Strategic Marketing Approaches for Differentiating Nigerian Technological Universities

Abstract

This article addressed the imperative for application of strategic marketing tools of segmentation and targeting within the context of university education. Specifically, how Nigerian technological universities can use the instrumentality of segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP) to differentiate from others was discussed. The application of competitive tools of positioning is important; against the background that higher education is now big business, with more than $300 billion market share. In today's global economy, service innovation is paramount in achieving competitive success. In this regard, technological universities in the industry must strategise to compete hard, given the fact that majority of the student's customers are generation Y (GEN Y) boomers. Managers of Nigerian technological universities should accord top most priority to service innovations as strategic paradigm shift towards ensuring satisfaction. Since technological universities cannot be good at everything, then it is imperative for them to target those market segments, they can serve better (e.g. postgraduate niche) and position their offers to them in the most innovative ways, with responsiveness and empathy.