Centralizing the marcomm function in higher ed institutions might sound like a great idea on its face, but the devil is in the details. On the latest Dear Jaime, Jaime Hunt answers a reader question about the benefits and drawbacks of a centralized vs. a decentralized model. The answer? It depends on your institution, Jaime says.
Among pros of a centralized model include:
- Greater alignment across entities communicating to audiences, leading to a more “coherent and cohesive brand story.”
- Keeping more people in the loop and helping them “understand the brand on a deeper level.”
- Greater efficiency because the institution is not “spending a bunch of money on a bunch of different agencies or a bunch of different consultants,” allowing for the centralization of funding.
- Centralized strategy, preventing offices from bidding against each other for keywords and raising the price due to a lack of visibility.
Among the cons of a centralized model:
- Communicators may lose “connective tissue” if they are removed from their college or division. For example, a dean may no longer share information as willingly or in as much detail with a communicator who no longer reports directly to them.
- It can lead to a situation where some communicators feel marginalized because they no longer have the “direct connection to the dean or the VP” they previously reported to.
So, which types of institutions are best-suited for a centralized model? Ultimately, Jaime says the institutions best-positioned for a centralized model are those with a smaller number of communicators, as those people would gain “access to the full resources of the central office”. What’s right for your organization? Jaime recommends an organizational assessment to determine that answer.
Tips for Parent Communication
Jaime also responds to a reader question about the tension between wanting to increase and improve parent communication while being reluctant to ask parents for their contact information. Jaime urges that you have to at least be willing to ask parents to opt in to communications because the potential benefits are so big.
Parents opting in to receive emails or text messages are huge hand raisers who are showing a high level of intent, Jaime says, and even if that is a small number of opted-parents, they are a high-value group because they play a big role and can potentially push their student towards your organization.
To make sure the process benefits everyone, Jaime suggests you ensure parents have visibility into how they can opt in, including making the opt-in content really easy to find on the website and presented clearly and consistently across materials.
Dear Jaime is Volt’s regular advice column, hosted by Jaime Hunt, a higher-ed marketing consultant and former higher-ed CMO. To send her a question you’d like answered, you can message her on LinkedIn or send an email to jaime@solvehighered.com.
