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About the Episode
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About the Episode:
Recorded live from the eduWeb Summit 2025, Allison Turcio breaks down insightful research shared by Grant De Roo of ADV Market Research and Kristen Lainsbury, VP for Communications and Marketing at Bates College. The focus? Brand clarity in higher education—and how it significantly affects enrollment, retention, and even your discount rate. If your marketing still leans heavily on community messaging, this data-driven discussion will inspire a powerful shift toward storytelling that prioritizes academic experience and student outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- Lead with academic experience in your storytelling — 64% of students prioritize academic offerings over finding their “tribe.”
- Brand clarity drives real ROI — Higher yield and retention, lower discount rates, and stronger pricing power all link to clear brand messaging.
- Marketing is not fluff — it’s a revenue driver — Institutions with strong brand clarity perform better across the board.
- Ad spend correlates directly with brand clarity — Use this data to back your budget ask with your CFO.
- Do the research before shaping your story — Understand perception gaps before creating content that might miss the mark.
- Balance your content mix — Lead with outcomes and experience; use community as a supporting element, not the main act.
Why Does Brand Clarity Matter in Higher Ed Marketing?
The episode kicks off with a narrative-disrupting insight: while higher ed marketers have long been told that belonging drives enrollment, new research challenges this belief. In a survey of over 3,500 prospective students, 64% said finding the educational experience they want is their top priority, while only 36% prioritized fitting in socially. This data held up across gender, race, and income levels.
The takeaway?
Reframe your storytelling approach. Start with “plot”—the actual academic journey and experience—before introducing the “characters,” your student stories. Think: internships, research, classroom vibes, and service opportunities. These elements don’t just help students picture college life—they help them find where they belong through experience, not the other way around.
How Does Brand Clarity Drive Enrollment and Revenue?
Brand clarity isn’t just good for awareness—it’s tied directly to institutional performance. Schools with well-defined brand identities enjoy higher yield and draw rates, stronger retention, lower discount rates, and better net tuition revenue per student. Students who clearly understand what an institution stands for are more likely to enroll, persist, and succeed.
Kristen Lainsbury said it best: “Clear brand storytelling isn’t just nice marketing. It’s a revenue driver.” And the research backs her up—ad spend is positively correlated with brand clarity. Institutions that invested more in advertising were more successful in communicating their value proposition, and that clarity translated into enrollment efficiency.
What Should Institutions Do Differently Now?
The most practical advice from Grant De Roo and Kristen? Do the research before you plan the message. At one institution, they discovered almost zero brand awareness among local audiences—so they redirected ad dollars toward building awareness before promoting specific programs. At Bates College, they learned that their long-used “close-knit community” messaging had hit a wall. It wasn’t resonating anymore, so they shifted to highlight academic prestige and outcomes.
So what should you do now? Start with a brand clarity audit—even a simple survey of prospective students or high school counselors can uncover key perception gaps. For deeper insight, Grant’s team at ADV Market Research offers tailored studies benchmarked against national peers. Once you’ve got your data, rebalance your content mix—lead with stories that show what academic life is like, then reinforce with community and student life as proof points.
Connect With Our Host:
Allison Turcio
https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonturcio/
https://twitter.com/allisonturcio
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Application with Allison Turcio 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 Mission Admissions.
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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