Integrating Marketing and Communications in Higher Ed

Even at a gut level, we all know that integrating marketing and communications will help to improve our enrollment marketing results. 

But it’s more than an intuition. 

Based on the years of experience of many different higher ed marketers, we know that knocking down the silos and integrating marketing and communications can completely change the game. 

We’re in a time when the stakes couldn’t be higher for colleges and universities who want to stay relevant for years to come. 

In an era where making your institution stand out is a top priority, raising the bar for marketing and communications is essential.

By developing and implementing a maturity model—rather than a transactional model—your university can start elevating the student experience.  

In this episode of The Higher Ed Marketer podcast, 2023 AMA Higher Ed Marketer of the Year and Senior Executive VP of RW Jones Agency, Jamie Ceman, sat down with us to dive into the integrated MarComm approach.

Throughout our conversation, we break down the essentials of integrating marketing and communications in higher education.

The Journey from Fragmentation to Integration

The historical evolution of higher education marketing strategies has been a journey from fragmented beginnings to a more integrated and strategic approach. 

Initially, marketing and communications (MarComm) in higher ed were primarily centered around media relations and public relations functions. 

These teams operated in silos, focusing on specific tasks without a cohesive strategy linking their efforts. 

Over time, however, the role of marketing expanded and began to encompass more aspects of institutional promotion, leading to the inclusion of branding as a critical component. 

As Jamie Ceman aptly describes, institutions that excel in today’s competitive landscape have mastered the art of branding. 

They understand that a strong, unified brand feeds both communications and marketing efforts, creating a seamless and impactful message across all platforms.

Despite this progress, many institutions still grapple with the remnants of a fragmented approach.

Institutions who are doing this well center around a brand and do branding really well. 

If you’re doing [branding] well then that’s feeding your communications and your marketing. 

But there’s still a lot of organizations that don’t understand sort of what a sophisticated MarComm unit should be functioning like and what they should be looking like. 

There is still this instinct to have the communications team and marketing team thought of as very separately.

For many institutions, there remains an instinct to separate communications and marketing teams, which can limit their effectiveness. 

The key to overcoming this challenge lies in recognizing the power of integrating marketing and communications. 

By breaking down these silos and fostering collaboration between marketing and communications, institutions can harness the full potential of their MarComm efforts.

This integrated approach not only enhances brand consistency but also drives more strategic outcomes, ultimately supporting enrollment, fundraising, and reputation-building initiatives.

Symptoms of Fragmentation

Every marketer should know the symptoms of a fragmented approach so that they can identify this problem even in their own enrollment marketing.

Jamie shared that one of the most telling symptoms of keeping marketing and communications separate in higher education institutions is the resulting fragmented communication and messaging.

When that happens, it just really limits their ability to be productive and effective and really do the work that they need to do. 

[In fact,] there are still institutions that either have [these two teams] physically housed separately, [or] are making decisions to pull them apart still, and it’s just very limiting for people to look at that [and] function that way.

[One of the main problems is] fragmented communication [and] fragmented messaging. 

You could just look at their website [and] their social media and not feel like there’s a cohesive brand going on. 

[This disjointed approach will] play out in enrollment numbers. It plays out in perceptions of the institution.

As Jamie points out, the consequences of this separation extend beyond mere aesthetics and operational inefficiency. 

The impact can be directly observed in critical metrics such as enrollment numbers and public perception. 

Institutions that fail in integrating marketing and communications often see a decline in how they are perceived by prospective students, alumni, and the community at large. 

This negative perception translates into lower enrollment figures, as the inconsistent messaging fails to attract and retain students. 

In contrast, institutions that are integrating marketing and communications can experience transformational benefits.

Fragmentation Leads to Transactional Marketing

In many higher education institutions, marketing teams have traditionally been viewed as service units, responding to requests from other departments like short order cooks at a fast-food restaurant. 

This transactional approach, where success is measured by how quickly and efficiently the marketing team can fulfill requests, limits the strategic potential of the MarComm unit. 

When marketing is relegated to this reactive role, it diminishes its ability to influence broader institutional goals, such as enrollment growth and brand building. 

As Jamie points out, this perception often stems from academic leadership’s experience, where the marketing department is seen as merely a provider of services rather than a strategic partner.

What’s happened over time is that the MarComm unit was always seen as sort of a service unit, especially if you’re coming up through the academic side of the house (which a lot of presidents do). 

[In this transactional marketing model], I make a request of the marketing department, I tell them what I want, and therefore I get the thing that I asked for. 

So, the success of a department becomes, how quickly can I get my thing [rather than on the result in enrollment numbers].

This dynamic is particularly problematic in the context of enrollment. 

Often, the marketing team’s efforts are undervalued or overlooked when enrollment numbers are up, with accolades going to the enrollment team. 

Conversely, when enrollment numbers fall, the marketing team is unfairly blamed, despite not being given the strategic role and resources needed to drive recruitment effectively. 

Marketing should not just be a service unit for enrollment but should be integrated into the strategic planning process, contributing to a cohesive approach that aligns with the institution’s overall goals.

The biggest challenges that MarComm units actually have to fight against is the perception of the leadership team about the role that MarComm needs to play. 

[This dynamic] plays out a little bit more on the enrollment side than the advancement side. 

So [this positions] enrollment at the top, and marketing becomes sort of a service unit to them, servicing the needs that they have to recruit students. 

Because of that, there’s a sort of dynamic I see all over the place, which is if the numbers are up, congratulations, enrollment! If the numbers are down, what’s going on with marketing?

It’s frustrating because marketing should share in the glory if things are going well, but they should be held equally accountable if it’s not going well. 

They have a fundamental function in that they need to provide a strategic approach to recruitment marketing that drives enrollment. 

To overcome this challenge, higher education institutions need to shift from a fragmented, transactional marketing approach to a marketing maturity model.

Integrating Marketing and Communications through the Maturity Model

This model emphasizes a strategic, integrated approach where marketing efforts are aligned with institutional goals and are evaluated based on their impact on key metrics such as enrollment, fundraising, and reputation. 

By adopting a marketing maturity model, institutions can ensure that their marketing teams are not just fulfilling orders but are actively contributing to strategic initiatives. 

This involves investing in professional development, leveraging data to inform decisions, and fostering collaboration across departments. 

When marketing is positioned as a strategic partner, it can more effectively drive enrollment and other institutional objectives, sharing in the successes and being held accountable in a meaningful way.

The marketing maturity model provides a pragmatic approach to evaluating and enhancing the performance of a marketing department. 

It outlines essential components such as brand management, audience journeys, and risk management, helping institutions transition from transactional to high-performance marketing teams.

What the maturity model does is it provides a really nice framework for what the expectations of a team should be, even if you’re a really small shop.

It also sort of makes the case for “Here’s where I’m putting my time, but here’s the things I should be doing.” 

From the internal side of things, it actually gives you this picture of where to find efficiencies so you can put your resources there. 

Having a map like the marketing maturity model can help you escape the transactional marketing trap.

When you’re stuck in a transactional model, you put resources to whatever task someone is requesting at the time.

But by integrating marketing and communications and following this marketing maturity model, you can move on to what a strategic marketing department should look like. 

It provides a clear roadmap for growth and accountability.

Looking Ahead: Trends in Higher Ed Marketing

Looking to the future, Jamie anticipates a continued emphasis on integrating marketing and communications and the increasing importance of digital channels. 

Higher ed institutions must clearly articulate their unique value propositions and leverage every available channel to stand out in a competitive landscape.

For a deeper dive into Jamie’s insights and practical strategies, listen to the full podcast episode.

• Marketing and communications as one integrated unit
• How CMOs can stay active in marketing strategies
• Measuring an institution’s brand perception

Want to know if your enrollment efforts are bringing in the best results possible?

Contact us today to learn more about our enrollment assessment services.

During this service, we do an evaluation of your existing enrollment processes and strategies, pinpointing inefficiencies and areas for improvement. 

The final deliverable includes a detailed report with specific, actionable recommendations aimed at boosting enrollment numbers, improving student retention, and enhancing overall student satisfaction.

Don’t keep doing the same things expecting different results! With this assessment, you’ll be able to identify exactly what you can do today to get the results you need tomorrow.

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