Evidence-Based Innovation Blog

As business schools refine marketing strategies in the New Year, it’s worth tuning into the spectacularly successful PBS drama, “Downton Abbey,” for some imaginative ideas.

The economic recovery may still be sluggish, but if retail sales from the beginning of this holiday shopping season are any indication, consumers are feeling a bit more confident about the future even with looming concerns about the “fiscal cliff”. 

Black Friday weekend sales are estimated at $59 billion, up 12.8 percent from last year.

Still, for those of us who are looking to reign in expenses this holiday season, you may want to keep your hands firmly on the credit card for more than the obvious reason.     

According to a study in the Journal of Consumer Research, consumers are more likely to purchase a product if they hold an object and imagine it as their own. It all has to do with what behavioral economists call haptics, the science of touch.

At long last, the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign is over.  While the President, members of Congress - and for that matter, political junkies – can now focus on “getting back to work," it is worth taking a moment to reflect on what happened.  And, you don’t have to be inside the Beltway to benefit from the lessons learned. MBA admissions officers all over the country can apply the takeaways from Decision 2012.

With Halloween fast approaching, it’s that time of year when thrill seekers get their adrenaline pumping at haunted houses throughout the country. And, if there was ever any question about the best places to get spooked, haunted attractions have joined business schools, consumer goods, and celebrities as yet another subject of media rankings.  From Screamworld in Houston to The House of Horrors in Buffalo, Reader’s Digest has it all covered in the 11 Best Haunted Houses Across the Country.

While many Americans are focused on a certain election this November, MBA admissions officers all around the world are counting down to a different kind of election. 

Whether your next intake of students is coming up in just a few months or next autumn, it’s important to remember that MBA prospective students cast their votes every day of the year. How can you influence MBA candidates to elect your business school? 

Here are five lessons from the home stretch of the 2012 presidential campaign trail to optimize your business school marketing strategy.