David versus Goliath: Mighty Linfield College Division of Continuing Education’s E-Marketing Effort

I teach a summer marketing course at Penn State. One of my students is a Linfield College student taking a summer course while at home in Pennsylvania. I was Google-ing a search term for a project and unexpectedly a link for Linfield College pops up. Seems like everywhere I turn, I run into little Linfield College. In the spring, I was eavesdropping at a reception and Janet Gifford, marketing director for Linfield College’s Division of Continuing Education, was humbly talking about how successful her e-marketing efforts were, especially regarding a post-baccalaureate accounting program. I was doubtful, so I in between bites of coconut shrimp I quickly Google’d a few terms in my Blackberry and low and behold … Linfield College’s post bac program was second on the first page, beating out a lot of the big boy business schools offering comparable programs. Months later, I did it again, but varied my search terms … Linfield again on the first page of my many search efforts and beating out UC Davis and Capella on some efforts and falling just behind Berkeley and Virginia on another.

One trick pony? Not at all! To further drive its online efforts, the division commissioned an online learners guide that has been very successful to date. They also have invested into search engine optimization, paid search advertising and digital public relations. In this tough economy, the college is holding its own on enrollments. When some colleges are down this summer, little Linfield is up 16% on its adult student enrollments. This continuing education unit’s marketing is about working smarter and not necessarily harder (or outspending competitors) and having a good team in place.

I’ve attended UCEA meetings for over a decade and have been involved with an age old debate ... little schools can't compete ... small colleges are at a disadvantage. I've seen smaller schools do great marketing and have the results to prove it. At WCET, I witnessed Rio Salado College (while a large community college with 13,000+ students) do some pretty amazing strategic marketing, brand evolution and e-marketing. Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama is doing it. Little Framingham State College’s MBA program is doing it with virtual open houses, Facebook advertising and other efforts. Linfield College is clear proof that the small college or continuing education department can knock heads with monsters on the Internet and the behemoths of the education sector. Go Linfield Go!