March 2011

Marketing Interview with Marie Walton - Advertising Penwith College

We had an interview with Marie about the marketing of Penwith College.

The first question we asked her was what is the main part of your job. 
Marie goes around to different schools to tell the pupils about the college and what it has to offer them. Also at different event around Cornwall such as Mazey Day where they will have a stool and give out freebies and information about the college. She also goes around and takes photos of the college and the courses, these could also be put into a prospectus which she has to make and sort out and create the leaflets that go around schools and the college. Marie also does the staff bulletins so that the lecturers know what they are doing.
When we create our marketing material she said we need to make it look "Young" and get across the high quality of the college (its buildings and the courses). We need to help the students choose their college and make sure that their parents are happy as well.
The main thing to make sure that the college is advertised in a good way is to keep things upbeat and outside of the college so it gives it a good feel and appeal to people who might want to come to the college to study.
There is some physical labour in the job as she is moving boxes everywhere. So it isn't just sitting designing everything on a computer as many people may think.
"Word Travels Fast" is something that stuck out for me because we live in a small community and we hear about most things from other people who have heard it from other people. 
Marie also said that if you appear confident with what you are saying then people will find it easier to believe you.
The two main words that she said was "Positive and Project Quality".

After having this conversation I am going to make sure that I look confident with what we are producing and also to stay positive even if things don't happen how you want it to. I'm not a very confident person especially when talking to people I don't know so this is the main thing i am going to work on. Also the new merchandise that Penwith College gets makes the pupils from schools interested so I would like to make our postcards slightly different from what they have had before so it will make them more interested hopefully.