Join Kathy Yeager of Contract Training Edge and David Toth of WorkSmart Integrated Marketing, as they discuss the usage of Social Media in Continuing Education and Contract Training. Click here to download the entire paper: http://worksmart-emarketing.com/education/whitepaper_form.php

1. Social Media for
Continuing Education and
Contract Training Units
Kathy Yeager
Contract Training Edge
David Toth
WorkSmart Integrated
Marketing

2. Contents
Introduction 2
Tough Times Call for Different Marketing Techniques 3
But what is social media? 4
Addressing the concerns of Higher Education Managers 7
Why You Should Look at Social Networking 11
Final Thoughts 13
Conclusion 14
About the Authors 15
Appendix A—Survey Results 16
Appendix B—10 Ways Universities Share Information Using Social Media 19
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3. Introduction
A paradigm shift is occurring, thanks to the onslaught of social
networking. Even though this movement is not going away,
organizations around the world—including colleges—have been
slow to shift with it. The shift is changing the way businesses and
organizations are marketing themselves. Should social networking be
part of the marketing mix for today’s colleges?
This white paper will explore the phenomenal growth of social
networking—and determine if it’s a viable method for marketing
Continuing Education and Contract Training.
Kathy Yeager, baby boomer and President of Contract Training
Edge, along with David Toth, Gen Y entrepreneur and President of
WorkSmart Integrated Marketing have compiled a comprehensive
view of how social networking is affecting institutions across the
country and how it may or may not be impacting your school.
To better understand if colleges and universities are utilizing these
tools, we conducted a survey of over 200 institutions across the
country. The results are reviewed within this white paper and can be
found in Appendix A.
This white paper will be followed by a series of white papers and
webinars that take a closer look at specific types of social media, such
as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin, as well as a guide for many current
eMarketing techniques.
Copyright WorkSmart Integrated Marketing and Contract Training Edge, 2009 Page 2

4. Social Media for Continuing Education and Contract Training Units
Tough Times Call for Different Marketing
Techniques
T he economy has changed the way
we do business. With unemployment
at an all-time high, people of all ages
DVRs and satellite radio are hurting the
effectiveness of television and radio
commercials. And it’s difficult for colleges
are going back to school to learn new to track the Return on Investment (ROI)
skills to become more marketable or with these mediums.
are leveraging social networks to find
jobs and make connections. Despite this The result:
hunger for education, open enrollment
Money wasted in a time when
for Continuing Education and Contract
every penny counts.
Training is down in some states because
businesses are cautious about spending
Therefore, Continuing Education and
money on classes and training for
Contract Training Areas must devise
employees.
new ways to reach individuals and
businesses with their specific programs.
In addition, most colleges are also
They must differentiate themselves from
facing budget cuts. The cuts have
online schools that are utilizing the most
affected positions, programs, travel and
modern and viral forms of marketing.
growth. Colleges can no longer afford to
Taking advantage of social networking
market the same old way. The printed
tools could be the silver bullet to
catalogues, glossy brochures, and flashy
marketing your institution to the masses
mailers aren’t producing the enrollment
and truly creating a personalized
results they once enjoyed. Many catalogs
educational experience.
never reach the intended recipient and
are either lost in the shuffle or discarded.
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5. Social Media for Continuing Education and Contract Training Units
But what is social media?
S ocial media is all about having a
conversation—a two-way dialogue
that allows for real discussion through
The purpose of these conversations,
engaging people in discussion and
spreading the content virally, is to
various online mediums, such as develop relationships. The relationships
forums and blogs, social networking are what ultimately result in activity (or
sites, YouTube and other tools. Social enrollment) from the viral recognition.
media, or user-generated content, Another benefit of using social networks
allows anyone to develop conversations is that it provide cost-effective ways for
and engage with others. Its structure you to send your message and provide
presents multiple viral and word-of- information to people in a personalized,
mouth opportunities. one-to-one way.
For example, on Facebook Kathy In today’s economy, colleges are looking
and David have a few friends and for new markets and new business
organizations in common. When David to help them grow. There could be
posts a video on a page that Kathy is huge benefits for colleges to use social
connected to, she sees the video on networking for both researching and
her news feed. From there, people recruiting prospective students as well
visiting Kathy’s page can see her news as maintaining current ones. Social
feed which now contains David’s video, networking tools can give colleges and
resulting in a VIRAL, extended social universities an opportunity to speak to
circle that spreads content rapidly. audiences directly, reaching thousands of
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