Results of the survey were announced today at LeadsCon, following an online survey of 293 marketing professionals in higher education.  Highlights of the survey include:

- 65% of for-profit marketers identified the Department of Education regulations as a significant or major concern, with nearly all schools reporting one or more plans for change in response to the regulations, ranging from demanding transparency from third-party affiliates to increasing academic standards

- 63% of schools are planning to increase their social marketing spend

- For-profit higher education marketers are reporting success with certain phone inquiry solutions, including hot transfer phone call solutions – more than half are planning to increase their spending

We will  be releasing a full report of the survey in mid-March.  LeadCouncil members can access it at www.leadscouncil.com.  Non-council members can register at blog.cunet.com/2011SurveyReport to receive a copy.

What changes are schools making to their marketing plans in response to the Department of Education regulatory changes? Are marketing budgets on the rise or the decline, and where are those dollars being spent? Where are education marketers focusing their efforts? Is your school keeping up?

Over the past year, higher education marketers have faced a whirlwind of changes that affect the way they attract, enroll, and retain students. In an effort to better understand how those changes have impacted marketers, establish benchmarks and identify current trends and best practices, LeadsCouncil is conducting a brief survey among marketing professionals in higher education.

The survey, which is being conducted in partnership with CUnet, takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Survey respondents will receive a full copy of the survey results (available only to survey participants) and the LeadsCouncil Annual Marketing Trends Report for their own use. All responses will be kept confidential and anonymous.

To complete the survey and register for the report: http://cunet.co/ekT1Hu.

*  This survey closes on Friday, February 25.

At CUnet and Sparkroom, we are committed to giving our customers access to the best technology available to manage and optimize their marketing efforts. We also believe in giving them choices, and that means partnering with the leading players in the market to provide complimentary solutions that integrate with our Enrollment Marketing Automation platform.

Today, we announced that TARGUSinfo’s On-Demand Lead Verification and Lead Scoring solutions are now available on the Sparkroom Enrollment Marketing Automation platform. This is good news for us, and great news for our customers. By adding TARGUSinfo to Sparkroom’s list of partners, we’re giving our customers access to one of the most widely recognized leaders in verification and scoring – a win all around.

You can read the full announcement here to learn more.

 In the photo: Robert Johnson, Executive Director, CAPPS (left) and Chris Cimino, Managing Director – Industry Relations, CUnet.

The Nelnet Foundation, a charitable giving organization established by CUnet’s parent company, made a $2,500 check presentation this week to The California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools (CAPPS) at their annual conference. CAPPS is the only California State Association representing the many diverse kinds of Private Postsecondary Schools in California. Since 1985, CAPPS has worked with California Governors, the State Legislature, other elected officials and numerous regulatory agencies that provide oversight to the sector. CAPPS offers strong member services in professional development as well as business and educational advice.

The vision of the Nelnet Foundation is to support educational dreams through charitable contributions and scholarships. It provides financial assistance to expand educational possibilities for youth and adults and support for community-focused programs and organizations.