Nancy Stephens, Associate Director

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MARKETING 529 PLANS NEW INITIATIVES
Presented by Nancy Stephens, Associate
Director College Illinois! 529 Prepaid Tuition
Program
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Overview of Todays Agenda

• Online Agent
• Online Tutorials
• Prepaid Perspectives Blog
• Forbes Cover Wrap

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Online Agent

• Purpose Reach out to target audiences through a
  medium that provides consumers with answers to
  their questions immediately, in real time.
• Objective Answer questions consumers have about
  the College Illinois! program.
• Strategy Utilize the Web as a venue for
  communicating back and forth with consumers.

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Online Agent

• Tactic Create an online agent where consumers
  can communicate with College Illinois!
  representatives instantly.

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Online Agent

• Results During the 2005-06 enrollment period,
  staff handled approximately 1,000 online chats.

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Online Tutorials

• Purpose Provide consumers with a
  video/interactive platform for learning about the
  College Illinois! program.
• Objective Allow consumers to learn more about
  program features through an interesting medium
  that is active.
• Strategy Utilize the Web as a venue for
  supplying consumers with more in-depth
  information.

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Online Tutorials

• Tactic Create various online tutorials with
  Flash technology to walk users through important
  program information. As opposed to static demos,
  these virtual tutorials allow consumers the
  experience by viewing and reviewing the demos at
  their own pace.

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Online Tutorials

• Results Some of the demos have received close to
  2,000 page views.

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Prepaid Perspectives Blog

• Purpose Provide online visitors with up-to-date
  information about the College Illinois! program
  or 529 industry.
• Objective Create an area on the Web site that
  keeps consumers informed.
• Strategy Utilize the Web as a venue for
  supplying consumers with important information
  that keeps pace with online trends.

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Prepaid Perspectives Blog

• Tactic Create College Illinois! own blog where
  they can keep consumers informed.

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Prepaid Perspectives Blog

• Results The blog has been viewed over 4,260
  times.

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Forbes Cover Wrap

• Purpose Target financial professionals who act
  as conduits and key influencers in getting
  college savings information to parents and
  grandparents.
• Objective Educate and build awareness for the
  College Illinois! program.
• Strategy Utilize a credible publication that is
  targeted specifically to financial professionals.

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Forbes Cover Wrap

• Tactic College Illinois! participated in the
  Forbes subscription cover wrap program. A total
  of four wraps were done.

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Holiday Gift-Giving
College Illinois!
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Newborns
Enrollment Deadline
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Forbes Cover Wrap

• Results
• 1.) Ninety-six (96) of those surveyed, recalled
  seeing the College Illinois! covers bound onto
  some of their magazine copies.
• 2.) The second measurement of success will be
  completed this enrollment period as a follow-up
  direct mail piece will be sent out to the same
  database.

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Any Questions?