Optimizing higher ed marketing, PR and comms to avoid the one-size-fits-all trap.

Over the past decade, higher education institutions have increasingly grouped various functions under the marketing umbrella. Although some functions support marketing, many require skill sets distinct from those of a typical marketing team. 

Traditionally, areas like communications or public relations have been combined with marketing and overseen by a senior marketing role. However, PR, crisis communication, internal communications and internal promotions often demand vastly different skills and goals compared to core marketing functions like advertising, paid media, websites, branding, social media and external promotions. Though they share the broad goal of raising institutional awareness, lumping them together can thin resources, dilute focus, and create inefficiencies. Understanding these distinctions is key to effectively allocating resources and achieving success.

Marketing

Higher education marketing should focus primarily on driving external revenue streams, including attracting new students, generating tuition and, for some institutions, fostering partnerships and donations. To achieve this, consider these five key strategies:

1. Focus resources on external efforts targeting prospective students and partners.
2. Leverage your team’s expertise by aligning work with core skill sets and fostering collaboration without overloading staff. For example, social media and PR specialists may collaborate but shouldn’t cover each other’s roles without sufficient training.
3. Avoid “mission creep” with unplanned projects that derail marketing strategy. If such projects are unavoidable, consider hiring freelancers to minimize strain.
4. Align efforts with tangible goals that support broader institutional objectives, prioritizing projects that attract new students.

Consider outsourcing to agencies if your team’s capacity is limited. Agencies can bring specialized expertise to your annual marketing plan, often at a cost comparable to hiring a single full-time staff member.

Public and Media Relations

Public and media relations enhance your institution’s reputation by securing positive editorial coverage and promoting unique programs. However, what resonates with journalists often differs from internal institutional priorities. As media landscapes evolve, new strategies are required:

• Make it easy for reporters to cover stories by building proactive relationships and offering stories in accessible formats. Quick responses to requests position your institution as a go-to source.
• Focus on newsworthy topics that align with trends, such as artificial intelligence, rather than solely promoting internal milestones that may not engage journalists.

Consider a PR agency with established media connections. Agencies can pitch stories more effectively and provide expert crisis management when needed.

Communications 

Communications often overlap with marketing and PR but come with unique challenges tied to the institution’s identity, audiences, and external factors. This necessitates differentiating between crisis communications, external communications and internal communications and promotions.

Crisis Communication

With rising campus tensions, protests and security concerns, effective crisis communication is vital. Mishandled responses can damage reputations, as evidenced by recent examples of inadequate crisis messaging. Key strategies include:

• Involving professionals with law enforcement or legal expertise to handle crisis communications, given their specialized skill set. Public Safety, Campus Police, or legal teams may offer critical insights.
• Prioritizing confidentiality and safety over public pressure for immediate information. Legal obligations and ongoing investigations must take precedence.
• Preparing general public statements in advance to acknowledge crises, confirm investigations, and provide appropriate updates.

Engaging crisis communication experts to safeguard institutional reputation. These professionals offer valuable expertise beyond what internal marketing or communications teams can provide.

External Communications

Eternal communications aim to reinforce your institution’s brand and provide value to external audiences. Overlapping responsibilities often create confusion, so refining your strategy is essential:

• Define and champion your brand by aligning messaging with external outreach efforts across departments.
• Tailor messaging for different external audiences, including prospective students, donors, alumni, and community partners.
• Emphasize your institution’s unique identity and strengths. Whether focusing on research, public programs, athletics or other areas, distinct services require tailored approaches.

Empower other departments to handle their content and communications as subject matter experts, supported by branding guides and templates.

Internal Communications and Promotions

Marketing efforts should prioritize attracting new students, rather than focusing heavily on existing students and staff. However, meeting internal needs without detracting from external efforts requires balance:

1. Assign dedicated staff to handle internal versus external audiences and their unique needs.
2. Delegate internal communications to other departments, such as public safety or HR for campus alerts.
3. Implement platforms like intranets, apps, or social media groups for internal promotions.
4. Create student-led design teams for internal promotional requests.
5. Use shared templates or systems like Canva to streamline materials.
6. Outsource internal jobs to vendors to free up marketing resources for external efforts.

Budget cuts and downsizing have forced many institutions to adopt a “one-size-fits-all” approach by grouping PR, crisis communication, and internal needs with marketing. This has stretched staff thin, diverted focus, and hindered the primary goal of generating revenue through tuition and donations. Refocusing and optimizing resources is crucial to ensure both success and financial stability.