Q1. With whom would the university or college build relationships?

Universities generally make relations with sponsors, professional organizations in the market, related government offices and high schools in different parts of the country to ensure right talent for their institution. There can be several reasons to make relations with the above mentioned organizations but the primary motive of a university or a college is to keep themselves in touch with all the possible contact points in a society. Universities and colleges make good contact with the society to ensure that people know about them, to attract talent, to attract sponsors that can ensure scholarship for talented & deserving students as well as to keep their financials in flow to keep on investing in their research.

Q2. How would university or college representatives do that?

University and Colleges build relationships through long-term relationship selling to their prospective customers (Weitz, Castleberry, & Jr, 2009). For example, if they are selling some agenda or services to a professional service or manufacturing industry in the field, the sales person would try to convince them through display of university courses that closely fulfills the need of that company. Along with that, he/she will try to demonstrate how previous students of the university or relative courses have served that organization and how making their employees to seek additional courses or training from the university will help the company to build a better human capital resource.

Q3. If you (the student) were selling the university or college to a prospective donor for a big scholarship, what type of relationship would you expect to form with that donor and how?

I will try to make a strategic relationship/partnering with the sponsor as it will help me along with the perspective sponsor to find common goals and objectives on which they work together  (Weitz, Castleberry, & Jr, 2009). In order to do that, the university’s previous performance is expected to help a great deal to me. Alumni of the university that had served or currently serving the organization (if any) will make it a lot easier for me to get the sponsorship. Another thing is to fill a bound or make some agreement that I will serve the company for a particular period of time after my studies in case I get the sponsorship. As I studied, it is important to communicate openly as a sales person and should look to achieve common grounds for better relations. So I will try to make things happen even if I have to serve them during my studies. What I need the most is good grades at hand to ensure the sponsor that I will be a good investment to make.

Q4. If you (the student) were the donor, what would you expect from the university or college?

Being s sponsor, I would like to see the courses that can serve my organization in future. In case I am running some NGO or have been approached for my government office, I would like to see that the University is offering equal opportunities to every students. I would like to see their good performance in the past as well the perspective future and quality of the students after the studies to make decision about my sponsorship. The most important thing for me is to seek partnering or any strategic relationship with the company in order to create a win-win situation.

References

Weitz, B. A., Castleberry, S. B., & Jr, J. F. (2009). Selling Building Relationships 7th Edition. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.