A colleague shared with me that her daughter, a high school junior, is eagerly anticipating college life. When she started receiving college mail, she planned to save it all. But somewhere around mailing #47, most of it started going in a stack for mom. In an extremely busy world, we have to cut through the clutter to reach our intended audience. What’s the best way to do this? Create a clear message.

When prospective students visit your institution’s website or set foot on campus, they’re looking for proof. Every school vying for their attention likely makes relatively similar, general claims such as a positive experience, excellent degree programs, and expert faculty. To stand out in an increasingly competitive higher education landscape, the key to creating an emotional connection with prospective students is telling them an authentic story.

There’s something about your school. Something that’s not like any other school. When you define that one-of-a-kindness that sets you apart, you’ve discovered the key that unlocks the power of your brand. When you differentiate your school in the marketplace, you unleash that power.

Welcome to the first blog in our Truths about Higher Ed Marketing Series with 5° Senior Vice President Ryan Morabito, a veteran brand strategist who has worked with over 100 schools.

The concept of marketing too often feels like a mystery that can’t be solved or a mathematical formula that must be applied perfectly in order to produce the right outcome. But the fact of the matter is: it’s neither. Instead, marketing is a comprehensive approach to telling a brand’s story with creativity and clarity.