Nearly any industry is not exempt from the power that savvy marketing can generate.
This is even the case with colleges and universities around the country, an industry that is certainly not naturally linked to creative online marketing, text message marketing, and other up-and-coming strategies.
Perhaps schools behind the curve will need to step up to land new students. A number of institutions have opened some eyes in how they recruit potential students.
Innovative Examples of Higher Education Marketing
According to Bill Schackner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Juniata College utilizes personalized emails to draw in prospects.
After giving them a taste of life at Juniata, even playful emails follow if the student does not initially buy into their prompts:
"Maybe email's not your thing, but we are also starting to wonder if there isn't another college in the picture. Say it isn't so. We thought from the start that you'd be a good match for Juniata," the email wittingly states.
Other strategies are explained by Schackner as schools try to do whatever they can to reach their audience and make it easier for them.
One school sends out applications that are partially filled out with the information that the college is given from the student or a third party. Others make prime use of text messages, which are obviously a large part of student's lives.
These innovative strategies are a great way for schools to differentiate itself from the crowd - in an industry that is very competitive.
Back to the Basics
One of the most eye-opening examples that Schackner explains is quite simple in the realm of marketing - a better price.
From cutting tuition by $5,000 to offering Stafford loan recipients anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 toward their debt - if they finish within four years - schools can certainly catch students' attention in a fundamental way. After all, a great price is perhaps the most well-known marketing technique, and for good reason.
Whether a student is looking to get a computer degree online or to take advantage of a local community college, a lot will come down to cost. Many decisions are made on the basis of cost, in addition to convenience, quality of education, and other factors depending on the student.
While higher education may not be the prime example of innovative and advanced marketing, perhaps the industry is ready to take advantage of marketing strategies that will help differentiate themselves from the rest.