MARKETING FOR THE PARKING & TRANSIT INDUSTRIESMSTPA Annual Conference

2011

Mitch Skyer Barbara Chance June Broughton

Why Is It Important to Market?Individuals keep impressions from the past – particularly

bad ones (the bus was late, I could never find a parking space, the website didn’t work the time I tried to pay my ticket, etc.)

How else will you let people know about the changes?

Customer expectations are high, and they want everything as quickly as they could get it on an i-phone

How To Decide on the MessageWhat needs to be marketed? (not everything all the time)

To whom?

When?

Why?

How to Deliver The Message?Use and/or create all the tools you can

Tailor to the various audiences you haveWill Students read the newspaper?Will the head of the Faculty Senate get a Tweet?Will those who don’t ride the bus see the ad on the bus?Will a Student give information to parents?

Hit ‘Em With Everything You’ve Got

Information Radio Stations

Add Links to Bus Graphics

Websites

What’s Important about Marketing Transportation Technology?

How technology improves the passenger experience?

Marketing and communicating specific benefits to passengers.

Relate to passengers – focus on what matters to them, not features, buzz, or sizzle.

Create a Culture of CommunicationPush Information Regularly

Frequent (i.e. weekly) Highlight Important Messages

• Provide links to additional information

Create Cumulative Marketing ListsEncourage Sign-Ups in Multiple WaysPassengers and Patrons Have Multiple Access Points

Set Service Level Expectations & Meet ThemResponse TimeQuality and Consistency of Responses

Why is Timing Critical?Give people information before they have to make a

decision (“I don’t have to take a car to campus, I can get around on the bus!”)

Give people information on which to make a decision (“I’m going to have to budget so much money to purchase a parking permit each semester.”)

Reinforce at appropriate intervals (don’t try to market to students during finals week, don’t give a message to faculty on Fridays!)

And . . .Don’t forget to “market” internally – everyone on staff

needs to know and understand what you are marketing externally

Reinforce the message – people miss the campaign or forget what they saw

You can’t rest! Keep reinforcing your image/brand Keep reinforcing the services offered and the benefits

they provide Use surveys and focus groups to find out what important

attributes you should market

Some Examples from June

transport.tamu.edu

Move InDirect mail to parents/guardiansMap corresponds to large signs posted on

campus during move-inEmail to studentsAggie Hotline article to alert faculty/staffWebsite

transport.tamu.edu

Brand/Image

transport.tamu.edu

Timing is Critical

transport.tamu.edu

Why Consider a New Name/Logo?

Remove the negative – start over with a new foundation on which to build a “new” department

Unite all areas of the departmentExpress a new customer driven and innovative

philosophyAlign the department with the positive image

of the University

transport.tamu.edu

Brand/Image

transport.tamu.edu

Results

transport.tamu.edu

Annual Survey

Measuring SuccessFigure out how you are going to measure responses

BEFORE you do the marketing

Decide how to determine if a campaign was “successful” – what does “successful” mean?

Figure out what you are going to need to do to adequately justify the marketing budget and the results it obtained.

Discussion – Open to All!