The Higher Ed Marketer

Eric Hogue, President at Colorado Christian University, joins Bart to explore the benefits of applying a CEO mindset to higher education leadership.

Eric shares how this business-driven approach can align with the mission of higher ed institutions while promoting financial sustainability. From focusing on net tuition profits to involving donors as partners, Eric demonstrates why universities must embrace financial transparency and innovation to thrive as they approach the enrollment cliff.

Learn how Eric balances profitability with purpose and how his strategies can help institutions grow while staying true to their core values.

Join us as we discuss:

• [00:59] Why higher ed presidents need to adopt a CEO mindset

• [9:46] Donor-centric strategy that focuses on your donors’ inputs

• [21:43] A three-pronged approach to future strategic growth
  

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• Chasing Mission Fit by Bart Caylor

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, and branding needs—and sponsored by Ring Digital, your ad targeting people.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode, Gil Rogers, Founder and Principal of GR7 Marketing, talks about overcoming the fear of failure in higher education marketing and enrollment.

Gil unpacks how legacy strategies can hold institutions back and why embracing new tools like generative AI is essential for success. He also highlights practical steps institutions can take to face the impending enrollment cliff, including bold strategies to adapt and remain competitive.

Learn how your institution can empower your teams to try new tools, leverage old data to bring in students, and lean on innovative thinking to thrive in a challenging future.

Join us as we discuss:

• [4:20] Finding the courage to adopt an innovation mindset

• [10:47] Why higher ed has a chance to get AI tools right

• [23:48] Diversification strategies for the upcoming enrollment cliff

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, and branding needs—and sponsored by Ring Digital, your ad targeting people.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Kelly Hiller, VP of Marketing and Communications at Purdue University, shares the story behind Purdue’s exciting rebrand, transforming their marketing department into the in-house agency Purdue Brand Studio.

Kelly discusses the inspiration behind this bold move, the challenges faced in repositioning the department, and how Purdue is pushing creative boundaries to elevate its brand on a national stage.

Tune in to hear insights on navigating internal and external messaging, maintaining a culture of excellence, and how higher ed institutions can benefit from embracing bold changes in marketing.

Join us as we discuss:

• [2:26] Why Purdue’s marketing team rebranded as an in-house agency

• [9:57] What differentiates Purdue’s transformation from a reorganization

• [20:18] Corporate influence and its impact on higher ed marketing

• [31:22] The future of Purdue’s enterprise marketing campaign
  

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• Purdue Brand Studio

• Email Kelly at [email protected]

• The Most Important Question of Your Life by Mark Manson

• Boilers to Mars Trailer

• Brandweek 2024

• Ad Age

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, and branding needs—and sponsored by Ring Digital, your ad targeting people.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Bart and Troy return for a conversation with Janice Supplee, VP for Enrollment and Communications at Cedarville University, around intentional branding in higher ed messaging. 

Janice shares how Cedarville’s “One Thousand Days” metaphor has not only defined the institution’s identity but also shaped its approach to student development and marketing strategy. She emphasizes the importance of consistent messaging, intentionality in brand communication, and building a high-capacity team that embodies the university’s mission. 

Tune in to discover practical insights on how your institution can stand out in a crowded higher ed space through intentional and consistent branding.

Join us as we discuss:

• [1:30] How a university president’s speech became a marketing slogan

• [8:34] Keeping messaging on-brand through consistent communication

• [15:48] The secret to a fulfilled, high-performing marketing team
  

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni 

• The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey

• Smart Brevity by VandeHei, Allen, and Schwartz

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast is powered by Caylor Solutions—your go-to partner for higher ed mission-fit marketing strategies, enrollment, and branding needs—and sponsored by Ring Digital, your ad targeting people.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

How often do you find yourself wondering what your school’s marketing messaging should be?

What are your prospective students interested in? What do they see that sets your institution apart?

The easiest way to hear your students’ stories is from the students themselves.

We’re chatting with Kathy Howell and Kathy Payne from Delaware Valley University on how they amplified student voices and implemented them into evergreen content.

Join us as we discuss: 

• [10:20] Leveraging “The College Tour” for enrollment marketing 

• [19:28] Why students are the key to successful messaging

• [23:25] The efficacy of evergreen content
  

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• The College Tour

• [email protected]

• [email protected]

This episode originally aired on July 12th, 2022.

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In 2021, Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, received a record-breaking $100 million gift from an anonymous donor.

So how did Kenyon’s marketing department creatively share the story of this generous anonymous donor while emphasizing the importance of gifts at every level?

Kenyon’s Vice President for Advancement, Colleen Garland, and Vice President for Communications, Janet Marsden, join us to talk about navigating donor gifts and making donors feel equally celebrated.

Join us as we discuss: 

• [5:39] Telling the story of an anonymous donor

• [10:02] Brand campaigns during a crisis

• [14:06] Marketing a residential experience in a rural community

• [17:25] The rise of video marketing
  

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• [email protected]

• [email protected]
  

This episode originally aired on May 11th, 2021.

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Take another trip back in time with us as we revisit another compelling episode of the Higher Ed Marketer Podcast.

In 2022, Jay Baer, Business Growth and Customer Experience Researcher — and tequila sommelier — shared his three essential keys to marketing with us.

By identifying audience personas and adapting your messaging accordingly, you can strategically align your enrollment and marketing departments.

Not everyone opens their email – it’s time to think outside the inbox.

In this episode, we dive into adapting your school’s messaging to meet your audience where they are.

Join us as we discuss:

• [7:01] Using numerous marketing strategies together

• [19:26] Communication across marketing departments

• [24:49] Research of audience personas

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• Youtility: Why Smart Marketing Is about Help Not Hype

• Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers

• Talk Triggers: The Complete Guide to Creating Customers with Word of Mouth

• Jay Baer’s Newsletter

This episode originally aired on July 19th, 2022.

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In early 2023, Bart’s mentor and a dear friend of the show, Tim Fuller, joined us for an insightful conversation about the demographic enrollment cliff.

Tim unexpectedly passed away a few short months after this episode originally aired. As a lifelong advocate for higher education, Tim’s passion for helping academic institutions and the students they serve was evident to anyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

His observations from our original discussion around the upcoming enrollment cliff are still incredibly relevant, and we encourage all of our listeners to revisit them. From proper data utilization to enrollment metrics that matter, Tim’s enrollment cliff survival tips are a must-listen for every higher ed marketing professional.

Join us as we discuss:

• [4:05] A long-term projection for the demographic enrollment cliff

• [22:33] The Great Resignation’s impact on college campuses

• [34:38] Five enrollment metrics your school needs to watch
  

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

• NACCAP Mourns the Loss of Tim Fuller

This episode originally aired on March 7th, 2023.

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The Advancement team often wears many different hats across multiple departments, but one common goal is building relationships and raising funds.

By walking through life with alumni via a mentorship program or sending out a QR code to find out generational preferences, you can understand your alumni and donors on a personal level.

It’s time to level up the advancement experience.

Kicking off our conversation is Maria Kuntz, the Communications Director at the University of Colorado Boulder, who joins us to discuss meaningful advancement engagement.

Join us as we discuss:

• [2:36] Advancement as a key revenue driver in higher ed

• [14:15] How advancement adds to student success and engagement

• [21:45] Successful alumni engagement strategies

• [31:58] Driving engagement through multimodal communication
  

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• [email protected] 

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

With the field of higher education changing day by day, it’s crucial to implement different strategies and initiatives to stay ahead of the enrollment cliff.

By engaging faculty in yield efforts, geofencing, and keeping web pages up to date, you can set your institution to be ahead of the curve. 

That’s why we’re joined by Kristin Nichols, the Founder of Nichols Higher Education, who takes us through innovative strategic initiatives and partnerships to find success in changing times.

Join us as we discuss:

• [5:21] Strategies for engaging faculty in yield efforts

• [15:07] Geofencing to find your target audience

• [20:40] Change management amidst college closures

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for The Higher Ed Marketer in your favorite podcast player.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.