Growth had been stagnant for the Teen College program at Pikes Peak Community College Workforce Development Division. 
Teen College offerings, intended for middle school students, were included in the same catalog as adult education programs and were promoted in the local newspaper.
The strong programming, which exposes students to careers associated with the college’s degree programs, already included unique and experience-driven courses on jam band sessions, crime scene investigation, “white hat” hacking, and robotics, to name a few. Promotions for Teen College weren’t resonating with, or even reaching, the target audience.
With the goals of growing the program and improving results, program leaders developed a new brand identity, separate Teen College catalog, digital presence, and a whole new marketing approach. Promotion efforts shifted from newspaper readers and past learners to 11 surrounding school districts. The program connected with district communications directors who then shared Teen College information with their students via district websites, presentations, and catalog distribution.
This shift led to a dramatic increase in the number of schools represented in Teen College registrations – up from 22 schools in 2016 to 65 schools in 2017. Implementation of a multi-faceted marketing campaign, which included print, Facebook, website, email, and in-person presentation components, allowed the program to reach more members of its target audiences – parents of teens and the teens themselves. Marketing spending increased only 1 percent from 2016 to 2017, but enrollment increased 176 percent and revenue increased from $15,126 to $37,139 or 145 percent in the same period. The winning combination of new courses, creative, focused marketing efforts and targeted promotions pushed this program from surviving to thriving.