EducationDynamics – Solidifying Leadership Position
Yesterday, a release went out titled, “EducationDynamics and Aslanian Group Merge to Create Higher Education’s Most Comprehensive Marketing Company,” saying “Strategic Partnership Enables EducationDynamics to Expand In-Depth Market Analysis, Filling a Critical Intelligence Gap That Exists in Higher Education Marketing.”
While the release reads as a merger, I can only presume it more of an acquisition, couched in merger terms for the non-lead generation community as the Aslanian brand carries weight there. The release reads:
HOBOKEN, NJ–(Marketwire – July 20, 2009) – EducationDynamics (http://www.educationdynamics.com), higher education’s leading marketing company, today announced a merger with Aslanian Group, an industry mainstay specializing in adult student market analysis. The merger of the two entities will result in the creation of a Market Research and Analysis Division, imposing a formal infrastructure to EducationDynamics’ continuing passion for gleaning leading-edge market analysis that ultimately helps institutions find, enroll and retain students.
“This merger is a logical step that creates substantial value for client partners and stakeholders of both EducationDynamics and Aslanian Group,” explains Steve Isaac, CEO of EducationDynamics. “The newly-formed Market Research and Analysis Division will enable us to provide our client partners with a deeper range of market analysis essential to making highly informed decisions, filling a critical gap that exists in higher education marketing today.”
EducationDynamics is now uniquely positioned to provide institutions with the most comprehensive suite of technology solutions and research associated with student prospecting, enrollment and retention efforts. Client partners will benefit from the following:
– A broader and deeper range of market analysis to help institutions make strategic decisions;
– An extensive compilation of proprietary data regarding specific markets and student categories; and
– Expanded custom market research resources.Aslanian Group was founded by veteran higher education expert Carol Aslanian, who possesses nearly 30 years of experience in the field and has helped advance the enrollment goals of more than 300 colleges and universities during that time. Under the EducationDynamics corporate umbrella, Aslanian will provide market analysis, consulting and professional development services to help institutions increase their market share of students despite an increasingly competitive landscape.
“While historically Aslanian Group has focused on assisting higher education institutions analyze regional supply and demand among adult learners, joining forces with EducationDynamics will strengthen our ability to address the ever-expanding online learning market, as well as traditional-aged markets that increasingly seek the efficiencies and convenience of instructional settings adults have always sought,” says Aslanian.
Additionally, EducationDynamics will maintain and expand the professional conferences and events currently offered by Aslanian Group, many of which have been hailed as the definitive professional development seminars for individuals involved in higher education marketing.
By most conservative estimates, generating leads for online education encompasses at least a billion dollars per year, not a tiny business, of which Education Dynamics owns a sizable piece. EducationDynamics might make the bulk of their revenues through the selling of leads to schools, but unlike others who have a business focus in online lead generation, they have always focused on building a company focused on something greater. The structure of their company shows that. They have Enrollment Services (where lead gen sits), Retention Services, and now Market Research and Analytics, all combining to create an education focused company as opposed to an online lead generation company that happens to service the education space. It’s a minor distinction in language but a large differentiator in a field where to date no leader has existed.
I have to give the folks at Education Dynamics credit. When I first heard about them trying to become an education company (and thought leader at that), all I could see were the dollars being driven through lead generation. But, they have continued to execute against their vision of being “Higher Education’s Most Comprehensive Marketing Company,” while not making the easy mistake of ignoring their profit centers or sidetracking those already in the business.
