Psychographic segmentation
 Profile your students and applicants
 to understand how students see your
institution
 so you can improve your marketing
July 2011
© CRI Inc 2011
Psychographic Segmentation
The division of a market into
segments according to the
lifestyles, motivations, needs,
beliefs and attitudes of its
customers
© CRI Inc 2011
Why do a segmentation analysis?
• Markets are composed of millions of individuals, each one unique. We
don’t have the ability to address them individually.
• Treating the market as an average of all the individuals is simplistic and
unrealistic (e.g. the average student grade is 73%).
• Segmentation groups like-minded individuals together and separates
them from those that are most different. Within a segment, individuals
are quite similar, while the segments themselves are distinctly different
from each other.
• This type of analysis provides the best of both worlds: simple enough
to grasp, but detailed enough to guide sound marketing strategy.
© CRI Inc 2011
The potential benefits
The primary use of psychographics is in marketing – product, promotion,
place and price.
The better you understand your markets, the easier it is to develop the
products they want, deliver those products where and how they want
them and promote the products in ways that have the best chance of
arousing their interest.
A viable psychographic segmentation system will help educational
institutions to move away from relying only on demographic
considerations to shape academic programs & delivery, student
services and marketing-communications.
Secondary uses might include improving retention, better alumni
programs, better student services, etc.
© CRI Inc 2011
Research goals & key findings
Based on responses from 4,100 undergrads at five Canadian
universities (Dalhousie, Laval, Concordia, Queen’s, Victoria):
• See if a meaningful psychographic segmentation system can be
developed for Canadian university first-entry undergraduates
• See if there are significant differences in how different segments are
attracted to the five different “university brands”
Key findings
The analysis identified 8 highly differentiated psychographic segments
among first-entry undergrads that also made intuitive sense.
Different universities attract very different mixes of students from the
eight segments.
© CRI Inc 2011
Two primary psychographic segments


Analysis identified two primary segment formations that accurately
define 100% of the respondent population.
Directed students: 67% and Drifters: 33%
ALL STUDENTS
100%
DIRECTED
67% of students
DRIFTING
33% of students
5 discrete segments
3 discrete segments
University leads to
success
Looking to future
Planning career
Thinking and intellect
Trouble finishing
Work is often late
Changing goals
Lost in crowd
© CRI Inc 2011
Eight discrete psychographic segments

The best data “fit” generates eight discrete psychographic segments
which demonstrate clear signs of differentiation both within the total
population and among the different universities studied.
Directed Segments
Conscientious
Achievers
aka
New
opportunities
Social Extroverts
aka
Party hearty
Anxious
Go-getters
aka
Under stress
Inquisitive
Introverts
aka
Ivory Tower
Success Express
aka
Planning for
success
Drifting Segments
Self Actualizers
aka
Personal
Growth
Cyber-Students
aka
Lost in Space
Perpetual
Students
aka
Lost & lonely
© CRI Inc 2011
Four fundamental dimensions

There are also four fundamental dimensions that influence the
distribution of the psychographic segments when they are mapped.
Social
Alienation
Opportunity
Academic
© CRI Inc 2011
Mapping the segments
Social
DRIFTING
Self-Actualizers
Perpetual Students
Cyber-Students
Inquisitive Introverts
Opportunity
Alienation
Social Extroverts
Conscientious Achievers
Anxious Go-getters
Success Express
Academic
DIRECTED
© CRI Inc 2011
Find out which segment you belong in
EDge & CRi invite you to take the psychographic
segmentation survey yourself.
We’ll tell you which segment you would be in if you were a
first-entry undergrad starting university.
Details at the end of the presentation.
© CRI Inc 2011
A look at each segment
The next section looks at the
qualities and actions that
differentiate between
segments.
First, the “Directed” segments…
© CRI Inc 2011
Conscientious Achievers
Conscientious Achievers know what they want to do
and are confident of their success after graduation,
something into which they put a lot of effort and
planning.
aka
New opportunities
16% of population
They strongly believe that university helps them find
new opportunities, as well as opening their eyes and
exposing them to diversity.
They work conscientiously and are the least likely to
have late or last-minute assignments. They like to get
involved: in classroom conversation and student
politics (quite likely to call themselves activists).
• Know their future
• Relationships
• Social Justice
• Liberal Education
• Relationship with
instructors
As the group most strongly adhering to their own
beliefs and principles, they are the least likely to go in
for wild partying or living on the edge. Low levels of
stress.
© CRI Inc 2011
Social Extroverts
Social Extroverts are all about the social experience
of university. They stand out from other groups in the
frequency with which they go to extracurricular
activities, belong to clubs and groups, work out, have
an active social life, party and go wild.
But they are not uninterested in education: they also
believe in getting their degree (to get a high-paying
job), connecting with like-minded thinkers (and
networking with “the right people”).
Quite likely to be looking for a future life partner at
school.
aka
Party hearty
16% of population
• Live on the edge
• Social part of
education
• Lots of time online
• Belong to clubs
• Active social life
They appreciate the opportunities the university
provides, including both personal independence and
the chance to open their eyes. Perhaps summed up
by “Being socially active in university is a part of the
education.”
© CRI Inc 2011
Anxious Go-getters
They live with a lot of stress: mostly about getting
good grades. They know their future depends on
grades, & finishing a degree is an important milestone.
They worry about money (tuition costs are too high!)
and things like speaking out in class (which causes a
low participation rate). They are likely to feel that they
are more stressed than those around them.
Their families strongly push their education, and they
are more likely than anyone else to regularly call
someone in another city. They are fairly low on social
activity and having groups of friends, but they do
enjoy the personal independence of being at university.
They are at least average in getting out to activities and
enjoying movies/music/art.
aka
Under stress
12% of population
• Stress about grades
• Low class
participation
• Call another city
• Movies, art, music
• Meet life partner
Most likely to be looking for a future life partner at
school.
© CRI Inc 2011
Inquisitive Introverts
They rely on the university to provide a protected,
intellectual space (set off from the real world, which is
a bit scary).
They like to be immersed in their books but they
also like the way the university opens their eyes and
exposes them to cultural diversity, connects them to
like-minded thinkers and is a place for progressive and
social justice work.
They score quite low on extracurricular activities,
clubs/groups, having a busy social life and large
groups of friends, but are only average on reporting
loneliness or being lost in the crowd.
aka
Ivory tower
12% of population
• Protected intellectual
space
• Nourish creativity
• Low social activity
• Bit of a dreamer
• Drifted in high school
Although their family is a force in their education, they
are the group least likely to call someone in another
city on a regular basis.
© CRI Inc 2011
Success Express
They are at university for a purpose, which is to set
themselves up for life (especially a high-income job)
after they graduate.
The degree or diploma is a key marker on this path, but
the journey is not one on which they will dawdle; few
students place as little importance as these do on
extracurricular activities, clubs/groups, and
movies/music/arts.
Being socially active ranks low in importance, but
they do value networking or getting to know instructors.
aka
Planning for success
12% of population
• Know exact future
• Plan for future
• University success
leads to life success
• Take part in class
• Low social interest
• Stressed & lonely
The price is a fair amount of stress and loneliness,
which they are prone to managing through video
gaming. Least likely to be looking for a future life
partner at school.
© CRI Inc 2011
The “Drifting” segments
© CRI Inc 2011
Self Actualizers
They see the university as a source of personal
development. Motivations include experiencing
music/movies/art, being involved in classroom
conversation, experiencing diversity, remaining true to
beliefs and principles and having time to dream.
Motivations do not include getting a prestigious
degree or a high-paying job, material things, or worrying
about grades.
The group most likely to be seeking the “classical
liberal” education. Admit they have a relatively high
likelihood of changing goals, and of not finishing things
or following through. Family is usually not a strong force
in pushing their education.
aka
Personal growth
11% of population
• Future not about
grades
• Material world not
important
• Nourish creativity
• Speak out in class
• Legalize pot
Very low levels of stress about grades or money. Most
likely to be in favour of legalizing pot.
© CRI Inc 2011
Cyber-Students
They are twice as likely as others to say that they
spend a lot (too much) time on social media and
with their cell phones. They show the least interest of
anyone in being “immersed in books” (but maybe partly
because they are technophiles).
They like to party, go wild and live life on the edge,
and spend little time planning for the future.
They are not joiners – going to university events or
belonging to clubs or groups. They do have goals of
finishing their degrees and getting a high-paying job,
but have trouble finishing things or getting them in on
time, and they suffer from constantly changing goals.
aka
Lost in space
12% of population
• Active social life/go
wild
• Lots of friends
• Changing goals
• Education leads to
income
• Spend lots of time
online
Compared to university, the real world looks a little
scary. Relatively little interest in teachers/ instructors,
and like to interact with them by email.
© CRI Inc 2011
Perpetual Students
They are very troubled by loneliness, alienation,
and stress.
They have difficulty finishing things, from assignments
to their entire program of study, and are also prone to
changing their goals (although it is not clear which of
these is cause and which is effect).
They have high stress levels about speaking in class,
about money, about their careers. They rarely go to
events, have any kind of active social life, or get
involved in student politics.
aka
Lost & lonely
10% of population
• Lost in crowd
• Don't feel connected
• Trouble finishing
• Bit of a dreamer
• Late assignments
They tend to feel lost in the crowd and feel they have
little right to their teachers’ time and attention. Likely to
describe themselves as dreamers.
© CRI Inc 2011
Looking at individual institutions
This sections looks at the
differences in the
psychographic profiles of
individual universities.
© CRI Inc 2011
Results for the five study participants

Widely differing results point to very different brand perceptions.
C ons c ientious A c hievers
Soc ial E xtroverts
A nxious G o- getters
I nquis itive I ntroverts
Suc c es s E xpres s
Self-A c tualizers
C yber-S tudents
P erpetual Students
0
50
100
150
200
250
© CRI Inc 2011
University #1 – segment distribution
C ons c ientious A c hievers
Soc ial E xtroverts
A nxious G o- getters
I nquis itive I ntroverts
Directed
Suc c es s E xpres s
Self-A c tualizers
C yber-S tudents
 Drifting
P erpetual Students
Sc ale
0
50
100
150
U niv 1
200
250
A ll univ
© CRI Inc 2011
University #2 – segment distribution
C ons c ientious A c hievers
Soc ial E xtroverts
A nxious G o- getters
I nquis itive I ntroverts
Directed
Suc c es s E xpres s
Self-A c tualizers
C yber-S tudents
 Drifting
P erpetual Students
Sc ale
0
50
100
150
U niv 2
200
250
A ll univ
© CRI Inc 2011
University #3 – segment distribution
C ons c ientious A c hievers
Soc ial E xtroverts
A nxious G o- getters
Directed
I nquis itive I ntroverts
Suc c es s E xpres s
Self-A c tualizers
 Drifting
C yber-S tudents
P erpetual Students
Sc ale
0
50
100
150
U niv 3
200
250
A ll univ
© CRI Inc 2011
University #4 – segment distribution
C ons c ientious A c hievers
Soc ial E xtroverts
A nxious G o- getters
Directed
I nquis itive I ntroverts
Suc c es s E xpres s
Self-A c tualizers
 Drifting
C yber-S tudents
P erpetual Students
Sc ale
0
50
100
150
U niv 4
200
250
A ll univ
© CRI Inc 2011
Applications
Where psychographics have a role to play:
1. Understanding who you appear to be: Psychographics provides
a look deep inside your brand as perceived by entering students.
2. Marketing-communications. An immediate application on how
you communicate with your most desirable audiences.
3. Recruitment tactics: Immediate application on prioritizing the
types of activities and tactics you will use.
4. Persistence & success: mid-term application on identifying those
groups of students who do best in your institution’s environment.
5. Product delivery: mid-term impact on how programs are packaged
for delivery (e.g., Success Express versus Inquisitive Introvert)
© CRI Inc 2011
1. Get your institution’s psychographic profile
Includes
• the psychographic profile of your institution’s entering class.
• benchmarking against all participating institutions
• an in-depth look at the psychographic profile of up to five student
groups – defined by Faculty, geography, grades, etc.
Learn how you can better respond to student needs and proactively
shape your institution’s future profile.
Investment
• Survey of entering students $5,500
• Survey covers students entering university, college or private
institute
• A separate survey is being developed for students entering
masters and doctoral programs.
© CRI Inc 2011
2. Track persistence & success by segment
Includes:
• tracking students who take part in the psychographic survey for
persistence and success (conversion from full-time to part-time studies,
withdrawal from the university, academic failure, placement on conditional
standing etc.)
• measuring the significance of any relationship between persistencesuccess and membership in a specific segment
• assessing student service usage levels.
Pre-requisite: Research to establish the institution’s psychographic profile
and segment membership of a reasonably large pool of students as
outlined in Option #1.
Investment
o
Annual tracking with reports
$2,500/year
© CRI Inc 2011
3. Intercept & segment prospects
Identifying an applicant’s segment gives you insights into their interests,
motivations, and beliefs, so you can better tailor your recruitment efforts.
If you use the web for a large part of your recruiting efforts and capture
prospect info in d-bases, you can offer prospects the opportunity to “find
out what type of student they are” by taking CRi’s Applicants Profiler Test.
CRi will generate a segment tag for your d-base for every prospect who
takes the Applicant Profile . You can tailor messages and tactics to
appeal directly to the motives, needs and interests of top applicants.
Investment
 Use of Applicant Profile Test / year (call to discuss)
© CRI Inc 2011
Next steps
Take the test yourself, it’s free.
This afternoon, we’ll send every webinar attendee an email
invitation to take part.
Once we’ve analyzed your answers, we’ll send you your
results.
© CRI Inc 2011
Thank you
For more information on how psychographic segmentation
can improve your marketing, please contact:
Kirk Kelly
Partner, CRi Inc.
(514) 488-7987
kkelly@cri-facts.com
© CRI Inc 2011