Resources
Thoughts from our team to help you differentiate and reach the next generation of learners.
If there’s one thing we know about marketing it’s this: if we don’t build awareness we won’t have any customers. And while there are all sorts of ways to do that—ranging from public relations campaigns to referral programs, promotion (specifically, paid promotion) is one lever over which we have a high degree of control. As… Continued
Persona creation, in the realm of marketing, is like having a map that guides you directly to your customer’s needs and desires. It involves sketching out detailed profiles of ideal customers based on solid research and data from your current customers. These personas are more than just demographics; they’re a mix of motivations, pain points,… Continued
Introducing the 80/20 Principle If you’ve ever taken a serious look at the carpet in your home, assuming that it’s been there for any length of time, you’ll likely notice that some parts of it are much more worn than others. You might notice that the areas of the carpet near your most commonly-used entry… Continued
Over the past few months, I’ve been engaged with two institutions contemplating a name change. For these institutions, the idea of a name change can be daunting. Collegiate names are often longstanding, rooted in history and tradition, carrying significant strength and recognition. The question arises: If we change our school’s name, will we be forgotten? … Continued
The small college occupies a unique place in society. Usually eclectic and charming with a great deal of history, small schools offer a unique setting and deliver a distinctive experience to those who enroll. One better be prepared to participate in class, and good luck trying to skip a class and get away with it.… Continued
When I tell people about my work with higher education brands, the conversation often leads (assuming they are interested) to how we typically help the colleges and universities we serve. When I give them my answer—to someone not in the industry or perhaps a casual observer—they typically nod their heads in affirmation as if to… Continued
I was at a community event not too long ago where the high school seniors in attendance (about 7 or 8 of them) were brought up on stage from the audience one at a time to receive a joint round of applause. The event, among other things, was honoring this small group of students by… Continued
Whether you are contemplating a theme for your next capital campaign or honing in on a messaging platform for recruiting the next class of incoming students, gauging the potential effectiveness of a proposed approach can be challenging. How do we know that the campaign or platform isn’t trite or gimmicky? How do we ensure that… Continued
Higher Education about Higher Education You don’t have to look (or listen) hard to hear a great deal of negativity about the value of a college degree. If you run a Google search on ‘college isn’t worth it anymore,’ you’ll find studies, surveys, and rants about why college (according to them) isn’t worth it. Headlines… Continued
Understanding all of the factors related to an institution’s return on investment, what value does your institution deliver for the costs your students pay in tuition? It is likely that the role you play in delivering benefits in exchange for the remuneration you receive in tuition and fees is dramatic. So why not frame that… Continued
“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” —Warren Buffett Calculated and Characterizing Value As consumers, we’re faced with value calculations all of the time. We’re constantly being presented with products and their prices and making decisions whether over the course of months of deliberation or within seconds. We might shop for a… Continued
Positioning and the X/Y Axis If the price of being tossed into a big category like “state schools” or “community colleges,” is irrelevance, then the job of positioning is to elevate the short-hand to something more distinctive and memorable. We need to think of positioning as a process by which we can help prospective students… Continued
If there’s one thing we know about marketing it’s this: if we don’t build awareness we won’t have any customers. And while there are
Man is a storytelling animal. He is a teller of stories that aspire to truth. —Alasdair Macintyre The Hidden Stories Within I was once talking with a client
Along the lines of infusing values into marketing, broadening your marketing efforts to focus more on customer needs and aspirations (instead of mere product