As the world becomes more digital, the relationship between enrollment marketing and digital marketing is almost entirely intertwined.

There is no denying that prospective students receive a majority of their college information from digital spaces. Whether they’re scrolling on social media or using a search engine, such as Google, individuals considering a college degree are likely to be influenced by digital marketing efforts. Therefore, the connection between digital marketing and enrollment marketing work is undeniable. 

Though the two types of marketing are often controlled by different offices on campus and paid for through different budgets, the inter-connectedness should still be acknowledged so the two can work together and not against each other. 

Synergy > Silos

Digital marketing on college campuses are often concerned with expanding brand awareness. Enrollment offices are typically interested in sharing program- or institution-specific information to grab the attention of prospective students and their families. 

Instead of viewing these two goals as separate, creating an environment of synergy and collaboration will ultimately produce impressive results for both offices. 

There are several benefits to fighting against the silos that are often naturally created: 

• Creating a Cohesive Brand Experience: Working closely across institutional marketing entities encourages the overarching use of a consistent tone and voice. Consistency between the look and feel of a digital ad and the enrollment campaign a student will later receive provides a seamless experience for prospective students. 
• Optimizing Shared Data: Working together also means sharing data, which leads to channel optimization and appropriately spending the established media budget. 
• Increasing Efficiency and Effectiveness: A synergetic marketing strategy avoids the possibility of doubling up on efforts or working against each other.

All Marketing = Enrollment Marketing

While there is often a differentiation made between brand awareness and enrollment marketing work, in the end, all institutional marketing should have an enrollment bend. This means all marketing assets, placement, and media spend should have enrollment goals in mind. 

Though digital marketing goals may be more related to brand awareness, prospective students and family members of prospective students are guaranteed to see the ads. Ensuring that all marketing content includes useful, compelling information for prospective students and their families will increase brand awareness and enrollment metrics.

Simple Steps Towards Collaboration

For some, creating this collaboration feels impossible. However, there are a few simple steps that will quickly start the process: 

1. Schedule regular meetings between departments.
   As basic as it sounds, reach out to your counterpart to schedule a regular meeting cadence, opening the lines of communication and creating a unified force. 
2. Audit all current marketing assets.
   It would also be beneficial to complete an audit of all marketing assets, the goals of said assets, and their success. Once audited, the necessary changes to the work become more obvious. 
3. Create a digital marketing and enrollment calendar.
   Further into the process, a cohesive content calendar between both digital marketing efforts and enrollment offices should be developed to ensure that the many channels and types of communication are covered.

At GMB, we encourage this collaboration by ensuring the correct people are at the decision-making table. Bringing both digital and enrollment marketing experts together will provide an opportunity to create cohesive campaigns, work seamlessly towards the same goal, and increase both brand awareness and enrollment numbers. 

Consider this your guide to creating higher ed messaging that will make your prospective students stand up and take notice.

We’ve covered why messaging matters for your higher ed brand, but how do you bring your higher ed messaging to life? What do you say to make your brand stand apart and above the others? How do you engage right-fit students with words alone?

Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula or simple combination of words that will make your messaging resonate with your prospective students. If there were, marketing your brand would be much easier… but then you’d sound just like everybody else (and nobody wants that). 

However, there are steps you can take to craft compelling higher ed messaging that’s authentic to your brand and engaging for your right-fit students. And we promise, following them is definitely worth the effort. 

1. Know your audience.

First and foremost, know who you’re talking to really well. We don’t just mean simple demographic details, like age, gender, and location. To write engaging higher ed messaging, you need to understand your audience on a much deeper level.

• What are they looking for in an institution? 
• What are they trying to avoid?
• What are their hobbies, interests, and unique skills?
• Who do they want to be when they “grow up?”
• Why are they continuing their education?
• What kind of support do they need to achieve their goals?

These questions are just a start, but take the time to get to know your audience as real students versus profiles on a page. And you don’t need a fancy marketing research campaign to do it! 

Just get out on campus and talk to your current students. Eat in the cafeteria, and strike up a conversation with a nearby table. Hold a weekly or monthly group session at your on-campus coffee shop where you can discuss various topics with different members of your student body. 

Keep going out and gathering feedback until you know your prospective student audience (and how to talk to them) like the back of your hand. 

2. Know your brand platform.

If you have a brand platform, consider it the North Star for your higher ed messaging. (If you don’t have one, we can help with that.)

Your brand platform serves as a guide for all things marketing, including how you present your brand through your words, content, and actions. It outlines everything you need to write and speak for your brand, including your:

• Brand Pillars: The unique attributes that collectively combine establish the foundation of your brand
• Brand Promise: A short statement summarizing what your institution can offer that no one else can
• Reasons to Believe: Tangible proof points that support your brand pillars and your brand promise
• Brand Persona: Characteristics that define how your brand presents itself to your different audiences
• Brand Story: A summary of your brand essence, combining all the above elements to reflect the heart and soul of your brand

So if you feel stuck when writing higher ed messaging for your institution, turn to your brand platform. The foundation of creating compelling messaging is there, and it could be the spark you need to write content that resonates with your right-fit students.

3. Call your audience by name.

Your right-fit students are special. So make them feel it with personalization and messaging tailored to their interests and goals.

It may seem like a small step, but think about it: Your prospective students receive dozens of pieces of content (if not more) from multiple institutions across the country. All vying for their attention. All touting similar benefits and features and reasons why their institution should be the top pick.

But if you call your student by name, you’re showing that you took the time to get to know them. That you already consider them as part of your community. That you care. 

And if the content they receive goes beyond generic information and reflects details about the subjects and programs they’re actually interested in, then you earn even more points and credibility. 

Now you’re not just saying that your institution offers a personalized experience for every student. You’re living it.  

4. Be true to your institution.

In the world of influencers and viral marketing gimmicks, authenticity reigns supreme. Students these days (especially Gen Z) can sniff out a fake or phony right off the bat. And if you try to pass off your institution as something for everyone, then you’re fighting a losing battle. 

Instead, focus on what makes your institution truly unique, and don’t shy away from elements that you think may not appeal to a mainstream crowd. 

• Embrace your location, whether it’s rural or inner city or somewhere in between. 
• Celebrate your size, whether it’s thousands of students or less than a few hundred. 
• Wear your values on your sleeve, whether they’re academics, faith, service, innovation, athletics, all the above, or more.

Because *those* will make your institution stand out from the rest, even the others that are sort of like you. 

Own who you are, and be proud of it. The right-fit students will follow. 

5. Stay consistent.

Consistency is key when it comes to effective messaging. It builds credibility and trust with your audience who have come to expect what your brand looks and sounds like. That’s why it’s important to ensure that no matter where your brand shows up, its messaging is always consistent. 

Seems simple, right? Well, keep in mind that a lot of people are going to be writing and talking on behalf of your institution: 

• Marketing team
• Enrollment office
• Admissions
• Department heads
• Student leaders 
• Tour guides

So how do you mitigate a department going rogue? A solid brand platform and shared brand guidelines can help ensure that your entire team (not just the marketing or enrollment office) is on the same page when representing your brand. 

Collaboration among the different departments can also increase consistent messaging across different campaigns and platforms, working together to create a cohesive experience for your prospective students. 

6. Execute. Evaluate. Refine.

Your marketing efforts can’t live and die on one campaign alone. Your brand and higher ed messaging should always be evolving and improving. 

Once you execute a campaign, gather feedback from your various stakeholders and audiences. Track and analyze results. Test and evaluate. Then identify different areas of improvement for your next campaign or content piece, whether it’s word choice, consistency, compelling calls to action, etc. Rinse and repeat.

Remember a good marketer’s work is never done, and every new campaign is an opportunity to make the next one even better. 

A little effort goes a long way when crafting higher ed messaging for prospective students. With these six simple(ish) steps, you and your team can create content that will attract and resonate with right-fit students.

In a previous blog post, we discussed the importance of a strong marketing and enrollment partnership. Enrollment marketing goes beyond numbers; it’s about crafting a compelling narrative, fostering an experience, and creating a journey. It’s also about building a connection that transcends a simple transaction, where students become part of your institution’s story.

Through conversations with clients and prospects, a common theme emerges: “This collaboration feels daunting.” Let’s delve into the reasons behind this disconnect and explore steps to break down departmental silos within your institution.

When was the last time genuine collaboration with enrollment and marketing occurred?

Both departments share the critical goal of increasing enrollment. Ideally, this should be a campus-wide responsibility. Unfortunately, departments often hold onto their responsibilities tightly (enrollment and admissions, we’re looking at you!). 

Here’s a breakdown of responsibilities with overlapping areas:

Picture this: You’re a student trying to choose a college or university to attend. You’re overwhelmed by all of the information, each school claiming to be the best this, the top-ranked that, and all of them are promising that “Your journey starts here.” It’s… a lot. So, how do you make an impression on students drowning in a sea of options? Enter brand messaging!

Brand messaging is like your institution’s personal elevator pitch. It’s the way you communicate your unique values, mission, and offerings to prospective students and stakeholders. 

And why does that matter? We’ll break it down for you:

1. The right brand messaging will get you noticed (in a good way). 

Brand messaging is an opportunity to share the real you with the world: what makes your institution the unique, fun, exciting experience you and your students know it to be. And it will quickly become a pillar of how people recognize you. Your tagline becomes a rallying cry, your mission becomes a mantra — and it’s how the world will see your institution moving forward. 

Consider your brand messaging as a chance to put your best foot forward. How do you want to be perceived? What words do you want people to think of when they hear your school’s name? That’s the foundation of your brand messaging. 

2. You’ll hook more right-fit students with messaging that resonates.

Students want to go where they feel welcomed; where they feel seen, heard, and comfortable. And while they may have outside influences helping to make their decision, like guardians and mentors, it’s ultimately up to them where they wind up. They’ll be looking very closely at your programs, your class schedules, your campus life, and — most importantly — how it’s all presented to them.

The research they do, whether they realize it or not, is giving them an idea of what to expect when they’re on campus. If they’re reading something bland and generic, there’s a good chance they’ll believe their experience will be bland and generic. But if they’re reading something exciting, inspiring, and aspirational, well… who wouldn’t want to go there?

3. Authentic brand messaging builds trust and street cred.

Here’s a pro-marketing tip: Always, always, always honor your brand. Especially in your brand messaging — it’s kind of a cornerstone of who you are and what students and stakeholders can expect from your institution. If you’re making a promise, you need to ensure that your institution can follow through. That’s what builds credibility and respect in your brand, which strengthens trust, connection, and sense of community with your audience. 

So, rather than trying to be something you’re not, embrace who you are. Because what may seem like a deterrent for some students (small or large, rural or inner-city, traditional or progressive) could be the exact reason why your institution is the perfect fit for others.

4. It’s how you stand apart and above the rest. 

Think of brand messaging as your higher ed institution’s secret weapon. It’s how you communicate who you are and what you stand for to your various audiences: students, alumni, faculty and staff, and stakeholders. And it’s how you differentiate yourself from what all the other school’s are saying. 

By staying true to your brand, you can effectively communicate what makes you different and why students would want to attend your school. You can capture the unique experience of your campus life, the values that your institution instills in its students and faculty, and what students can expect for their time there and beyond. Because attending college is about more than just classes and courses (which everyone is offering) — it’s about the kind of experience you can provide and the lessons learned both in and outside of the classroom. 

In a world where colleges and universities are a dime a dozen, having a clear, compelling, and fun brand messaging can make all the difference to students trying to find the right fit. It can help you stand out, build trust and credibility, and create a deeper connection among your students, alumni, faculty, and staff. And from there, things can only go up.

In the realm of higher education, there’s an undeniable challenge: the tendency for institutions to blend into the same indistinguishable mold. It’s an issue that permeates both our marketing strategies and, even more critically, our student recruitment efforts.

Picture this: prospective students receiving a stack of postcards from various institutions, all bearing an eerily similar template with a standard “insert obligatory picture of campus here” section. It’s a tiresome sight, isn’t it? It’s time for a change.

Don’t get us wrong; the traditional methods have their merits and have proven effective for countless institutions over the decades. But what we’re witnessing in higher education today is a shifting landscape. What works for one institution may not necessarily work for another, and the further we stray from our unique institutional identity, the greater the challenges we face.

The Problem with Playing it Safe

This is the core issue plaguing higher education: the realization that one solution does not fit all. Many of our marketing and branding clients are private liberal arts institutions, each with distinct strengths and challenges. Yet, it’s disheartening to see other large, one-size-fits-all agency teams offering a cookie-cutter approach to admissions teams.

And this is just one example where this happens. Many institutions continue to struggle with enrollment, primarily because these solutions fail to cater to their students and their families’ unique needs.

The Importance of Standing Apart and Above

In an educational landscape that often feels homogenized, students seek institutions that genuinely understand and value their individuality. When an institution consistently demonstrates that it recognizes and remembers what sets each student apart, it fosters a sense of belonging and engagement. This personalized approach not only enhances the overall educational experience, but also creates a lasting bond between the student and the institution.

It goes beyond mere academics; it’s about being part of a community that cares about their journey, their dreams, and their success. Students want to know that they are not just a number, but a meaningful part of the institution’s story; and institutions that prioritize keeping students top of mind are more likely to inspire loyalty and success in their student body.

From a branding perspective, it’s crucial to acknowledge that prospective students choose your institution for a reason. Highlighting that uniqueness in your enrollment marketing strategy is the key to success.

The only way to achieve this is by establishing a robust collaboration between your enrollment and marketing teams. From the very first interaction with your brand, students should be able to grasp what your institution stands for and envision themselves within it.

The Solution: Bridging Marketing and Enrollment

This brings us to the most impactful transformation you can make in your enrollment marketing efforts: bridging the gap between marketing and enrollment. When these forces unite, the potential for a consistent message, authenticity, and a unique visual identity that resonates with your institution’s spirit becomes evident. It’s this synchronization that will elevate your communication plan to new heights.

Now, why is this synchronization essential? It’s not merely about standing apart from the crowd of institutions offering education. It’s about:

• Nurturing a clear enrollment marketing plan that doesn’t just speak to students, but also captures their hearts
• Crafting a message that doesn’t just convey information but evokes emotions
• Engaging in a dialogue that doesn’t just address queries but forges connections

Enrollment marketing isn’t just a matter of numbers; it’s about creating a narrative, an experience, and a journey. It’s about fostering a bond that extends beyond a transaction, where students don’t just enroll in your institution, but they become a part of its story.

If you’re eager to explore how GMB has aided institutions in bridging this crucial gap and crafting a higher ed enrollment marketing plan that genuinely works, we’re eager to connect with you. Because together, we can turn the tide in higher education marketing and recruitment, making a lasting impact that extends far beyond the classroom.