Andrea Jarrell specializes in positioning and communications strategy for education clients. Her articles on institutional image, integrated advancement programs, management, ethics, alumni/ae relations, and student recruitment have appeared in Currents Magazine published by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. She also contributed a chapter to the book Classic CURRENTS: Campaigns (CASE, 2002).
Articles reprinted with permission from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. All rights reserved.
This article looks at how spirituality has become an important factor for campuses to consider when marketing to and communicating with prospective students. The article points out that it's not necessarily religion that students are looking for, but help in finding meaning in their lives and support and help in developing their values and ideals and beliefs.
Could national standards of performance be the big idea campus communicators have been waiting for?
If salary is a way to measure value, then institution leaders seem to be valuing advancement services more than ever. These professionals' average salaries are nearly even with communications and marketing professionals', second only to development. And average salaries are higher for those new to advancement than those with more experience. Advancement services also seems to have a positive influence on salaries of those who work in more than one discipline.
Popular parent communications approaches Aside from the typical parent outreach activities--parents weekend, parent orientation, and parents newsletters--there are other ways to communicate with this important constituency. This short sidebar to "A Separate Piece" outlines five other approaches institutions have used successfully.
Integrated marketing is becoming the norm in institutional communications offices. Because of this shift, many colleges and universities are bringing in corporate communicators who have experience in building a brand.
Tough times and a new generation of donors are causing institutions to rethink donor friendships. Today's donors want deep connections with institutions that matter to them and share their values. If an institution engages constituents just to ask for money, it may miss out on true friendship with donors who want to be more involved.
Today's prospective students are a different breed when it comes to the way they conduct their college search. And yet, while much has been made of the "stealth applicant," the essential role of the Web, and the significance of third-party Web sites including social networking sites, institutions continue with the same basic student recruitment publications order they have been requesting for years. This article examines how the thinking and strategy about viewbooks has changed-in light of the Web, considering how much students have changed, how much the admissions process and timing has changed, and in light of fully integrated communications and marketing efforts.
The Web-based campus tour is now so essential to students making enrollment decisions that not having one can negatively affect an institution's recruitment goals. Admissions officers say that virtual tours do not seem to reduce interest in personal visits, but rather encourage and supplement live contact. To develop a tour, make use of students' creativity and expertise. After you have gathered copy, audio, and visuals, follow these tips in combining them: 1) keep it simple to be compatible with a wide range of computer systems; 2) add personality, including photos and narratives from real students; 3) keep the focus on visuals; 4) be creative. Additional features might include movies, live Webcams, building tours, and interactive frames.
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