About the Episode
About the Episode:
In this episode of Hidden Gem, Maya interviews Lilian Clemente, the Executive Director of Strategic Marketing Communications and Interim VP for Strategy and Innovation at Front Range Community College. Lilian shares her journey of building a brand new marketing communication department from the ground up, discussing the challenges, strategies, and successes along the way. Tune in to discover how to assess your institution's needs, build trust within your community, and create a culture of collaboration and innovation.
The Journey Begins: Assessing the Initial Landscape
When Lilian joined Front Range Community College a year ago, she encountered a small but mighty marketing team of just two members, each focusing on media relations and web content. With a new president and new colleagues in enrollment management, Lilian saw a significant opportunity to build a robust, award-winning team that could elevate the college’s brand and support its strategic vision.
Key Initial Steps:
- Comprehensive Assessment: Lilian took the time to understand the college's needs by talking to faculty, staff, and community members. This helped her identify gaps between the current marketing efforts and what the college community required.
- Centralizing the Function: She decided to centralize the marketing communications function to ensure cohesive branding and communication strategies across all departments and campuses.
Building the Dream Team: Identifying Key Functions
Lilian's vision for the new marketing team was clear. She needed a diverse group of professionals with expertise in various areas to support the college's comprehensive needs.
Key Roles Identified:
- Marketing Director: To lead campaigns and paid digital strategies.
- Web Designer: Focused on user experience and accessibility.
- Senior Graphic Designer and Multimedia Producer: To handle graphic design, video production, photography, and podcasting.
- Content Specialist: To manage long-form content, social media posts, and media relations.
- Social Media Manager: To centralize and manage the college’s social media presence.
- Project Manager: To keep projects on track and ensure deadlines are met.
- Events Manager: To handle the growing number of college events.
Lilian emphasized the importance of not just technical skills but also soft skills that contribute to a positive, collaborative team culture.
Overcoming Challenges: Building While Flying
One of the significant challenges Lilian faced was balancing the immediate needs of the college while hiring and building the new team. She relied on freelancers for interim support and often took on multiple roles herself, from writing press releases to creating videos.
Strategies for Success:
- Effective Use of Freelancers: Partnering with skilled freelancers to maintain momentum on ongoing projects.
- Hands-On Leadership: Lilian frequently rolled up her sleeves to support the team wherever needed.
- Cultivating Team Culture: Through weekly meetings, one-on-one sessions, and team-building activities, Lilian fostered a supportive and collaborative environment.
The Importance of Internal Partnerships
Building trust within the college was crucial for Lilian. She worked closely with faculty and staff, particularly those in the multimedia graphic design program, to create a two-way benefit. This collaboration not only provided real-life experience for students but also helped the marketing team meet its goals.
Trust-Building Activities:
- Engaging Faculty and Staff: Regular interactions and inclusion of faculty insights in major decisions.
- Transparent Communication: Open discussions about priorities, timelines, and challenges during weekly team meetings.
- Team Retreats and Social Activities: Organizing retreats and informal gatherings to strengthen team bonds and foster creativity.
Looking Ahead: Strategic Vision and Goals
Lilian’s future plans for FRCC include leading the development of the college’s new strategic plan and conducting a comprehensive brand perception study. She aims to refresh the college’s brand, develop detailed brand guides, and create training resources for departments to ensure consistent and effective communication.
Future Goals:
- Elevating Brand Recognition: Implementing a refreshed brand strategy that resonates with the college community and external audiences.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Collaborating with the institutional research department to integrate data insights into marketing strategies.
- Empowering Departments: Providing tools and training to enable all departments to communicate the college’s brand effectively.
Key Takeaways:
- Team Building: Discover how Lilian assessed the needs of Front Range Community College and strategically built a marketing team from two to twelve members in just one year.
- Internal Partnerships: Understand the importance of building trust and partnerships within the college community to enhance marketing efforts and align with institutional goals.
- Culture Development: Hear Lilian’s approach to creating a positive, customer-service-oriented culture within her team.
- Creative Collaboration: Find out how collaborating with faculty and leveraging student talent can benefit both the marketing team and the educational programs.
Connect With Our Host:
Maya Demishkevich
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayademishkevich/
About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
The Hidden Gem: Marketing Community Colleges is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Visionary Voices: The College President’s Playbook and Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO.
Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
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