Wondering what your audience is thinking? Start listening.

Early journalist Darren and Adrienne Lang interviewing then-Texas gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman circa 2006.

The most valuable higher ed marketing training I ever received was as a journalist in a small Texas town.

I was a features reporter covering life in the county. I interviewed city leaders and people that didn’t have two nickels to rub together. I quickly learned everyone has something in common with something else.

I’m not that bright, but you don’t have to be Einstein to be a good marketer. You have to listen to your audience, your stakeholders and anyone that can impact the outcome of your branding projects. Ask good questions, get good answers. The best way to do it is with a well-run listening session.

More than message: DWCo. Creative Director Shelly Jackman often conducts listening sessions to find audience insights that drive successful brand design.

In marketing, we call this audience research, but it’s just smart, focused fact-finding. It’s knowing how to ask the right “why?” Why do some students leave our school, and why do some students thrive? What about our faculty? Our staff? Take the time to book some listening sessions (or videoconference sessions) and listen for the answers.

The core of these questions come back to the Four Ps of marketing – or, the four Cs – an understanding of what you offer, what else is being offered in the market, how your offerings are viewed and how its cost compares to other schools. Push beyond the “what?” of these questions to the “why?”

A great place to start is to break it down into needs – pain points. What makes a student transfer to or from here? Your core goal is to understand the promise your institution makes to its community – and how to deliver it.

Once you’ve got a bead on your audience, it’s time to think about the world at large – who are your competitors and what is your market? What about your programs, your student service experience or your admissions process?

Enrollment season is coming up. How are your student logistics? Email darren@dwhiteandco.com to talk more.