Overview: The Excel® Center at Melrose Plaza in Roanoke is the first free adult high school in Virginia. With no awareness locally, the center needed to educate people about who they were and why their mission was so vital for adults who wanted a better job and a better life. Our task was to introduce the brand, explain its worth, and recruit students and faculty.
Challenge: Various AU teams worked simultaneously (but never in a silo!) to market The Excel Center on an accelerated timeline. We did a fully customized website within a compressed schedule. In addition, we coordinated and launched numerous tactics, including display ads, paid social, radio spots, OOH placements, and bag stuffers at local stores. In the marketing, we stressed the ease of going back to school. We highlighted how the center eliminates barriers that may keep you from returning. And we emphasized the economic benefits of earning a high school diploma.
Results: With an enrollment goal of 50 students, the Excel Center ended up welcoming 75 qualified students to its inaugural class — 50% over goal. Today, there is a wait list of students waiting for an open slot.
We doubled digital conversions month over month from June to July, producing a large spike in student interest as the first day of school approached.
Our PR team played a huge role in building awareness, not just locally but nationally. The first day of classes became an event that attracted multiple Virginia dignitaries, including Governor Glenn Youngkin, who spoke to a packed crowd. A news story about the grand opening of The Excel Center was picked up by NBC News Now and aired in multiple states across the country.
