Higher ed marketing teams don’t usually set out to become order takers. But over time, it happens.
Requests come in. Deadlines pile up. Success gets measured by speed, volume, and how quickly you can turn something around. And before long, marketing starts to look less like a strategic function and more like a service desk.
In this episode of Dear Jaime, that tension sits at the center of the conversation. The question—how do you move a team from order takers to strategists?—is one many institutions are quietly asking.
The answer isn’t a single shift. It’s a series of small, intentional changes that reshape how marketing shows up.
It often starts with process. If your intake form asks, “What do you need?”, you’ll get a list of tactics. But if it asks about audience, goals, and outcomes, the conversation changes. Suddenly, marketing isn’t just executing—it’s diagnosing and solving.
Language matters, too. When campus stakeholders are framed as “clients,” the relationship becomes transactional. When they’re treated as partners, the work becomes shared. That subtle shift can reset expectations on both sides.
Measurement is another lever. Teams that are rewarded for speed will optimize for output. Teams that are evaluated on clarity, outcomes, and impact will start to think—and act—more strategically.
But even with the right systems in place, strategy ultimately shows up in how teams communicate their work. Presenting the problem before the tactic. Explaining audience insights. Connecting decisions back to goals. Doing that consistently, and publicly, helps others see the value behind the work.
The second half of the conversation tackles a related challenge: pushing back on senior leadership. Here, the advice is less about resistance and more about alignment. Start with shared goals. Ask better questions. Shift from opinions to consequences. And always offer an alternative.
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.
