Crafting Meaningful and Memorable Experiences for Community College Constituents

About the Episode: 

In this enlightening episode, we welcome Rob Zinkan, Vice President for Marketing Leadership at RHB, to discuss the pivotal role of constituent experiences in higher education marketing. Rob provides an in-depth look at the challenges and opportunities facing community colleges as they strive to enhance their impact on students and communities. From understanding RHB’s 4Es model to creating meaningful and memorable student journeys, this episode sheds light on how colleges can effectively differentiate themselves in a competitive landscape.

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Key Takeaways:

- Strategies for Creating Meaningful Experiences: Learn practical steps to start creating impactful constituent experiences, from conducting experience inventories to journey mapping, ensuring these experiences align with institutional mission and values.

- Insights into the 4Es Model: Discover RHB’s model of coherence, focusing on the four key areas—experience, expression, expectation, and effectiveness—that marketing departments need to master for greater institutional impact.

- Real-World Examples of Signature Experiences: Hear about successful initiatives, like the Summit at Agnes Scott College, that have significantly improved engagement and contributed to institutional success.

- Measuring the Impact of Experiences: Understand how to assess and measure the effectiveness of constituent experiences using various metrics and indicators, ensuring these experiences drive desired outcomes such as admissions, retention, and alumni engagement.

- Future Trends in Higher Education Marketing: Gain insights into upcoming trends and how colleges can prepare to stay ahead, focusing on digital transformation and integrating human-centered design to enhance overall constituent experiences.

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How to Structure Your Higher Ed Marketing Department for the Future: An RHB Guidebook.

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Episode Summary

What Are the Essential Elements of a Future-Ready Higher Ed Marketing Department?

Rob introduces the “four E’s” framework from RHB’s Guidebook on Structuring Your Marketing Department for the Future: Experience, Expression, Expectation, and Effectiveness. He explains that each of these areas is essential for delivering a cohesive, impactful brand experience. Marketing teams should assess their department's capabilities across these areas to identify strengths and gaps. Experience relates to the student’s overall journey, while Expression and Expectation focus on communications, brand perception, and understanding the audience’s expectations. Effectiveness ties it all together, focusing on operational and data-driven support systems. By aligning these areas, institutions can more effectively deliver on their brand promises.

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Why Is Experience a Critical Component of Community College Success?

Experience is foundational to brand-building, Rob notes, as it directly shapes how audiences perceive and connect with the institution. Maya and Rob discuss how aligning the college’s messaging with actual student experiences can help avoid the pitfalls of over-promising or misrepresenting. Colleges can differentiate themselves by delivering unique student experiences aligned with their mission, which builds loyalty and positive associations. For example, at Agnes Scott College, RHB developed a branded, multi-year experience that incorporated both academic and co-curricular elements, providing a consistent thread for students from admission to graduation. While this model may be adapted for community colleges, simple but memorable touchpoints, such as breakfast burritos for commuter students, can still resonate meaningfully.

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What Role Does Digital Transformation Play in Shaping Student Experiences?

With the rise of digital interactions, community colleges face new challenges in delivering cohesive experiences, particularly for online students. Rob emphasizes the need for intentional, seamless digital experiences that align with what in-person students experience. Whether in learning platforms or online student services, colleges should identify transactional and impactful interactions to add the personal touch that fosters connection. Rob references The Art of Gathering and The Power of Moments as excellent resources for understanding how to make online interactions more meaningful. Both agree that online learning experiences, ideally, should evolve to simply be “learning experiences,” focusing on quality interactions regardless of location.

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How Can Colleges Start Crafting Signature Experiences?

Rob recommends starting with an Experience Inventory—a comprehensive look at current student touchpoints. This can help colleges assess what is working, identify gaps, and find opportunities for improvement. Another useful exercise is Journey Mapping, where marketing teams can chart each step in a student’s journey, identifying touchpoints, potential friction, and opportunities to create memorable moments. For instance, Maya shares Carroll Community College’s idea to engage students through small, delightful experiences, like chalking inspirational messages on campus. By adding these unexpected, positive experiences, colleges can create a welcoming and memorable environment for students and the community alike.

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How Can Community Colleges Measure the Impact of Experiences?

Measuring the impact of these experiences involves both short- and long-term metrics. Rob suggests that colleges look at retention, graduation, alumni engagement, and even Net Promoter Scores across various audiences. Satisfaction surveys, brand health assessments, and social listening can provide immediate feedback on how students and alumni perceive these experiences. Additionally, he introduces the concept of Student Lifetime Value—both in terms of the revenue a student generates and the value they gain from the institution over their lifetime. By tracking these metrics, colleges can make data-informed adjustments that improve the student journey and drive long-term loyalty.

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Connect With Our Host:

Maya Demishkevich

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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 produced by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.