Perfect Pitch

Marketing to college freshmen requires many voices to reach students and parents.

By Margaret Sheridan, Senior Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 6/15/2005

Ashland University students can access the nutrition profile of every recipe on dining services’ Web site.

During visits to Saginaw Valley, prospective students and parents are invited to experience campus action stations, which appeal to their senses with sizzle and smells.

Campus foodservice is a buyer’s market for incoming students and their parents, who often foot the bills. Unfortunately, it can become a hot seat for directors of dining services. Rising costs of tuition as well as room and board give parents impetus to be actively involved, demanding value and quality for their dollars.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, D.C., tuition and fees per student in public institutions doubled between 1970 and 2001. The resulting pricing pressure resonates in campus foodservice operations. “Parents demand the same quality in dining that they look for in housing and faculty,” says Matthew Portner, director of auxiliary services, Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio. “And the expectations get higher every year.”

Portner and his peers arm themselves with sophisticated marketing plans and tools with Madison Avenue pizzazz—from bumper stickers and refrigerator magnets to personal phone calls and e-mails, peer contact, coupons and discounts. Consistent communication with a personal touch produces results that earn loyal customers.

Going Commercial
“When selling campus foodservice, remember to build a bridge for four years, not just a semester,” advises Michael Floyd, director of foodservice, University of Georgia, Athens. “Always think like a commercial restaurant.”

The voluntary meal plan at University of Georgia requires Floyd to make a continual effort to renew and retain subscribers. Of the school’s 32,000 students, about 7,500 are on meal plan, including 1,300 off-campus residents. His goal is to add 500 more members this year with new attractions such as ice cream and sandwich shops, an all-you-can-eat venue and c-store.

In addition, refrigerator magnets and humor work for Floyd. He markets the face of the school’s bulldog mascot on magnets sent to homes of incoming freshmen. The New Dawg Checklist magnet reminds freshmen of dates to validate meal plans and includes the telephone number and e-mail address of Floyd’s department. These reinforce campus-dining identity and get students thinking about meal plans.

Pleasing Mom and Dad
According to college foodservice managers, parents of incoming freshmen are more involved than previous generations. They don’t drop their kids off in September and say, “See you at Thanksgiving.” Today’s moms and dads frequently visit and call campus departments, including foodservice. Getting these active parents the message about a university’s delicious, healthful food and its value and convenience requires a sophisticated sales pitch.

64%
Percent of students who buy fast food or ready-to-eat food several times a week. (Aramark Corp.)

Reassuring parents that her operation could provide some of the comforts of home worked for Mary Zawieski during her six years as director of dining services at Connecticut College, New London. “Address mom and dad’s basic fears; it’s an emotional time for them,” says the vice president of The Rochelle Group, Charleston, S.C., noncommercial-foodservice consultants. “For example, parents want to know if your operation can provide a doggie bag if their child misses a meal due to illness. This kind of positive message can make the difference.”

Incoming freshmen often are in a “near-panic mode,” says Richard Turnbull, associate director of university housing and dining, Oregon State University, Corvallis. “They have no idea what life—or food—on campus is like.” He enlists volunteers from his staff to discuss foodservice options with students at orientation sessions. Casual conversation about class schedules, meal plans and campus life helps ease anxieties.

At Saginaw Valley State University, University Place, Mich., Matt Wilton uses academic and administrative departments to integrate foodservice materials into orientation packages, school publications and campus programs. “We put the food component right up there with financial aid, admissions and housing,” says the director of campus foodservice for the account managed by Philadelphia-based Aramark Corp.

At orientation sessions, he uses foodservice videos and invites guests to savor the fun of dining. “Get students and parents to experience the action stations. Appeal to their senses with sizzle and smells. Merchandise your food and services.”

And since recruiting athletes is a major effort on campus, Wilton tailors a specific message for parents of student athletes, assuring them their kids will get appropriate diets and calories. He also briefs coaches and athletic directors about foodservice features that can be used as recruiting tools.

Healthy Concerns
It’s not just jocks who are concerned about nutrition. Freshmen are interested in healthy dining but on their terms, says Zawieski. “They want healthful choices when they want them. That doesn’t mean 100% of every day.”

59%
Percent of college freshmen who say their diet has gone downhill since entering college. (Tufts University)

The knowledge gap between menu descriptions and incoming students’ understanding of nutrition provides foodservice directors with opportunities to educate. Most freshmen have heard terms such as trans-fatty acids and Atkins but might not understand them. And they know sugar and fats can be bad but they’re not sure why. At Ashland University, students can access the nutrition profile of every recipe on dining services’ Web site, and the services of the campus nutritionist are available to all.

At the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Kris Stapleton markets nutrition programs designed by Ryebrook, N.Y.-based Chartwells, a division of Compass Group, The Americas. Logos and stickers identify vegetarian, lactose-free, low-sodium, and gluten-free menu choices. Managers, trained in a 10-hour online nutrition course, answer student questions about basic food preparations and diet.

But any pitch made at orientation about flexible hours, nutritious food, value and healthy options is lost if foodservice managers and directors fail to monitor the promise every day. “Get out of the office and walk the dining room to know the students and what they want,” advises Zawieski. “Eat with them, meet for coffee. Swipe ID cards. They will tell you what they don’t like if you begin a conversation by asking what they do like.”

Labor Pool
Incoming freshman are Richard Turnbull’s future work force at Oregon State University. He plants a seed about employment in a series of letters sent to families in June and July. He invites candidates to move in two weeks before their peers, giving them time for training and hands-on experience.

“By August, I usually get 90 positive replies out of 2,000 freshmen.” Such communication links dining services with students and conveys a positive image to parents. “The kids like the idea of having an extra source of income.”

Stall Tactics
How do you best communicate with students? Pennsylvania State University in University Park last March surveyed 12,000 students and got responses from 2,762. The most effective means: posters in dining room (26%); table tents/flip charts (18%); posters in residence halls (15.4%); dining Web site (14.2%); newsletter posted in restroom stalls (14%); e-mail (11%); other (6%).

“Catch students in the toilet stalls,” says Lisa Wandel, associate foodservice director. At Penn State, a one-page newsletter with six to eight items is posted in each stall. Another successful method is posting signs or posters by stations where students wait in lines. “They read to kill time,” she says.