Create a meaningful brand expression
According to the American Marketing Association: A brand is the look and feel of your business card, the way the phone is answered, the tone of a welcome letter, the attitude of the receptionist at the front desk, the instructions that are easy or difficult to follow, etc. The brand is the sum of every touch point and every thought the customer has about the brand.
A brand is more than a look or a logo; it's the sum of all words, images, ideas, and emotions that come to mind when someone thinks about your institution. In short, your brand is the promise you make to stakeholders (and prospective stakeholders) that expresses your school's core values. A promise that, if applied effectively, can help increase enrollment, boost giving, create awareness, and deliver relevance to the people who matter most to your school.
Like businesses competing for talented workers, colleges and universities vie vigorously for talented students and calculate ways to improve the conversion rate from accepted to enrolled student. The solution to the challenges schools face: Build world-class brands, just as smart companies strive to do. Creating and executing a successful college marketing plan is no simple task. The ability to engage transient and elusive college students requires an edge.
The only advertising tool that can appeal to all five senses is a promotional product. Promotional products create real brand awareness, customer goodwill, and most importantly, real results in recruitment and retention.
