It’s hard to believe that marketing in higher ed was once viewed as a novelty, and only a few years ago, the term ‘inbound marketing’ was still in its infancy. That’s definitely not the case anymore as campus leaders, faculty, recruiters, etc. have discovered the importance of creating an inbound marketing culture and strategy on campus.

Speaking at Converge 2015, Teresa Flannery, vice president of communication at American University, coached attendees through the valuable lessons her institution learned from implementing inbound marketing techniques and strategies. Using sports metaphors to paint a clearer picture of American’s inbound marketing discoveries during this process, Teresa laid out the following keys to success in building your team and reaching your goals:

Find Your Identity – Your team needs to create a memorable brand and thought-out brand strategy, which is essential in promoting your school. For example, American University’s hugely successful brand, WONK (Know spelled backwards), signifies American’s goal of having thought leaders join their team. This creates a sense of identity and pride that’s contagious campus-wide and desirable for prospective students.

Adjust Your Game Strategy – The ground is noticeably shifting as traditional universities follow the lead of for-profit organizations like Phoenix, National American, etc. in terms of recruitment efforts. American managed to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to the changes by:

• Introducing new online learning programs
• Establishing multiple start dates for programs
• Providing rapid response to prospective students

Create a Blueprint for Success – Similar to how personalities and attitudes can shape a team’s dynamic, the content and layout of your university identity and the programs you offer are essential in transforming your school.

Here are the must-have components that should be be present in your blueprint:

• Personas –Personas are used in every aspect of marketing to identify tone of voice, timing, and context. They’re a gift that drives the entire content creation process.
• Message Matrix – Key strategic messages that resonate with the right audience at the right time are what make a prospective student an inquiry. Aligning your team’s vision for how these messages are crafted and how your story is told are essential to the success of your future content.
• Website Redesign – To sell your institution, you need a website that tells your story and focuses on inbound marketing. Include landing pages with calls to action and a brief bio with engaging photos and stories that match your personas.
• Blog Creation – Blogging is one of the most important things you can do. Terry recommended incorporating blogging into your inbound strategy. This is an area where you can gain traction for a small cost. Deans and faculty should blog along with your marketing team because with each published blog, you expand your digital footprint. Make sure it fits with the overarching narrative of your brand.
• Workflow Communication Map – Your goal here is to waste less time, define the rules you want, and automate the process. Workflows enable you to establish the rules you desire and easily automate it all. With workflows, you can trigger actions based on any information you have about your prospective students, allowing you to send the right message to the right audience at the right time.

Teamwork through Collaboration – You have to work seamlessly with multiple entities to guarantee success, even though it can sometimes be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to reach out to experts who can refine, expedite and transform your game plan. For example, American worked with three partners – Converge Consulting, MediaWorks and Blackboard – to launch its four pilot graduate programs while utilizing Google Universal Analytics and Ellucian CRM.

Looking for more tips? Don’t miss out on Converge 2017 in Palm Springs, California. Register now and save with our early bird pricing!