Evaluation of

Marketing Strategy
of Wolverhampton
University
 Page |1

Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................1
University of Wolverhampton.................................................................................................................1
External PESTLE Analysis of the sector.....................................................................................................1
Political Issues.........................................................................................................................................1
Economic.................................................................................................................................................2
Sociocultural............................................................................................................................................2
Technological..........................................................................................................................................2
Legal issues.............................................................................................................................................3
Environmental Issues...............................................................................................................................3
Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning Strategy.....................................................................................3
The Marketing Mix.....................................................................................................................................4
Product....................................................................................................................................................5
Price........................................................................................................................................................5
Promotion................................................................................................................................................5
Physical environment..............................................................................................................................5
SWOT analysis............................................................................................................................................5
Wolverhampton’s internal strength and weakness...................................................................................5
Strengths..............................................................................................................................................5
Weakness.............................................................................................................................................6
Opportunities.......................................................................................................................................6
Threat..................................................................................................................................................7
Suggestion and Conclusion.........................................................................................................................7
References...................................................................................................................................................8
 Page |2

Introduction
The objective of this report is to analyze the marketing activities and approach employed by the
University of Wolverhampton. In this report, we will use different tools to examine the
marketing strategery adopted by Wolverhampton. PESTLE, SWOT, Marketing Mix, and STP
will be used to evaluate the positive and negative aspects of the strategy and whether it is
compatible with the new trends and how it can be twisted to fit the new trend.

University of Wolverhampton
The University of Wolverhampton is a public university situated in England. It was given the
status of University in 1992. Previously it was consisting of different schools and colleges. The
University consists of four campuses with eighteen schools and institutes. It is offering over 712
undergraduate and postgraduate level courses to a student body of 21362 (University of
Wolverhampton).

External PESTLE Analysis of the sector

This section will look at how various Political, Economic, Sociocultural, Technological, Legal,
and Environmental factors are influencing the sector of Higher Education. “With a large number
of foreign students, it is clear that U.K. politics play a big part in these universities' enrolment
figures. One of the most notable issues in higher education, cropping up in both the Economic
and Sociocultural categories, is student debt, which may come to deter many students. Aside
from this, traditional higher education is both threatened and augmented by new technologies, so
it will be interesting to see how the industry develops over the coming years.”

Political Issues
There is a number of political issues that affect the Higher Education Sector. Public funding is
the most important area in which Higher Education is concerned about. Almost every Higher
Education Institution gets some kind of grant from the government. These grants are used to
subsidize the cost of education for students and to carry out research. However, due to the
current political situation, the government is cutting down the budget, which is a serious threat to
universities' future. On the other hand, this could prompt universities to adopt sustainable
development strategies to cut down the costs (Weale, 2019). The number of foreign students is
another contentious aspect of Higher Education. Post Brexit it is expected that more students are
 Page |3

allowed to study in the United Kingdom, as students are allowed to stay longer after their
completion of higher studies, this is a good sign for universities (Migration Advisory Committee,
2018). However, relying too much on foreign students can be a threat to the industry also.
Change in the political scenario could decrease the number of foreign students, which could be
disastrous for the industry. The effects of Brexit are unclear. We have to wait. Furthermore,
changes in taxes may affect the industry also. On the one hand, an increase in taxes may cut
down funding for investors, while on the other hand, it could incentivize universities to use their
resources efficiently and become environmentally friendly.

Economic
There are a number of economic factors that impact the education industry, especially higher
education. The student loan is a serious problem as many students take loans to pay for their
Higher Education but later are unable to pay them back due to the weak job market (Bolton,
2020). Due to the corona pandemic, the job market is getting worse in contemporary times,
which adds fuel to the fire. This could be negative for the higher education as with growing
student debt and a weak job market, and it is less promising (Adams,2019).

Sociocultural
As universities avail sponsorship and investment from private persons other than the
government. The stakeholders, in return for their investments, have some expectations from the
universities. This could be in the form of their responsibility for environmental causes or climate
changes. Any flake of weakness towards such an expectation would be harmful to the
universities. It could damage the reputation of the institution and retract the investments. On the
side, if the universities do better and meet the standards of their stakeholders and improve their
performance, they can do better in the industry. Even a small mistake can cost you a lot in this
digital era, so universities have to be very careful and take every step with their full presence of
mind.

Technological
Like other factors, technology has massively affected the Higher Education System. Kirkwood
(2013) argues that with the improvement in online learning, traditional methods are being
abandoned. The covid-19 pandemic has turned the methods of teaching with a 180-degree angle.
Almost the entire education system in most parts of the world shifted to online, and it is highly
probable that this will remain so for the future. This has posed a huge threat to the traditional
 Page |4

education system, so the Higher Education has to mutate itself according to the new order
(Kurilovas, Kubilinskiene, 2020). The universities can make the change beneficial by offering
more and more online courses allowing more number of students to avail their opportunities.
This could reduce their costs and make them capable of engaging a great number of students.

Legal issues
U.K. divorcing from E.U. may have some legal consequences for the Higher Education. The
government can change environmental laws and may lead to strict compliance and increased
regulation. This may lead to an increased cost of compliance resulting in diverting funds from
other areas.

Environmental Issues
As discussed above, post Brexit there might be strict environmental laws. This could force
institutions to reduce their carbon footprint. The universities have to use renewable resources to
make less air pollution and control on the consumption of natural resources. Climate change is
another big concern of the U.K. government. Laws related to climate change may limit Higher
Education's energy consumption, which is also an opportunity for the universities to increase
awareness about climate change through their research.

Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning Strategy

This is a three prong method used in the marketing of a product. It is basically dividing customer
into different groups and then targeting the desired group with a campaign which is most suitable
to them.

STP starts with segmenting the customers. Based on specific criteria, customers are categorized
into various groups/segments. Typically the segments are of four types, geographic,
demographic, behavioral, and psychographic segments. Next, come which segment is to target
and how it will it be targeted. The main purpose and goal are which segment is going to give the
best results. The best segment for any marketing strategy is the one, which is "actively growing,
has high profitability and has a low cost of acquisition" (Wright, 2020). There are a few factors
that need to be considered before selecting any segment; a few of them are discussed here. The
first is the segment's size, the current population of the segment, and its future prospects in terms
of growth. Second, the amount of profit that can be procured from the segment. How much the
target audience is willing to spend on the product which is being presented to them. The third
 Page |5

and last one is reachability. This factor will determine at what cost the customers can be
acquired; the higher the cost, the lower the profits. The last step in this method of marketing
strategy is the positioning of the product in the customer's mind. How customers should
remember the product. As there will be a lot of competitors, so, this step should stand out from
the competitors in order to fully catch the attention of the customers. This could be in the form of
targeting the ego of the customers, solving the problems of the customers, or appeal to the
emotions of the customers. It would work best if the positioning combines all three (Wright,
2020).

In the case of the University of Wolverhampton, when we look at the advertisement, it becomes
clear that the University has not divided students into any segments. In fact, it is difficult for any
institution to segment students and targets them, as they want to reach out to anyone willing to
study around the world. So, there is no segmentation in Wolverhampton's marketing strategy; it
is mass marketing where anyone willing can apply to avail admission. As Wolverhampton is a
university, it is clear that it needs students above 18 years old, so they target the audience
accordingly. As this age group can freely use social media, it can read new papers and easily
search on the internet, so the University has employed all the methods to reach out to its target
students. On its website, it has provided email address to send queries, provided the facility of
most frequently asked questions, have and Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube account from
where it can easily reach out to students. The last step in STP is the position, which the
University of Wolverhampton is doing by mixing emotional, egoistic, and problem-solving
techniques. The advertisement of the University is making an emotional appeal by promising a
beautiful campus life with a state-of-the-art building and amazing faculty. It is also providing a
promising future by presenting its alumni and achievement in different fields.

The Marketing Mix

The marketing mix is another marketing strategy that emphasizes that making a product
profitable should be placed at the right time at the right price (Investopedia). There are typically
seven elements included in the marketing mix: 7 Ps, Product, Price, place, promotion, people,
process, and physical environment (Hanlon, 2020).

Product: the product can be anything tangible or intangible. In our case, it is the course that the
University is offering to students, so it must be ensured that the right type of courses is being
 Page |6

offered, which fully satisfy the needs of the modern world to compete in the market.
Wolverhampton is continuously researching and molding its courses according to the needs of
the time. The University includes more topics discarding any topic that it does not deem useful,
basing its judgment on the market research, which is a good marketing strategy.

Price: In Wolverhampton, the price is the amount of fee that a student is paying to study. By
offering student loans, financial aid, and scholarships, the university sets the price according to
its students' needs.

Promotion: it is a very essential component of a marketing plan; it is the decider of the

company's recognition in the market among the general mass. In contemporary times promotion
mostly consists of print media, television, and internet promotion. It also includes how the
institution is relating to the public through press releases, holding conferences and events, and
seminars. Wolverhampton is using all these strategies. The advertisements are run on all the
platforms. As far as public relations are concerned, the University is holding online seminars on
different issues, for example, "paramedic science degree course information" (YouTube) and
running awareness campaigns, and issuing the press release on the Covid-19 pandemic on
different social media platforms.

Physical environment: the University, by portraying its well qualified staff and calls rooms
equipped with modern technology, is reassuring its customers that it is one of the best
universities and is promising an amazing life ahead.

SWOT analysis
Wolverhampton’s internal strength and weakness
Strengths
The University, through its marketing strategy, has built a good reputation among the
public (google review)

It has a well settled and well reputed alumni who positively portray the university's image
in the external community.

Proactive relation with partners and other universities through its exchange programs and
strong connection with different corporations (Wolverhampton Website)
 Page |7

The University has performed outstandingly in the past with many accredited programs
and with high employability rates and graduation rates.

Supportive faculty and staff

The faculty and staff are also proactively involved in building a better image of the
University and enlarging the university's mission and vision. There is a very strong
connection between the students and the faculty, which encourages the morale of the
University.

The infrastructure of the University is another promising assets. With its attractive and
beautiful buildings and playgrounds with small-sized classrooms, the University provides
a peaceful environment for learning. The students feel safe and secure on the campus,
which attracts outsiders also.

One of the biggest strengths of Wolverhampton, its diverse population. Students from all
around the world with different ethnicity and languages are living together peacefully.

Weakness
There are a few weaknesses that have been identified through google search and
community review.

It is evident that the University lacks a distinguishing feature from other universities as it
is offering the same programs and promises the same things offered by other universities.
It is also seen that the students often lack pride in the internal community; the student
marks campus life as usually boring. Furthermore, the burden of study is huge on
students they are given tsks on weekends as well, which instead of boosting learning is
hampering it. Lastly, with the cut in public funding, fiscal uncertainty halts many
promising programs of the university that were planned to starts this semester.

Opportunities
With taking all its courses online, there is an opportunity that the University may cut its
costs and spend on expanding its programs. There is also an interest of the external
community in taking up the courses, so there is an opportunity to expand the academic
program. With the campus being shut down due to corona, the University can build upon
its facilities without any disturbance in learning. Adding more as most activities are
 Page |8

happening is online by engaging more with the public, the University has an amazing
chance to boost its reputation.

Threat
As mentioned earlier, due to Brexit, the government is cutting public funding. With the
shutdown of business due to COVID-19, the investors have also lost their money, so
there is a threat of budget crisis. With the increase in environmental issues and climate
change, the government is devising more rigorous and tough rules and regulations.
Moreover, other universities are developing new programs and becoming more and more
competitive, which is a serious threat to the future of the University.

Suggestion and Conclusion

A well thought and customer centered marketing plan is essential to reach out to customers and
grab their attention. With the continually evolving marketing strategies, it is essential to adopt
the new trends and present yourself according to the customers' needs. A marketing plan must be
strategized, keeping in view the economic, legal, environmental, social, political, and
technological opportunities and barriers. The marketing strategy adopted by Wolverhampton is
overall performing well. However, the University needs to make its public relation more robust,
and it should expand its relations with other universities through exchange students and inter-
veracity contests.
 Page |9

References
Adams, Richard (2020), "Graduates in England Face Increasing debt burden, labor warns"
<https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/aug/12/graduates-in-england-face-increasing-debt-burden-labour-
warns> accessed January 8, 2021
Bolton, Paul (2020), “Student loan statistics” <https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn01079/>
accessed January 8, 2021
Hanlon, Annmarie (2020) “How to use the 7Ps Marketing Mix” https://www.smartinsights.com/marketing-
planning/marketing-models/how-to-use-the-7ps-marketing-mix/ accessed January 8, 2021
Investopedia, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marketing-mix.asp accessed January 8, 2021
Kirkwood, Adrian (2013) “Examining some assumptions and limitations of research on the effects of
emerging technologies for teaching and learning in higher education” <https://bera-
journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjet.12049> accessed January 8, 2021
Kurilovas, Kubilinskiene (2020) "Lithuanian case study on evaluating suitability, acceptance, and use of I.T. tools
by students – an example of applying technology-enhanced learning research methods in Higher Education"
<https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0747563220300303?
token=537EDB991063D2E8B416A204222F66A4AF72C5504A0C4397634C0FF5E909B589F6884076CE1B51804
3DFCAAD97769023> accessed January 8, 2021
Migration Advisory Committee (2018), "Impact of International Students in the U.K."
<https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/739089/Impact_i
ntl_students_report_published_v1.1.pdf> accessed January 8, 2021
University website, <https://www.wlv.ac.uk/>, accessed January 8, 2021
Weale, Sally (2019), “funding for 80% of schools in England worse next year than 2015”
<https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/sep/30/funding-80-percent-schools-england-worse-next-year>,
accessed January 8, 2021
Wright, Marianne (2020) “The Complete Guide to STP Marketing: Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning”
https://www.yieldify.com/blog/stp-marketing-model/#:~:text=STP%20marketing%20(Segmentation%2C
%20Targeting%2C,your%20offering%20to%20each%20segment accessed January 8, 2021
YouTube, https://www.smartinsights.com/marketing-planning/marketing-models/how-to-use-the-7ps-marketing-
mix/