How do you build a higher education brand that feels personal, relevant, and rooted in real-world value? Jermaine Peguese, Owner and Lead Strategist of EJST Marketing, shares how his team taps into authentic storytelling, community conversations, and industry voices to connect with today's learners. From launching content series like Next Pulse at Nexford University to shaping market strategies with startup agility, Jermaine shows how higher ed marketers can think big, take risks and challenge the status quo.

Full Episode Details

Jermaine joins host Zontee Hou on this episode of Social Pros to explore how marketing in higher education can be reimagined by leaning into authenticity, community, and social influence. Jermaine and Zontee discuss how today's students aren't just looking for facts, they're also looking for real voices they trust and want to see themselves in the stories being shared. Whether it's through expert-led content like Nexford's Next Pulse series or conversations in online forums, Jermaine shows how the most powerful messages come from relatable, human experiences.

He also shares how his time at Uber shaped his fast-moving, test-and-learn mindset, and why marketers should stay open to bold ideas— even late in the quarter. When entering new markets, Jermaine emphasizes the value of doing the groundwork: understanding your audience, and building a smart media mix that puts your message in the right places. It's not about being perfect; it's about being real, being thoughtful, and being ready to take a few smart risks, because that's where breakthrough moments happen.

In This Episode:

• 1:55 - Disrupting the traditional space of higher ed marketing
• 6:27 - Building a unique brand voice in the higher ed space
• 8:45 - How Jermaine's team has catered to non-traditional learners
• 11:51 - How to identify core customers
• 15:39 - How Jermaine thinks about data collection and customer research as an ongoing practice
• 18:52 - Using AI in the traditionally AI-adverse higher ed space, and how AI can help marketers in this moment
• 23:59 - Tapping into communities, social groups and others influencing prospective students
• 29:22 - Lessons from Uber, and what higher ed can learn from the startup world
• 31:48 - Solving problems when moving into a new marketing space
• 37:16 - Jermaine's advice for aspiring social pros

Resources:

• Connect with Jermaine on LinkedIn
• Follow EJST Marketing on LinkedIn

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