A targeted marketing campaign developed by Laurel Ridge Marketing Director Guy Curtis on behalf of Laurel Ridge Community College Workforce Solutions has been recognized with an international award from the Learning Resources Network (LERN), the leading association in the field of continuing education. LERN presented the award – one of 11 given – at its large annual conference which drew more than 1,400 lifelong learning professionals from three countries in November.
“The award is for innovation in the field of lifelong learning and serving communities,” noted LERN President William A. Draves. “These awards enhance the quality and involvement in lifelong learning, an absolutely critical component to individual and community quality of life and prosperity in this century.”
He said that Workforce Solutions has begun distributing brochures via carrier route, rather than zip code. A carrier route is similar to a neighborhood, and more or less covers the daily route of a U.S. Postal Service carrier. Data collected by Laurel Ridge was submitted to LERN, which then analyzed it and suggested carrier routes likely to yield the highest numbers of potential Workforce Solutions’ students.
“They targeted their best current and new prospects by carrier route and got a better response with a lower cost,” said Draves.
This is Laurel Ridge Workforce Solutions’ second LERN marketing award since 2019.
“Guy Curtis’s innovative approach has elevated our work and expanded our impact, and this award is a well-deserved recognition of his marketing leadership and vision,” said Dr. Chris Coutts, vice president of communications and planning at Laurel Ridge.
Curtis said it was an honor to receive the award on behalf of the college.
“This recognition reflects a true team effort in developing and executing our marketing strategies and engaging prospective audiences,” he said. “While marketing plays a key role in attracting interest, it’s our dedicated frontline staff, coaches, and enrollment teams who ensure a smooth and successful educational experience for our students.
“We value the power of data-driven decision-making and appreciate the strong support from our college leadership in guiding strategic planning. I’m also grateful to LERN for promoting best practices and innovative strategies that strengthen our work across the industry.”