The Higher Ed Marketer

The market for public-facing generative AI tools has exploded since ChatGPT’s launch in November of 2022. And lots of higher ed institutions are still trying to wrap their heads around AI’s potential, for better or worse. But the truth is that the rest of the world is going full speed ahead with generative AI, and it’s time for higher ed marketers to catch up. In this episode, we’re joined by Gil Appel, Assistant Professor of Marketing at The George Washington University School of Business, and Raffi DerSimonian, VP and Chief Strategy Officer at ERI. Tune in to hear Gil and Raffi follow up on their presentation with Bart from the HashtagHigherEdUS Conference in June 2023 about AI tools in higher ed marketing. Join us as we discuss: - How AI literacy will be a benchmark for the workforce of the future (2:24) - Why ChatGPT is like an Ironman suit for higher ed marketers (11:09) - Arguments against AI tools and the intellectual atrophy fallacy (26:27) - What part AI plays in proving the value of college education (35:57) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - HashtagHigherEdUS Conference 2023 - Using AI in Higher Ed Marketing  - Fireflies.ai  - CassidyAI.com  - AI: Your Collaborative Marketing Partner Summit  - ABHE Enrollment Leaders Conference    To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. 

Like a lot of higher ed departments, international student marketing has been on a rollercoaster since the pandemic. And while other global players like Canada and India are excelling in international recruitment, the US is falling behind. But Mary Catherine Chase, Director of Marketing and Communications at The George Washington University - School of Business, thinks domestic institutions have a real opportunity to get back in the game. First, they have to get back to some basics. Tune in to hear Mary’s great insights on how marketers can re-engage the global community and give international students a sense of belonging at American institutions.     Join us as we discuss: - Covid’s lasting impact on international student recruitment (4:22) - Marketing to different cultures in your local communities (12:54) - The 3 pillars of international higher ed marketing (24:30) - Why language matters in your community interactions (29:53) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - International Student Exchange Programs (ISEP) - Institute of International Education (IIE) - Education USA To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player.  

When It comes to building trust by empowering teams to take ownership, higher ed leaders must communicate frequently and not be afraid to push boundaries. Today, we're joined by the Senior Director of Enrollment Marketing at Baylor University, Jen McCrady. Jen talks about what helps her unique management style to not only establish trust with her team but also empower them.   How you support your colleagues is key to getting the most out of them and building a strong team for today, but it also plays a huge role in creating the work culture of tomorrow at your institution.   Join us as we discuss:  - Why Jen’s team-building philosophy focuses on trust and empowerment (7:16) - The five ways to build trust within your team (14:15) - How a tight-knit professional community is created (25:50) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. 

For any number of reasons, higher ed institutions can sometimes get caught up in a branding dilemma. And it’s often up to their marketing departments to reshape — or rediscover — the magic behind their school’s messaging. Such was the case at the University of Louisville in 2017. It was then that the school’s Executive Director of Brand and Marketing, Kim Butterweck, and Director of Marketing, Erica Walsh, and their team set out to rediscover their brand’s promise. Kim and Erica share how training internal stakeholders in brand awareness and redefining student success became integral to their school’s renewed brand messaging strategy.    Join us as we discuss: - Working with internal stakeholders on brand messaging (8:25) - Cross-training departments through group workshops (17:12) - The 3 pillars of Louisville’s brand messaging strategy (25:57) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - kimberly.butterweck@louisville.edu  - erica.walsh@louisville.edu  To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. 

Are you setting the teams at your university or organization up for success? How are you supporting your colleagues to ensure that they are at the top of their game at all times? It all starts with being intentional, getting everyone aligned, and having a collaborative approach. In this episode, we are joined by Kathy Kissane, Associate Chief Marketing Officer at Thomas Jefferson University. Kathy shares her perspective on what it takes to build a high-performing team in higher education marketing, taking us through the key elements of creating a better team for your higher ed institution. Join us as we discuss:  - Why you need to have a clear mission, vision, and values (07:47) - How you can encourage continuous learning (15:45) - Why it’s important to celebrate the wins and the tries (27:03) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Kathy Kissane  - Thomas Jefferson University  To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. 

“Data silos” have been at the top of the buzzword pile for a few years now. But the truth is that many higher ed enrollment and marketing departments still don’t quite get each others’ roles. Michael Doran, CRM Implementation Strategist at XEquals, thinks the biggest problem is they speak different languages. The solution? They need a translator — someone who knows how to unlock marketing solutions for their school’s enrollment strategy. Michael leans on his admissions experience to unpack what’s keeping enrollment and marketing professionals from communicating and what the folks at XEquals are doing to break down those roadblocks. Join us as we discuss: - Why fast-paced demographic shifts necessitate information sharing (3:26)  - The perks and challenges of an enrollment and marketing tag team (11:38) - How lead scoring can help enrollment counselors prioritize leads (19:50) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - micahel.doran@xequalsenroll.com  - XEquals - The Golden Ratio podcast To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.  

In this episode, we are joined by the Director of Content and Strategy Assessment at the University of Rochester, Brian Piper. Not only do we get an inside look at his approach and strategies around content with the University of Rochester, he shares his perspective on this quickly changing landscape, and it was beyond insightful. Not only has AI seemingly changed things overnight — people have adapted and are thinking quicker and more creatively as well. So what does that mean for your university or organization? How is your content and the strategies around it going to change? Well, join us as we discuss:   - Where your content can make the greatest impact [10:24] - How to identify which metrics truly matter for your objectives [13:38] - Where customer personas and audience comes into play [18:04] - The importance of adapting to AI and a rapidly changing landscape [25:57] Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Brian Piper - University of Rochester To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.  

Higher ed marketers sometimes forget that they’re not merely engaging with prospective students. They’re selling their brand’s value proposition to future alumni. That’s why Ellen Johnson, Vice President For Enrollment Management at Allegheny College, says her school’s enrollment marketing speaks to the entire breadth of the student life cycle. And by making their brand storytelling part of everyone’s mission, they’ve created a winning culture of recruitment and retention campus-wide. Ellen tells us how Allegheny is successfully promoting a liberal arts education in a digital-first world and how they’re strategizing for the enrollment cliff. Join us as we discuss: - Approaching prospective students with a retention mindset (6:08) - Storyboarding campus tours with tactical on-site branding (14:18) - A commitment to helping students from low-income families (27:42) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - ejohnson@allegheny.edu - Twitter - Allegheny College - Commitment to Access Program To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. 

Jenny Petty, Vice President of Marketing Communications at the University of Montana, had a tall order to fill when she arrived at the school in 2021. After nearly a decade of declining enrollment, the university was in desperate need of a branding facelift.   Jenny knew she and her team needed to bring positivity back to the school’s messaging. And she started by taking everyone to “Brand Camp.” Today, Montana has experienced consecutive semesters of growth for the first time in years. Hear how Jenny and her team helped inject confidence back into a bleeding brand by engaging with students and adopting authentic messaging that reflects Gen Z’s priorities.       Join us as we discuss: - Marketing management and collaborating with outside partners (9:17) - Incorporating student feedback into higher ed rebranding efforts (15:41) - Tangible benefits of rebranding and the Ted Lasso effect (20:10) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Jenny Petty - Twitter - University of Montana - The Servant Marketer To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.  

Many college and university admissions offices are so focused on processing applications that they forget that students want to feel a connection with their school. As Liz Rainwater, Director of Admission Marketing and Communication at TCU, reminds us, trust is the foundation for every relationship. That’s why the folks at TCU prioritize giving over taking when they start a dialogue with prospective students and their parents. Liz tells us why building a two-way connection early in the admissions process is so important and how they’re getting parents actively involved in their children’s futures. Join us as we discuss: - Laying the foundation for lifelong relationships with students (1:24) - Why any CRM can handle batch personalized comm flows (15:27) - Leveraging early connections in the transfer funnel (27:39) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - e.rainwater@tcu.edu - TCU To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.  

Higher ed creative teams have seen incredible changes since Covid, for better or worse. We saw a shift that included a greater appreciation for work-life balance for employees, but is there a point when leadership’s focus on caretaking hurts more than helps? WAYNE BARRINGER Wayne Barringer, Founder of Jaro Group, believes many higher ed marketing leaders have lost sight of their North Star, and their teams know it. Wayne’s harrowing climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2018 gave him a unique perspective on confronting the fear of the moment. Now, he’s using that insight to help unlock leaders’ superpowers so they can get the most out of their higher ed creative teams. And it starts with pausing to take in the view.   Join us as we discuss:  - Why higher ed leaders need to find the courage to pivot (5:02) - A strategic view of getting back to your school’s mission (9:45) - Confrontation and how to deal with elevated stakeholders (17:20) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Jaro.Win - Wayne Barringer To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.  

As digital marketing channels continue to elevate new ways of promoting user-generated content, higher ed marketers have to continue identifying emotional stories that will speak to their target audience. That’s because prospective students want to feel a genuine connection with their peers through real stories. Nate Jorgensen, Senior Director of Strategic Academic Marketing and Communications at Miami University, believes higher ed marketers can bridge that need. They just need to start thinking less like a big brand and more like Ted Lasso. Nate sheds light on the need for empathy in enrollment marketing and why showcasing user-generated content is essential to building trust with student leads. Join us as we discuss: - Identifying emotional stories prospective students will connect with (7:02) - Why authentic content is superior to overly-produced marketing (13:46) - Stretching yesterday’s brand guidelines to solve today’s problems (26:28) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Good Services - jorgennp@miamioh.edu - Nate Jorgensen - Miami University (Ohio) To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.  

A practical SEO strategy is critical to keeping your school’s enrollment website. But how can you know when to invest in pay-per-click ads versus the long content game? Guus Goorts, Founder of DutchMarketer.com and author of Successful Student Recruitment With Google Ads, believes building an SEO strategy is like planning a road trip. A common issue is that most schools know where they want to go, but they forget to check a few boxes along the way.     Guus brings us his valuable insight into the three essential components of an organic SEO strategy and why neglecting one will diminish the returns in all of your marketing channels. Join us as we discuss: - Identifying short-term SEO strategies for your enrollment website (8:16) - The 3 core components of an organic SEO roadmap (13:40) - Building on and measuring returns in your marketing channels (19:24) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Guus Goorts - DutchMarketer.com - Successful Student Recruitment With Google Ads - SEO Review Tools - Semrush To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. 

Guy Kawasaki has been a marketing icon since his early days with Apple spreading the word of a product that’s now synonymous with personal computing, Macintosh. Today, the best-selling author and host of the Remarkable People podcast is the Chief Evangelist for Canva. Guy talks with us about why his fandom made him a perfect fit with Canva and how their product puts the power of design right into marketers’ and students’ hands. And you won’t want to miss Guy’s thoughts on campus tours. Tune in to hear how Canva can democratize your school’s marketing communications!    Join us as we discuss: - How Canva’s ease of use levels the marketing playing field (5:52) - Empowering students with accessible digital tools (14:04) - Why Guy believes ChatGPT and AI will be a force for good (19:59) - Secret shopping your school’s product, including campus tours (27:16) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Remarkable People - Canva - Force for Good - The Art of the Start 2.0 - The Art of Social Media - guykawasaki@gmail.com - Guy Kawasaki To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.  

Drone shows are much more than pretty lights in the night sky. Through curated storyboarding and other audiosensory elements, these innovative spectacles can bring communities together by painting a larger story. After Joy Fulkerson, Director of Leadership and Civic Engagement at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), saw a local theme park show, she knew her school’s community needed that experience. Once she suggested the idea to Leah Adinolfi, the school’s Dean of Student Engagement, they started looking for experts in the field. That’s where the folks from Pixis Drones come in. Joy and Leah join Pixis’ VP of Operations Martin Codd, Chief of Staff Maria Booker, and Sales Coordinator Ethan Delinski to discuss how drone shows can engage higher ed communities. Join us as we discuss: - The emotional benefits of drone shows in brand storytelling (5:06) - How ETSU and Pixis collaborated on their storyboard and keywords (12:57) - Incorporating creative elements to conduct a multisensory experience (18:23) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Pixis Drones - East Tennessee State University - fulkersj@etsu.edu (Joy Fulkers) - adinolfi@etsu.edu (Leah Adinolfi) - mcodd@pixisdrones.com (Martin Codd) This episode is dedicated to the loving memory of Maria Booker.  Maria passed away in a car accident on Sunday June 4th, 2023 returning home from giving her time to help others.   Her life, light, and vibrance are sorely missed by the Pixis Drones team and all of us here at The Higher Ed Marketer.  In this, her final interview, please take a moment to send a thought or a prayer to her family and the Pixis Drones team in this tough time.   Donations can be made in Maria’s memory to a charity of your choice or one of the many charities important to her.    Capital Area Food Bank Chance for Life Foundation Central Virginia Horse Rescue To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Edge in your favorite podcast player. 

As a veteran of the newspaper business, Jaime Hunt, Vice President for University Communications and CMO at Old Dominion University, has seen firsthand how resisting change can destroy industries.    That’s why she believes higher ed institutions and organizations need to hit the pause button on banning ChatGPT and other AI services. Rather than branding it as a threat, higher ed marketers need to treat ChatGPT as a powerful tool that can take their content marketing to higher heights. Jaime gives us a glimpse into how she’s been harnessing the power of ChatGPT to save her mental bandwidth as we dive into AI in higher ed marketing.   Join us as we discuss: - How ChatGPT helps streamline mundane work (7:54) - Tailoring advanced chatbots to your specific marketing needs (16:06) - Using automation to hyper-personalize comm flows (24:18) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - LinkedIn - Twitter - j1hunt@odu.edu - Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO - Old Dominion University To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. 

When evaluating a school’s content marketing system (CMS), it’s easy for higher ed marketers to get tunnel vision when defining their target audience. But as Kat Liendgens, CEO of Hannon Hill, reminds us, the national pool of traditional college students is shrinking fast. That means marketing teams need to get with the times and bring a diversity of voice into their CMS strategy. Kat explains why colleges and universities need to start appealing to a broader array of personas, including the people who influence young students’ choices the most — their parents. Join us as we discuss: - Incorporating diversity of voice in school websites and CRMs (5:09) - Setting content contributors up for success in your CMS (11:53) - How higher ed content compares to other industry verticals (18:23) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - kat@hannonhill.com - Hannon Hill To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.  

So many small and mid-sized colleges and universities are caught up in trying to spread brand awareness that they’ve forgotten their core purpose — meeting the needs of prospective students. Philip Smith, Founder and CMO of Education Marketing Agency, thinks it’s time for higher ed institutions to stop trying to impress their competition and get back to the basics. Philip joins us from Ireland to give us the inside scoop on how he helps schools in the UK with his Student Intake Optimization Strategy. Join us as we discuss: - The 5 steps of the Student Intake Optimization Strategy (4:23) - Why schools need to start engaging students with video (20:18) - How fractional CMOs help struggling marketing teams (27:15) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Philip Smith - Education Marketing Agency - PhilipSmithCMO.com - Uni Vid To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. 

Since 2017, the Pepperdine University - Graduate School of Education & Psychology has nearly tripled its enrollment from about 1,500 students to over 4,000. So how did they do it? According to Luke Phillips, the school’s Executive Director of Marketing and Enrollment, they did it by avoiding the weeds and taking a strategic approach to their enrollment funnel. It isn’t enough for marketing teams to just focus on clinching the sale — they need to step outside the box and look at the big picture. You won’t want to miss the incredible practical insight Luke shares on emphasizing strategic thinking toward growth and their winning formula for converting student leads.   Join us as we discuss: -Strategic growth and execution of market research (5:19) - Distilling actionable data through SWOT analysis (15:06) - How successful enrollment marketing opens up opportunities (23:02) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) - Survey Monkey - Salary.com - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Pepperdine University - Graduate School of Education & Psychology - luke.phillips2@pepperdine.edu To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player. 

Mission-fit storytelling is an essential piece of higher ed content marketing. That sounds straightforward on paper, but many schools struggle to attract students by meeting them where they are. Neal Foard, Chief Marketing Officer at Within, Inc., thinks too many marketing teams are adrift in a sea of algorithms and analytics and have lost sight of their true purpose. Neal believes marketers must stop chasing heroic individualism and come together to celebrate their students as a team, and that starts with addressing their students’ self-interests first.     Join us as we discuss: - The unintended consequences of marketing metrics (6:29) - Collaboration and the creative spirit in people’s differences (16:08) - Humanizing stories by putting the audience first (25:52)  Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - nealfoard@gmail.com - YouTube - Nealfoard.com To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.