School Marketing Strategies

Collaborating on Credentials The future of the workforce and the future of education lie in collaborative models where industry and academia work together to create relevant, practical learning experiences. Whether through advisory boards, design challenges and projects, or comprehensive microcredential programs, these partnerships are reshaping how we prepare talent for tomorrow's workforce. On a recent podcast, sie.ag/443UxN, I connected with Michael J. Readey and Christy Bozic, PhD, PMP, CPEM to discuss the transformative power of industry-academia partnerships. Together, we have been collaborating on credentials and sustainability to improve the circular economy digital mindset. Here are some insights we discussed that every education and industry leader should consider: The Traditional Model is Evolving: The "degree-only" mindset is shifting as we recognize the growing importance of continuous, skills-based learning. With the majority of credential-seekers being full-time professionals, the demand for flexible, targeted upskilling is clear. Industry-Academia Partnerships Matter: We must continue to invest in partnerships that bridge the critical gap between classroom theory and rapidly changing workplace demands. Together, we can enable faster identification of emerging skill needs and create timely real-world learning opportunities through immersive experiences. This provides learners with early and direct industry exposure. The Rise of Microcredentials: We're seeing a trend of professionals who actively seek, learn, and collect badges and microcredentials for career progression. Agile learning formats offer just-in-time education and experience for quick adaptation to industry needs, and flexible learning paths can address immediate and targeted skill application. Learn more about what hiring managers look for, how to build industry-relevant learning pathways, and what the future holds for collaborative academic-industry relations. I remember when I started in this industry, the focus was on how we could break down the walls between CAD and CAM. There are still walls between academia and industry we must break down. The collaboration we experienced with Michael, Christy, and the University of Colorado Boulder gives me hope for a new path forward. Listen to the full episode and share your perspective below: sie.ag/443UxN.

🎯 Colleges, Your Admissions Funnel Might Be Leaking – Here’s How to Fix It If your college is spending thousands on ads but not seeing a surge in applications, the problem isn’t always the budget. 👉 It’s your funnel. We analyzed campaigns for 30+ educational institutions and found three common gaps: 1️⃣ Wrong Audience Targeting: If your ads are reaching the wrong students, you’re wasting money. ✅ Solution: Use Meta’s interest-based targeting and layer it with location and behavior filters. Test different creatives for UG vs. PG courses. 2️⃣ Landing Page Drop-Offs: Most students leave if a form has more than 5 fields. ✅ Solution: Keep it simple. Name, Email, Phone, and Course Interest are enough to start. Track the drop-off rate using Google Analytics. 3️⃣ Delayed Follow-Ups: Lead response time is everything. Colleges that respond within 5 minutes see 21x higher conversions. ✅ Solution: Automate initial responses using AI chatbots or WhatsApp Business API. 💡 Bonus Tip: Track your lead source performance weekly. Adjust bids, creatives, and CTAs — no campaign should run on autopilot. The result? Higher-quality leads, lower ad spend, and a streamlined admission process. 👉 Struggling to fix your funnel? Let’s chat — I’d love to share insights from what’s worked for colleges like yours. #CollegeMarketing #LeadGeneration #AdmissionsStrategy #EducationMarketing #HigherEd

You can’t build a brand. As university leaders gather today in London to discuss reputation, the conversation will inevitably turn to brand. In #HigherEducation this is where confusion often begins. Brand is not what you make. Brand is what people say and feel about you. (By the way, that can be when they’re in the same room as you, not just when you’ve left.) Your brand lives in the mind of your audience. But what you can build is Brand Strategy. #BrandStrategy is the system you use to influence these perceptions. Your Brand Strategy includes a toolkit to do this - including the story you want to tell; the tone of voice and personality that you want to express; the promises you make; and the visual identity you want to be seen in. When you get good at Brand Strategy it will increasingly include the iconic moves you want to make. These are the moves that can have the biggest impact in shaping how your audiences feel about you (Yes, thats the Brand.)   In the #University world, a Brand Strategy should align the University Strategy (what you want to be and the things you’re doing to get there) with the Marketing Strategy (how you communicate this to beneficiaries to achieve desired results), so you no longer have major plans (and people) operating in isolation. Crucially the Brand Strategy creates the overarching concept and messaging to get people on board to make this all happen. Good Brand Strategies are rare in universities. Brand Strategy is the cause. Brand is the effect. When people say ‘we build brands’, they’re really saying ‘we build the strategy, and experiences, that influence a brand.’ And the message for the university leaders sitting down to talk today? Lead it - Brand Strategy is leadership work. It can be your game changer. Align it - Make sure the Brand Strategy and the University Strategy point in the same direction. One story, one ambition. Use it - Use the Brand Strategy to make decisions, set priorities, and drive change. It’s not just for campaigns. Invest in it - This will be one of the most important things you ever do. Live it, and tell it - Breathe it all in!

Your sales team is wasting 𝟲𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. Here's the 3-question fix. I was reviewing enrollment calls for a 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 client this week: → 73 prospective student calls analyzed → Average call length: 25 minutes → Only 22% enrolled or scheduled campus visits The problem? 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀. They spent 30+ minutes explaining curriculam to students who weren't ready to commit. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟯-𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: 1. "𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴?" - If they say "maybe next year" = nurture sequence - If they say "this fall" or specific date = continue 2 "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮?" - If vague answer = just browsing - If specific concerns = genuine interest 3. "𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺/𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦?" - If no = premature conversation - If yes and supportive = qualified prospect 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Ask these in first 5 minutes. Focus detailed program discussions only on qualified prospects. Expected outcome: 40-50% reduction in wasted call time, 30% increase in enrollment conversions over next 8 weeks. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Review your last 10 prospect calls. How much time was spent on unqualified leads? Most teams try to convince everyone. Smart teams qualify first, enroll second. What qualification question saves you the most time? #LeadQualification #EducationMarketing #EnrollmentStrategy #LeadGeneration #StudentRecruitment #GTM_Gyan

Universities should be among the most exciting brands in the world. So why aren't they? That’s the central question of this excellent new report by Firehaus and Education Marketer. The findings offer a constructive look at the systems that are keeping many university brands shallow, siloed, and stuck. Some insights that stand out: 🔹Universities know what good branding looks like. 70% say consistency is essential, 63% want true differentiation, and 61% value emotional storytelling. But only 15% have a differentiated position, and just 24% use storytelling in practice 🔹Brand is still treated as marketing’s job, not a shared responsibility. 67% say brand is seen as “owned” by marketing, while only 23% report meaningful leadership involvement 🔹Academic staff are missing from the conversation. Faculty are seen as critical to brand success, but most are excluded. This is a missed opportunity. Students often form their strongest emotional bonds through teaching and research, yet brand-building rarely connects with the academic experience. 🔹Authenticity is non-negotiable. The report makes clear that branding must be lived, not just launched. Staff alignment and internal engagement are some of the most neglected areas despite being crucial to credibility. If the brand doesn’t show up in the day-to-day experience of students and staff, it won't stick externally. 🔹Risk aversion kills distinctiveness. Institutions dilute bold ideas out of fear of scrutiny, of being seen as unserious, or of stepping outside the comfort zone of sector norms. The result? Vanilla brands that blend in, even when their underlying stories are extraordinary. So what can universities do? 🔹Stop treating the brand superficially. The brand is a strategic asset that must be embedded in behaviour, not just communications. 🔹Bring academic and student voices into the centre as co-authors of the institutional narrative. 🔹Invest internally. Culture is the brand. If staff aren’t living it, students won’t believe it. 🔹Be brave. The raw ingredients for great university brands are already here: research with global relevance, student stories with emotional punch, alumni with impact, and missions that matter. But they need to be expressed with clarity, humanity, and ambition. This report offers a hopeful analysis for the future of HE branding. The path is there. We just need to start following it. #Universities #HigherEducation 👉 https://lnkd.in/gwnBYCYG

The current lull in news about the financial position of universities does not mean that the UK’s higher education sector is not under immense pressure. Rising costs, frozen tuition fees, the decline in international students, political demands for “value for money,” and shifting workforce needs driven by AI and sustainability are all colliding to create a system that is no longer sustainable in its current form. “Radical collaboration”, a new report from KPMG and Mills & Reeve, offers a clear message: universities can’t simply do more with less. They must rethink how they work together, moving beyond institutional pride and financial firefighting to embrace bold, long-term collaboration. This isn’t about bailing out failing institutions but about reshaping the sector to deliver research excellence, broader access, stronger regional impact, and long-term resilience and the report outlines key recommendations for the future: ➡️ Recognise the current HE model is no longer sustainable ➡️ Focus collaboration on outcomes, not just cost-cutting ➡️ Define clear purpose and objectives for any partnership ➡️ Prioritise long-term strategic leadership over institutional pride ➡️ Consider a range of models from alliances to full mergers ➡️ Create the right conditions: strong leadership, aligned values, clear communication ➡️ Address cultural and regulatory barriers early ➡️ Ensure government provides enabling support (legal, financial, regulatory) ➡️ Treat radical collaboration as a proactive strategy for sector sustainability The question now is whether the sector has the leadership, political will, and strategic clarity to act or whether it will continue to delay the inevitable. #HigherEducation #UniversityStrategy #Leadership #Collaboration #Policy #HEReform #RadicalCollaboration #FutureOfHE #Universities #PublicValue

“Don’t tell marketing…” That’s what a staff member at my son’s high school said while unveiling the giveaways for senior night, designed in a color not from the official brand palette. She thought her color choice looked better. A few people chuckled nervously. I didn’t laugh. Because in that moment, you could feel the backstory—past skirmishes with “the brand police,” and a perception that following brand guidelines is optional… or worse, obstructive. But here’s the truth: When you’re part of a student’s journey—from first impressions to first enrollment—your brand is the experience. Consistency signals care. And trust. And credibility. Choosing a different color because “it looks better” might seem small. But if everyone makes those choices, you don’t have a brand—you have chaos. The best marketing doesn’t just look good. It tells a unified story. And that story is what builds connection. So yeah, tell marketing. We care for a reason. #HigherEdMarketing #BrandMatters #CommunityCollege #PIOlife #AdmissionsMarketing #MarketingThatMoves

At my last institution, our School of Music broke an enrollment record while the campus experienced a down year. Applications were up 37%. But the work to get there started 3 years earlier with these 4 questions: 1️⃣ How are we different from other programs? Nearly 70% of students attend a school within 2 hours of home (National Student Clearinghouse). That means most of your competition is local—and your story better be compelling. What *can* students get from you that they can’t get anywhere else? That answer should sit at the center of your messaging. 👉 Our answer? 🔹 Industry-connected learning from day one 🔹 Competitive tuition + modern curriculum (business, tech, entrepreneurship) 🔹 Diverse campus and community 🔹 Faculty who are top-tier and deeply engaged in day-to-day 2️⃣ How are we communicating with students? We were using emails and print letters. Gen Z? They live in texts, stories, and video. 👉 So we made changes: 🔹 Email drip campaigns throughout the admissions cycle 🔹 Recruitment zone targeting 🔹 Faculty intro videos 🔹 Text messaging with actual people, not bots 3️⃣ Why are students saying no to us? If you don’t collect data, you’re just guessing. 👉 We embedded a simple survey in the application process. The feedback helped us tighten the message and fix friction points. It asks: 🔹 Where did you hear about us? 🔹 What influenced your decision not to attend? 🔹 Rate your experience (1–5) 🔹 Optional comments (where the gold lives) 4️⃣ How are we sharing our success stories? Not all success stories matter equally in recruitment. New buildings, the latest faculty research, and curriculum changes are important—but… Students care most about *other* students. 👉 So we shared: 🔹 Experiences: Internships, student tours, community partners 🔹 Student Successes: Auditions, performances, competitions, publications And we made sure they tied directly back to what made us unique. Enrollment breakthroughs don’t happen because of a new campaign. They happen because of clarity. - Knowing who you are - Knowing who you serve - And knowing how you communicate it. --------------------- ♻️ Repost this to help other academic leaders. 💬 Follow for posts about higher education, leadership, & the arts. #LeadershipGoals #HigherEdSuccess #HigherEducation #departmentchairs #deans #programmanagers #academicleadership

One of the fastest-growing Substack creators (100k+ subs) asked me to review their funnel to help them monetize faster. Here’s what I found: This creator is absolutely crushing it. They’re getting thousands of free subscribers both from Substack and LinkedIn every month. Their problem? Most of those free subs aren’t upgrading to paid. And after looking at their welcome flow, I could see why. They are not leveraging their welcome email—the single most important touchpoint in their entire funnel—to drive paid conversions. So with that in mind, I came up with 2 potential strategies to help them fix this bottleneck: Strategy 1: Free Trial (Lowest Effort, Lower Potential Upside) Since they only offer yearly subscriptions, I suggested offering a 30-day trial - but adding some urgency to the mix: “Start your free trial by end of day and reply to this email—I’ll send you [bonus 1, bonus 2, and bonus 3] as a thank you for upgrading today.” The key: Only mention the price of the yearly membership *after* breaking down everything they’d unlock as a paid member. Ideally, too, you want to find a wat to “quantify” the value they’d be getting from each thing included in the subscription and compare it to the actual price they’d pay for it. Strategy 2: Personalized Onboarding Funnel (Highest Effort, Highest Potential Upside) When you have a huge resource library, you can run into an unexpected problem: People don’t know where to start and feel overwhelmed as a result. (This is definitely the case for this creator.) But this can also be an opportunity to turn free users into paid readers. How? By adding a simple survey to your welcome email you can identify where subscribers are in their journey as well as their biggest challenges. Then, you can use this data to send personalized drip sequences with specific resource recommendations based on their individual responses. So instead of just saying “Here’s my paid newsletter, go subscribe!” you create a personalized roadmap for each subscriber to get the most out of your paid newsletter resources. The key takeaway for you (whether you run a free or a paid newsletter): Your welcome email gets the highest open rates—make it count. Hope this is helpful!

Analyzed 200+ education campaigns from 2024. 89% failed their primary objective. The mistake: Treating Gen Z like "millennials with TikTok accounts." Here's what actually works: → User-generated content beats branded 4:1 → Behind-the-scenes outperforms highlight reels → Problem-solving trumps promotional content Example shift: × "Why choose XYZ College" ✓ "How to survive your first semester" Result: 340% increase in engagement, 156% boost in inquiries. The mindset flip: "How do we sell to them?" → "How do we serve them?" Gen Z doesn't want marketing. They want equipment for success. How has your student marketing approach evolved? #influencermarketing