Here are 4 St.-Paddy’s-themed tips to ensure your marketing communications are sprouting new prospects year round:

1. Follow the Rainbow in Your Blog

Why are rainbows so captivating? The spectacular combination of seven vivid colors draws your attention. A blog without an image is the equivalent of a grey sky without a rainbow.

Moreover, the human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text, and 90 percent of the information transmitted to the brain is visual.

As part of your marketing strategy, make sure you have a visual to accompany an interesting article — about new faculty research or alumni achievement, for example. A creative and colorful image will make the black and white text jump off the page and increase engagement. The added bonus? It provides an additional opportunity to increase SEO optimization.

2. Draw a Map to the Pot of Gold

Have you recently conducted a salary survey with your alumni? If not, be sure to conduct research demonstrating program outcomes. With rising cost sensitivity in higher education and concerns about debt, prospective students (and influencers such as parents) are looking for proof points to demonstrate ROI.

Create a survey to capture data on students’ salary at the beginning of the program, at graduation and as alumni. Include this information in marketing collateral such as your website, blogs, digital advertising, and social media. Then tell the story behind the data points. Remember, you want to build an emotional connection with prospective students. Attachments come from what a person feels, not just what a person knows.

3. Get Rid of the Leprechauns on Your Website

The mascot on the popular kid’s cereal, Lucky Charms — my colleague, Ryan’s, favorite breakfast cereal — is cheerful and charming.

However, leprechauns are actually aloof and solitary, according to Irish mythology.

Many higher education websites contain a lot of serious information and data — it’s the nature of academia. At the same time, make sure your website content is approachable and has a lighter side. Websites are more than just the ‘front door’ of your university. They serve to open the door to build relationships with candidates.

What are some of the ‘fun’ benefits of attending your school? What do students do outside the classroom? Include profiles outlining a student’s typical day to show extracurricular activities.

You can also show a side of your university leaders most people have never seen before. Here is an example: a blog post about the dean of the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Surprise people with the unexpected.

4. Put Your Testimonials on Parade

The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the largest in the world, with more than 200,000 marchers and band members. Just like those marchers and band members, your student testimonials should be equally entertaining.

Are you featuring students and alumni on your website in ways that are dynamic and engaging? Video testimonials are an important part of your marketing strategy — they create a personal connection with prospective students.

In addition, YouTube is the second largest search engine. Think about when you go to a parade and try to get the best spot to see all the action. Likewise, you want to be where the action is to connect with prospects. YouTube reaches more adults aged 18 to 34 than any single cable TV network, and it was rated by millennials as the top place to watch content, ahead of Facebook and ESPN.

Alumni testimonials are most powerful when they demonstrate how the program has made a tangible difference in the individual’s career advancement or professional goals. Make sure the testimonials you choose are diverse, representing various industries and functions to connect with prospects from different backgrounds.

How will you parade your institution’s value proposition this St. Patrick’s Day and throughout the year?