Employees, Your First, Best Customers

Bennie Johnson seems to eat, sleep and breathe marketing. The CEO of the American Marketing Association, Bennie also has a deep appreciation for ensuring that employees of organizations have fulfilling experiences. As he says, “Employees are your first, best customers.” As Bennie and his team look toward AMA’s Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education, he shares honest thoughts about the importance of employer branding, a practice near and dear to his heart. On this episode of “I Wanna Work There!” we get an idea of how Bennie’s passion for marketing developed, how he developed an appreciation for human resources, and why he focuses so much on culture and engagement. Bennie also shares his thoughts about why colleges and universities also pay close attention to the culture and engagement of their faculty and staff while breaking down silos across campus to create competitive employer brands.

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Key Takeaways

• Build Community in Practice: Higher ed marketing thrives when community is prioritized as an active, collaborative space.
• Employer Brand as Strategy: Successful employer branding in universities goes beyond marketing to integrate culture, HR, and operations.
• Authenticity and Consistency Matter: Both employees and students seek consistency between an institution’s brand messaging and internal culture.
• Patience and Long-Term Vision: Building a competitive employer brand requires patience, strategic alignment, and input across departments.

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Episode Summary

What Is the Role of Community in Higher Education Marketing?

Bennie Johnson’s experience attending the AMA’s Higher Education Marketing Symposium revealed a powerful, interconnected community among higher ed marketers. He describes it as a “community in practice,” where professionals across institutions collaborate, share insights, and mentor each other. This dynamic, supportive network emphasizes the need for genuine community-building beyond mere practice, creating a space where marketers from small and large institutions alike come together to face shared challenges. Bennie highlights that building a strong community not only supports individual marketers but strengthens the collective quality and standards of higher education marketing.

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How Can Employer Branding Drive Institutional Success?

Johnson discusses how employer branding is essential to a university’s strategy and operations. Drawing on his own marketing background, he emphasizes that employer branding should be more than just messaging; it’s about creating a culture where employees feel valued and aligned with the institution’s mission. Bennie explains that employees are an institution’s “first customers,” and investing in their experience fosters authentic enthusiasm that extends to students and prospective hires. Successful employer branding requires collaboration with HR, marketing, and other departments to align values and operational practices with the brand’s promises.

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What Are the Challenges in Building a Competitive Employer Brand?

Johnson highlights that the siloed nature of many higher ed institutions presents a challenge for building a cohesive employer brand. However, he encourages marketing leaders to take an approach that fosters collaboration and patience, considering the long game rather than quick fixes. His advice includes understanding the unique pressures each department faces and finding ways to support and connect with them. Marketing leaders should also learn to lead by influence, building coalitions within the organization to unify efforts around the employer brand.

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Why Is Consistency Important in Higher Education Branding?

Bennie draws a connection between brand authenticity and consistency, explaining that students and employees today are quick to notice discrepancies between an institution’s brand message and its lived culture. When marketing efforts present a polished image that doesn’t align with the on-campus experience, institutions risk damaging trust with students, faculty, and the broader community. He shares that students today value transparency and authenticity, and aligning the brand image with real experiences is essential for creating a trusted and attractive employer brand.

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This Episode is Sponsored by Pathify

Meet Pathify —  an innovative higher ed engagement hub that puts students at the center of their college journey. Pathify sits at the center of your school’s digital ecosystem, becoming the single, user experience interface tying together all systems, content, and communications.Their engagement hub elevates the information that matters most and pushes systems like the SIS behind the scenes where they belong, making it simpler for students to discover and engage with the opportunities your institution provides at every step of their higher ed journey, from prospect to alumni. What’s even better, Pathify has a mobile experience that provides 100% parity with the responsive web app, so your campus app is always in sync. Pathify is a platform that EVERY stakeholder on campus  — from marketing, to admissions, to student affairs, to IT, etc., — can get equally excited about. Learn more about how Pathify is uniting strategic units across campus and bettering the entire student experience by visiting Pathify.com

About the Enrollify Podcast Network: 

I Wanna Work There is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network.  If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!  

Our podcast network is growing by the month and we’ve got a plethora of marketing, admissions, and higher ed technology shows that are jam packed with stories, ideas, and frameworks all designed to empower you to be a better higher ed professional. Our shows feature a selection of the industry’s best as your hosts. Learn from Jeremy Tiers, Zach Busekrus, Jaime Hunt, Allison Turcio, Jamie Gleason and many more. 

Learn more about The Enrollify Podcast Network at podcasts.enrollify.org. Our shows help higher ed marketers and admissions professionals find their next big idea — come and find yours.