Many of the image and branding studies we conduct for clients include the calculation of a Net Promoter Score, or NPS. The NPS is commonly used by a wide variety of companies because it’s such a simple metric that represents brand strength and can be tracked over time and compared by audience. This article in Quirk’s describes how the NPS is used by AAA.
The NPS is based on one question, “Would you recommend [institution]?” And, sometimes it’s narrowed to, “Would you recommend [institution] to an undergraduate/graduate student?” On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1=not at all likely and 10=very likely, respondents who answer 1-6 are considered “detractors” while those who answer 9 or 10 are considered “promoters.” The NPS is the % of promoters minus the % of detractors.
In one study we conducted for a university, the NPS among current undergraduate students was 34 while the NPS among graduate students was just 12. In the same study, the NPS among students in one college was 24 while the NPS among students in another college was 51. These findings illustrate how powerful the simple NPS can be in highlighting areas of strength and weakness in a university’s brand.
