Minutes from Marketing Meeting

Marketing Meeting Minutes- April 23, 2009

The committee met to discuss plans for the 2009-2010 school year.

Some ideas discussed included the following:

· Continue with Facebook ( $3,000 was spent this year)

· Radio ( look into prices) Quarnstrom will look into prices for the next meeting.

· Create a supplemental coupon that allows each public high school to send first supplemental student for free and get to know us. Quarnstrom will check with MDE on if this is allowable.

· Maybe have more laptops for use if that is a marketing strategy.

· Get to more doctors and hospitals next year as needed.

All members agreed to look at options and bring back to the next meeting.

It was also decided that the committee would create a report for the June board meeting on what was accomplished this year and plans for next year.

Marketing Committee meeting 12/18/2008 @ 9:00am

Marketing Committee decided to advertise with the Chisago Lakes Community Guide. We will investigate using the same ad we produced for our All Over Media ad campaign and request either a half page or quarter page ad once they see the art work. Quarnstrom will investigate these options and send updates to the group.

For board meeting-

The Marketing Committee suggests that Wolf Creek begin to use the following terminology to identify ourselves-

Wolf Creek Online High School

Abbreviation WCOHS

We suggest the following places to begin to change our name.

· Pamphlets

· Phone-voice mail for LM’s stating you have reached_____________at Wolf Creek Online High School

· MDE –we will ask for our new terminology to be parenthesis under our official name on the website for OLL providers.

· Facebook ad

· All over Media ad ( if possible or in the future)

Changes to take place over time

· Pens, business cards, and post it notes will be changed when we run out of what we currently have in stock.

· For summer we will investigate changing our logo and notations on our website ( including a .org instead of a .com)

· Policies will remain with our official name

· Diplomas will remain as they current state our name

· Letterhead

It is important to remember that both names can be used interchangeably so not everything will be changed. For example the sign outside will read our official name.-TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning Charter School #4095.

September 16, 2008 @8:30am

Present:Tracy Quarnstrom, Sheryl Palmquist, Stacy Bender, Sandra Flint, Cassie Gaede, Guest-Kelly Vilson

All of these ideas are things that we need all staff members working on with us. Please continue to use any free means that you can to promote TWC-this includes flyers and local newspaper opportunities. Calling Channels-4-5-9-11 never hurts or sending a quick email about a great story idea on a particular student.

We do not have district boundaries so we need to market to students at all times. With our large number of seniors this year and the new building costs it is more important than ever for all of us to be promoting TWC.

These are ideas that we plan to pursue right now due to the fact that we were given $8,500 from the board for marketing purposes.

$3,000 for All Over Media

Campaign will include theatres and restaurants and restroom posters

Sandy will lead the charge in creating the ad-if you are interested in helping please let her know asap as we are planning to create the ad in the next week. Ads should be placed by October 1^st.

One idea from Cassie was to focus North on Rush City to Duluth areas to gain more students and we will consider that in placement of ads.

We will have a six-month run for that price and will judge in May the effectiveness.

$3,000 Face Book advertising

Campaign will include amount of clicks on ad on Face Book

Demographics such as MN and high school will be used.

Stacy will lead the charge and any feedback should be submitted to her.
Again a six month campaign.

Price unknown but may be part of technology budget-optimizing web site

Web Design Optimization-TQ and BS will work on this as much as possible as we update the website.

One idea is adding new pics of current students and we have that on our list-thanks SF

Free-presenting at conferences

Presenting about TWC at conferences is something many staff members can do and plan for in the form Tracy emailed out over the weekend-

IDEAS: ACT conference, MAAP conference, E-Learning Conference, MSCC ( Mn School Counselors conference)

This does not cost anymore than attending the conference and usually saves us money on the registration fees.

Free-Open house

Taran and Tracy will publicize the Open House and speaker on Oct 14^th to many local papers. Flyers will be available to all staff members to hang up in many areas.

A newsletter will be going out with mid-terms (created by Kelly V to also publicize that we need students and the open house-and maybe the referral program mentioned below)

Minimal cost-Counselor Breakfast

Tracy and Brenda will organize a counselor breakfast soon to engage local school districts in the online conversations again.

Price –minimal for some food products

Free-Flyers with tear off sheets

Give to staff and families in local area for distribution.

Sheryl is in charge of working on this project.

Other free ideas

Visit local Rotary and Lions to publicize TWC ( Tracy)

Publicize the offerings for the community like the college fair all year long. (All)

Continue to publicize the student of the month and honor roll in local newspapers. (Brenda)

Get the alumni committee involved in any way possible. ( Cassie)

Ideas we are still considering and will investigate-we would love input from all of you.

I am also sure there are other ideas we have not considered and the marketing committee is hoping to create a seasonal calendar pertaining to events we need to do in each season so let us know those ideas.

Student Video- Cost currently unknown.

We will investigate a student video that could be played on UTUBE or our website. Stacy will contact a person who may be able to help us out.

Referral program

Give all TWC students referral points if they refer a student who stays at TWC for one month.

One idea is a t-shirt if they refer someone and they are entered into a raffle at the end of the month for $100 cash. This would cost -$800 for incentives and cost of the t-shirts

Tracy will investigate how other charters do this and any legal issues. Cassie may be able to help with the t-shirts.

End of term incentives-would be coded to that item in budget ( already passed by Board at September meeting)

Give out sweatshirts or tshirts for incentives at end of Terms 1 and 2 for advertising-check with Emily and Kelly V for input.

Changing the school name

The big thought that will take more investigation is actually changing our name to

Wolf Creek online high school at some point in the future-Tracy will investigate this further.