How can insight help you?
dh insight has a strong track record in working with schools, FE colleges, universities and government agencies. We know the sector and so provide market research findings that are appropriate and cost-effective.
Brand positioning review: Who are your true competitors, and what are their value propositions? We determine areas for comparison and positioning, with attention to the application of marketing.
External stakeholder perceptions: qualitative and quantitative research with external stakeholders such as business contacts, graduate recruiters, the media and alumni help you to understand what the gaps are between the internal and external perceptions of your institution, and how to address them.
Barriers to education: research with students from different cultural and social backgrounds help you to understand what the key barriers are to applying to Higher Education and what services your institution needs to provide for your new starters.
Portfolio review: with the increasing need for course justification, and the likelihood of amalgamation in certain areas, a portfolio review would assist with planning. Conducted from the customer perspective.
Services review: tuition fees highlight any service quality issues in universities. dh insight can help you determine what is important, what is being adequately provided, and what gaps need to be bridged.
International student campaign: workshops with current international students will help you test the appeal of potential marketing campaigns with different cultures.
Acceptor/decliner research: surveys and/or in-depth telephone interviews with acceptors and decliners will help you identify how you could improve conversion rates amongst applicants.
Website review: paired interactive ‘surfing’ sessions with potential students will enable you to re-design or fine-tune your website to make it more intuitive and appropriate to the needs of applicants. This technique is particularly useful in demonstrating how visitors to your site find information (if at all).
Applicant research: qualitative research with potential students in your feeder institutions etc.
Student experience: insight into expectations and whether they are being met, understanding and preparing for NSS and THE survey findings, measuring the increasing importance of student welfare provision etc.
Mystery shopping of your institution and others e.g. attendance at Open and applicant visit days.
Stakeholder perception studies with current students, potential students, staff, alumni, F.E. staff, parents or a host of other influential and important audiences.
Course/programme investigations: new programme viability research and justifications, and the fine-tuning of existing programmes to increase appeal.
Apprenticeships: application and marketing of the levy and understanding barriers to entry. Competitor analysis and the identification of opportunities for differentiation.
Staff satisfaction: consultations with staff and other stakeholders to inform internal strategy e.g. the development of estates.
Communications and marketing materials reviews, including creative concept testing and campaign support.
Market intelligence: collection and application of upcoming subject trends, employers’ requirements, competitor provision etc.
Graduate employers: understand their perceptions of, and bias towards, your students.
University public events and festivals: review their content and appeal and appraise your communication materials.
Perceptions of price and value: the impact and appeal of pricing, financial incentives and awards on potential students and their propensity to accept a place. dh insight can help in setting your pricing policy so that you optimise your student intake in terms of quality, quantity, socio-economic spread and income. We target your potential students and test competitive options that concentrate on the final fee, rather than the assumed one. dh insight focuses on value-based pricing.