Let's face it: high school students are bombarded with a plethora of college recruitment options. Top-tier students are inundated with a flood of e-mails, direct mail pieces, and even the occasional phone call.
Meanwhile, even lower-performing students find themselves receiving three to five direct mail solicitations every week, along with at least one email each day. As a result, higher education marketers are under immense pressure to come up with fresh and innovative ideas (preferably ones that won't break the bank) in order to stand out in the already overcrowded mailboxes, both virtual and literal, of prospective students.
Here are a few ways you can keep your collegiate marketing fresh and, hopefully, stand out in students' minds.
Take inspiration from publications like The New Yorker, which masterfully combines intelligent humor with cultural commentary. By infusing your recruitment efforts with a touch of highbrow humor, you can engage potential students in a way that resonates with their intellect and sense of humor. Avoid crossing the line into raucous or raunchy humor, as it may undermine the seriousness of your academic offerings.
Remember, humor evokes emotional responses, and emotions play a significant role in decision-making. When prospective students find your marketing materials amusing, they are more likely to develop a positive attitude towards your college and consider it as a serious contender. So, go ahead and sprinkle your content with clever jokes, witty anecdotes, and humorous references. Just make sure to maintain the integrity of your institution and align your humor with the overall image you wish to portray.
Your campus is undeniably stunning and meticulously maintained. However, let's be honest, when it comes to grounds pictures, they all tend to blend together from one college to another. While including your iconic images is essential, keeping things fresh requires a touch of creativity. Experiment with artsy angles or a completely new perspective. Consider adding vibrant Warhol-style colorations or framing the pictures in different hues. You can even inject some playfulness by incorporating cartoons into an otherwise formal sweeping picture of the Quad. Take a fresh look at the pictures, inspiring your talented graphic design team to think outside the box.
Include interesting tidbits about your campus to pique the curiosity of prospective students. Whether it's the fact that your campus consumes more ice cream per person than any other in the country or the legendary gopher residing just outside Williams Residence Hall, these fun facts can be a great addition to your marketing efforts. Consider sending out a monthly email with the subject line "Discover Fun Fact #4,567 About Your Future University" and analyze the open rates to gauge the response from your audience. It's important to keep your messaging fresh and engaging to make a lasting impression on potential students.
It’s not an easy task to be fresh in marketing to college students. They are exposed to so much messaging that it’s easy to wonder if your stuff is making a difference. Sometimes, it can help to hire a marketing partner who can help you spice things up. Or, use digital marketing software to hammer out creative workflows to reach students who are actively engaging with your outreach efforts.
We know you’ve got this. You’re wrapping up yet another recruitment season and the numbers look great. Just keep it fresh until those deposits start rolling in!