Amplify your school’s unique voice

Ever hear talk of a “brand school”? It’s an institution — large or small — where people share in a promise they deliver to students. It inspires sustained pride among alumni. It has a vibe that comes through to prospective students, from your tours to your website to your letters of admission. A brand school has a collaborative culture fostered by senior leadership. Its communications and enrollment marketing teams engage faculty, colleagues, and constituents in composing a brand narrative. Admissions and advancement staff support each other and co-author stories that show the impact the school has on its people and in the wider region they serve.

Are you a “brand school”? Would you like to be?

To build awareness of your institution, all of your constituents have to be able to represent your brand position confidently. It starts with a brand positioning statement that captures:

• The most distinctive aspects of the campus experience.
• The kind of person who wants that type of experience.
• The proof found in the history and the realities of the school.

But a positioning statement is just a starting point.

Has your campus conducted a brand study? Do the outcomes of that study still resonate on campus? If not, it’s probably time for an objective evaluation of the steps you need to take to maintain a strong brand. Here are some questions to consider:

• If you feel your brand is defined, to what degree has it been adopted campus-wide?
• Do you know how many people among faculty, staff, senior administration, the board, current students, and alumni actively utilize the brand tools?
• Would members of the admissions and marketing teams be able to similarly describe the attitudinal orientation and general comportment of a “right-fit” student? How about people in student life and on the faculty?
• Is there an appreciation for the school’s history among students and alumni across the generations?
• Brand guides messaging, which informs content. How often does the senior leadership team collaborate with the marketing team regarding your content strategy and the plans for its deployment?