Higher Education Advertising & Marketing

At Anderson Marketing Group, we know higher education. We’ve helped many institutions develop marketing campaigns to deal with a wide range list of specialized issues faced by universities and colleges. Specifically, we’ve helped such clients as the University of Texas at Brownsville, the University of Texas at San Antonio, the Alamo Colleges, and Texas A&M Corpus Christi drive recruitment, retention, and awareness campaigns with dramatic results.

These high-focus areas are important in marketing your institution, but they’re also important in how we approach your advertising. We understand the ins and outs of higher education, and know that each area requires a different approach and perspective.

  • Recruitment

    If you don’t have students paying tuition, you can’t pay the bills—plain and simple. We’ve developed a wide variety of marketing campaigns targeting both traditional and non-traditional students to increase enrollment in colleges and universities.

  • Retention

    You need students to remain at your institution. No one benefits if they drop out, transfer, or just stop enrolling in classes. But everyone—the college, the students, their future employers and communities —benefits when those students finish out their degrees.

  • Workforce Development

    Workforce development is all about partnerships. Your university should be giving back to the community. And one excellent way to do that is to partner with community businesses in order to provide them with a trained, skilled workforce.

  • Distance Education

    The digital revolution has affected the way the world works. It’s important for you to not only offer quality education in a traditional, classroom setting, but also via courses online to open up your school to a wider student base.

  • Awareness

    Awareness campaigns can be vital for universities. Out of sight is out of mind – so maintaining a consistent presence in front of your audience is important. Whether you’re informing prospective students about your school’s level of excellence or current students about upcoming events, making the public aware of your institution is one of the best ways to increase enrollment and community involvement.

Industry Trends

Big things have been happening in the world of advertising over the last 15 years, just as they have in education. Here are some industry trends that we feel will make an important impact in our approach to your advertising.

Distance learning is almost as important as having a website: if your institution isn’t doing it, you need to be. In an increasingly busy world, it is important for students to be able to juggle their school, personal, and business obligations.

A stay-at-home parent has the option to attend classes while their children are at school. A student with a full-time job has the option of attending class before or after work. Distance learning even enables those in geographically remote locations to attend your institution.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 13.1% of students in post-secondary education were enrolled exclusively in distance learning courses. In past years, these prospects would have been overlooked by higher education institutions, but with the rise of the Internet, a whole new world has opened up for students and colleges. If you’re passing up on the opportunity to educate these individuals, another institution is already reviewing their application.

72.9%

of students not enrolled in distance education courses

27.1%

of students enrolled in one or more distance education courses

https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=80

The world of higher education is changing, and the student body makeup is changing with it.

  1. Baby Boomers: Many baby boomers plan to continue working past their retirement age. This is a great incentive for them to return to school, continue their education, or change careers. Many institutions are now offering classes that are specifically targeted towards this 50+ demographic.
  2. High School Students: Concurrent enrollment programs offer a large number of students the ability to earn both high school and college credit at the same time. High school students, however, are not always aware of these cost-saving courses, and need to be informed about the benefits that come with dual enrollment.
  3. Veterans: Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have the same goal that every other student does: to learn and receive job training. If their needs are not met by a certain institution, however, they may decide on attending a different college. It is important to keep in mind that some of these veterans may need specialized courses or accessibility options in your institution.

We know that this should be common sense in advertising, but don’t single out one group to target with your marketing efforts. If you do this, you’ll be leaving out a large number of students looking to learn, and most important, attend your university.

1.5 Million

veterans attending college on government benefits.

http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/studentveteran/studentvets.asp#sthash.dgJv8E9L.dpbs

Universities and communities are not separate entities.

The university assists in the community by educating its citizens, and the community assists the university by supporting it financially. You should recognize that you’re in a unique partnership with your geographic, demographic and economic surroundings. One way to improve your community is to provide specialized workforce training for local businesses and skills training for individuals looking to better themselves and their career prospects.

Professional or skill certifications. If an applicant comes to a job interview with a certification in web development, the hiring manager knows that this individual possesses a specific set of skills that another applicant may not have.

Trade teaching. By offering plumbing, electrical, or automotive tech certifications, you can open your doors to prospective students who would otherwise attend a private trade school.

See what we can do for you and your institution.