University marketers are under increased pressure to make up for the drop in freshmen enrollment at institutions across the world as a result of the pandemic. Smart organizations recognize the importance of optimizing their digital marketing strategy in the current climate.
These best marketing strategies for marketing higher education were written with the university marketer in mind.
1. Consolidate Reporting and Strategy
The dispersed and decentralized nature of marketing budgets is a common problem in the higher education sector. Recently, University of Albany vice president Joe Brennan argued in a webinar that the ability to centralize marketing expenditures is crucial to running an efficient higher education marketing program.
Although it may not be possible in all settings, it would be beneficial to have a single location from which all marketing efforts could be evaluated. In the following section, we will discuss additional methods for achieving this goal.
2. Don’t Ignore the Language Barrier
Language barriers can be intimidating for some students. For instance, a prospective student of a language center in Quebec may be hesitant to actually enroll there because of the province’s reputation as a French-speaking stronghold.
The regional government of Quebec provides free French lessons for international students, and the international student may be eligible for financial assistance, such as a travel allowance, to study at the language learning centre, which can alleviate some of their concerns about studying in Quebec.
3. Make Yourself Stand Out From the Crowd
One of the most noticeable advantages that Canadian schools have over each other is their DLI status. Schools with DLI status may become complacent and rely solely on their designation to attract students.
However, a university that is not part of a DLI can still compete successfully so long as it advertises its courses and the area in which it is located. Businesses all over the world, not just those in the education industry, benefit from the presence of international students.
To attract students, your marketing efforts should focus on what makes your institution special. If you aren’t confident in your organization, a fresh set of eyes can help you see its potential. A unique selling proposition (USP) for your institution can be developed with the assistance of an outside marketing agency.
4. Come up with Smart Copy
When was the last time you hung out with some young adults in their twenties? Every time you are around young people, you will pick up a whole new vocabulary. Since the advent of higher education, students have developed their own slang for use in the classroom and on the dance floor.
Getting the attention of students requires creative marketing and ad copy, but I wouldn’t recommend making too much of an effort to speak their language. Don’t do anything boring. Need some help getting started? In that case, you might find the following suggestions for writing creative copy to be useful.
5. Use time-tested Strategies
Don’t be afraid to use traditional marketing techniques. Students still clip coupons to the refrigerator or rummage through their backpacks for discount codes when they want to place a food order. To capitalize on students’ frequent use of the campus’ main thoroughfare, consider sponsoring campus events or opening a pop-up shop there.
6. Opt for Student Representatives
You should value your regular clientele of students. Make sure you’re rewarding loyal customers in some way, whether it’s through in-person interaction at your store or restaurant or electronic tracking of repeat purchases. Consider each of your student ambassadors to be a nano-influencer.
Create some ambassador kits with basic items like a t-shirt, bottle opener, water bottle, and other items that they can hand out to their friends. If they are offered discounts for referring others, this strategy may be successful.
Aerie is excellent at utilizing user-generated content on their social accounts, and while they don’t cater specifically to college students, they do a great job of doing so. They frequently repost customer posts, making it simpler to fill your social media schedule.
7. Get Involved with Real-time Events
College students are naturally full of energy and optimism, and they are eager to make a difference in the world. This current generation is especially concerned with issues of social equality. Think about a problem that is relevant to the area where your company operates. Students are more likely to give your brand a second look if they know that some of the proceeds from their purchase are supporting a cause they care about, such as the plastic-free movement or the Black Lives Matter movement.
9. Convince the Parents
If your product is too expensive for the typical college student, try marketing to their parents instead.Is there a particular time that would be ideal for this? Transfer Day and Parent’s Weekend. Yes, things get more complicated in extreme situations like a pandemic. However, it’s not unattainable. College students can be very persistent in their attempts to extort money from their parents.
Care packages are a great idea if you’re trying to find a way to contact your parents. Be sure to stress how your product will make their child more confident and successful in all of their future endeavours. Another possibility is that it will aid in their health or make their small college dorm feel more like home.
10. Benefit from the Power of Infographics
If you’re planning on using infographics in your next advertising push, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Infographics should be used to convey information that would be difficult to understand or read if presented in a more conventional format.
- Minimize the amount of text used and allow the images to do the bulk of the “talking.”
- In most cases, hiring an expert is the best option. It may seem simple, but if you haven’t had any training, your infographic will look like a jumbled mess and serve no useful purpose.