I worry about the fate of some small liberal arts colleges who haven’t quite mastered the art of brand distinction. It’s especially tough competition for those higher ed schools not focused on promising careers at the end of that expensive rainbow.
As many marketers know, differentiation is important and useful when you actually can be markedly, you know…different. But what if there’s a certain sameness to a liberal arts college experience that students are actually seeking? What if what they want is that personal faculty attention, seminar type classes, curricula that emphasizes how to think critically, and a pretty green campus?
So they don’t necessarily want different. But they do want special. And so do the educators and the parents and the influencers and the alumni who might one day turn into donors.
Brand distinction helps all these people easily identify, recall and buy into what your college is offering.
All of your target demographics want to be able to say “my school offers all these things you expect and does it well, but what I really love is that they …” What?
- have required hands-on internships every year?
- have a school choir that invites community into their mix?
- admit an unusually high percentage of international students?
- what else could it be at your school?
All that is good to know. But the part that will engage your audiences and make your offerings distinctive will be what you haven’t yet said: WHY IT MATTERS.
Better to promote your school’s special attributes something like this:
- has required hands on internships every year that help that the student studying drama realize there are careers beyond acting out there
- improves town/gown relationship with a school choir that invites community into their mix
- admits an unusually high percentage of international students who add infinite value to the global cultural experience local students might not otherwise get in these times of limited travel
Importantly, how does that distinction affect your various target audiences?
The trick for the Marketing team in working with the Enrollment office is to find the unique attributes that make your particular liberal arts college pop in the minds of potential students and make current students proud to stay. That’s what will make your school resonate with impact and help with recruitment and retention.
By the way – this concept works for all kinds of schools, and in fact, all organizations and corporations.
Getting your share of available audience was hard enough pre-pandemic. It’s harder now. Showcase your distinction. Donner Creative Communications Strategies can help.
Thanks again to Gary Martin, MARTOONS for his illustration and for making me look thin in his cartoon.