Unlocking the US Market: Identifying Nexford University's Ideal Student Profiles for Strategic Growth
The Challenge
Nexford University, a US-based public benefit corporation offering online degree programs in business and technology across 110+ countries since 2018, was poised for its US market entry. Despite its success and unique differentiators – notably affordable "pay-as-you-go" pricing, a strong career-focus driven by employer demand, and exceptional flexibility with monthly start dates and customizable pacing – Nexford faced the challenge of understanding the nuanced US higher education landscape.
The core objective was to refine their initial US go-to-market strategy by:
Identifying an ideal student profile based on educational values that would best resonate with Nexford's offerings.
Uncovering low-cost, non-paid acquisition channels to reach these audiences effectively.
Developing concepts for positioning Nexford uniquely and competitively within the US market.
Providing guidance on potential program prioritization for market entry.
Our Approach and Methodology
To address Nexford's objectives, we designed and executed a comprehensive quantitative research study with over 1,000 US-based adults interested in pursuing online higher education, grounding our approach in the understanding that a significant number of potential learners might be "dormant" – that is, individuals whose needs are not met by existing educational options.
The survey delved into a range of critical areas, including:
Key drivers and barriers to enrollment in higher education.
Priority institutional attributes, specifically exploring the resonance of Nexford's differentiators (pricing, career-focus, flexibility).
Value statements related to institutional and program reputation, employment outcomes, convenience, and learning styles.
Programs of interest.
Media usage and influences on purchase intent, with a focus on identifying non-paid acquisition channels.
Personality traits relevant to educational choices.
Our analytical priority was to conduct a robust values-based segmentation via a K-means solution to group respondents into meaningful segments. Additionally, we utilized a MaxDiff analysis to pinpoint the most important institutional attributes (e.g., affordability, flexibility) for positioning and messaging, and a TURF analysis to recommend the optimal mix of degree programs that would achieve maximum market reach.
Key Findings and Insights
Our research revealed a clear market preference for practical, career-relevant outcomes over conventional academic prestige. While cost and ROI were top concerns, making Nexford's pay-as-you-go model and debt-free promise highly appealing, each segment requires a tailored approach to convert interest into commitment for a 100% online learning model.
Overall Insights:
Career-Readiness & Flexibility Drive Intent: Respondents overwhelmingly prioritized career readiness, flexibility, and a clear link between education and immediate employment opportunities. The challenge and opportunity lie in offering programs that balance high standards and career relevance with varying degrees of flexibility and support.
Cost & ROI are Paramount: The "pay-as-you-go" model and the promise of graduating debt-free resonate strongly.
Social & Digital Content is Key: Respondents show a strong proclivity for engaging with socially driven, digital content that speaks to both immediate career impact and long-term educational value. Communication strategies should effectively use social media channels, influencers, and student testimonials to build trust and convey messages around both flexibility and tangible career benefits.
Optimal Program Reach: Two to three program solutions across degree levels provide optimal market reach, covering approximately 75% of the market, including recommendations for various business and technology specializations from Associate to Master's levels.
Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) – Segment Takeaways:
The segmentation analysis identified three distinct student segments, each with unique educational values, motivations, and media consumption habits. Two of these segments were identified as Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) for Nexford University. For each segment, individualized channel marketing strategies were developed, ensuring that Nexford could effectively tailor its messaging and reach to resonate with the most receptive audiences in the US market.
Recommendations and Strategic Implications
Based on these findings, we provided Nexford University with a clear roadmap for their US market entry, structured into short, medium, and long-term strategic implications:
Short-Term Recommendations:
Immediate Market Entry & Optimization: Launch initial campaigns on ICP-preferred social channels with tailored messaging, continuously monitoring performance for lead generation and refinement.
Medium-Term Recommendations:
Refined Messaging & Content Strategy: Develop and test more refined, tailored marketing messages for ICPs, building a diverse content ecosystem across preferred channels.
Program Portfolio Evaluation: Analyze the viability and cost of developing new programs identified as optimal for market reach.
Long-Term Recommendations:
Continuous Student Insights & Strategy Evolution: Establish a comprehensive "voice of student" research program to gather ongoing insights from applicants, current students, and outcomes, informing future marketing strategy and ICP understanding.
This strategic guidance empowers Nexford University to make data-driven decisions, optimize their marketing spend, and effectively connect with their most receptive audiences, paving the way for a successful US market launch and sustainable growth.
