Even a quick look at our websites reveals that these students are succeeding in spite of us and not because of us. Before I sat down to write this article, I browsed a number of institution’s websites and marketing efforts, and, beyond a few select photos of Hispanic students “having totally normal fun like they always do out on the quad” with a group of equally-diverse-and-totally-not-selected-by-the-school’s-marketing-team-students, I found little or nothing that actually spoke to this large, important part of our higher ed community. 

This is a framework for creating an effective campus visit program. It’s short for a reason – it’s just a starting point, a set of fundamentals that help you to measure the creativity and effectiveness of the campus visit process. Start here and build from there. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression!

I was recently asked to compile a list of essential business books. I considered focusing on my area of expertise, marketing, or even gearing it toward enrollment management, but I instead decided to focus on a broad, conceptual idea of how the modern working world works. My thinking is that so many business books quickly become dated. These are, as they say, classics, that have stood the test of time because they have quality instruction.

For many colleges and universities, the old message – that college is a time of exploration and self-reflection – is no longer an economic reality for students. Simply getting a bachelor’s degree will not exclude students from the workforce’s hurdle, even in great times. It’s important that you are talking substantively about how your university differs or excels in areas that supplement the classroom experience.

Six tips to build better communications funnels

The key to great communication flows is focus. Each piece of communication should do one specific, measurable thing: Ask a student to apply, explore majors or estimate their cost with a net price calculator. Take time to define your conversions ahead of time. If a piece doesn't have a purpose, lose it. 

I’ve watched the higher ed advertising process, and I believe that there are two main reasons why most higher education advertising campaigns are forgettable. First, institutions have not taken the time to clearly define their brands. The second is that many higher education marketing professionals do not understand how to most effectively work with advertising agencies. Here are some tips to help you get better work from your agency:

You see, it’s not enough to be clever. You have to be good. If you’re in the higher ed marketing game, that means you have to understand your target audience better than anyone else at the university. It means you have to take a collaborative role in the entire funnel, from prospect awareness right down to the phone call an admissions counselor has with that student.