Marketers and enrollment managers are swimming in data, but making it digestible and actionable is easier said than done. In this episode, we talk with Ken Reaves, Director of Research and Strategic Projects at Southeastern University. Ken is an expert when it comes to combining hardcore data and research with creative storytelling, and he’s got tons of advice for anybody looking to make their data more compelling and actionable.

We discuss:

• synergies between marketing and institutional research
• the specific techniques and thought processes he follows to create compelling, story-driven narratives that bring numbers to life
• potential pitfalls associated with data-driven decision making
• how to nurture a more data-driven culture.

Show Notes & Transcript

Historically, CRMs have been seen as a tool for Admissions, but today’s CRMs are capable of so much more. In this episode, Kris Hardy, Director of Web and Digital Marketing at Messiah College, stops by to share how the school’s CRM has transformed their digital marketing efforts.

We discuss:

• How the CRM has changed the way the marketing team interacts with their colleagues in other departments
• Specific challenges the Messiah team encountered as they began rolling out larger volumes of personalized, automated communication
• Smart tactics they’ve implemented on their website around personalization and how they gather leads.

Show Notes & Transcript

Research suggests roughly 75% of students use word of mouth to help determine what school to attend, yet few schools have an intentional strategy for generating positive word of mouth.

In this episode, we talk with Daniel Lemin, co-author along with Jay Baer of a new book on the topic called Talk Triggers. Daniel lays out an actionable framework higher ed marketers can use to create the kinds of unique and memorable talk triggers students can’t help sharing.

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Susan Baier’s research focuses on uncovering how groups of people think and feel as they make important decisions, like selecting a college. We discuss specific ways schools have used her research to improve their enrollment and advancement efforts by better understanding critical attitudinal differences in their target audiences.

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We talk non-invasive website governance strategies with Shelley Keith, Senior Strategist at Modern Tribe.

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We talk about the evolving role of the chief enrollment management officer with Mike Reilly, the Executive Director of the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers.

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We talk digital transformation with Chris Aarons, co-author of The Digital Helix, a Wall Street Journal bestseller that outlines how organizations can embrace their own digital first approach.

Show Notes & Transcript