About the Episode
About the Episode: In this episode, we delve into a County College of Morris journey to transform its marketing and enrollment management strategies. The discussion offers an insider's look at the bold decision to hire from outside the traditional higher ed path, which sparked a significant turnaround in student enrollment and community engagement. The episode highlights the importance of understanding brand perception, targeting the right audience, and the benefits of integrating marketing and enrollment under one leadership. It also explores the positive impact of fostering strong, collaborative teams, adopting a business-like approach to operations, and the pivotal role of responsive, data-driven decision-making in today's competitive educational landscape.
What Triggered the Transformation at CCM?
Dr. Anthony Iacono joined County College of Morris in 2016 with a clear vision for change. He quickly identified that the college’s marketing efforts were ineffective. After receiving blunt feedback from a board member's spouse—who happened to be a former marketing executive—Dr. Iacono took action. A comprehensive market survey revealed that CCM’s brand was outdated and not resonating with its current audience. This realization was a turning point that set the stage for a major transformation.
The Power of Strategic Leadership in Higher Ed Marketing
To overhaul CCM’s marketing efforts, Dr. Iacono brought in Melissa Albright, a marketing leader from the private sector. Melissa’s approach involved redefining the college’s brand—not just as a visual identity but as a representation of CCM’s essence. With a focus on data-driven strategies and a student-first mindset, she helped CCM build a cohesive team that collaborated across departments to amplify the college’s reach and reputation.
One major challenge was implementing the new brand during the pandemic. Melissa tackled this by focusing on external communications first and rebranding internal operations later, allowing her team to maintain momentum without overwhelming staff and faculty during a challenging time.
Why Combine Marketing and Enrollment Management?
CCM’s integration of marketing, public relations, and enrollment management was a game-changer. Dr. Iacono explains that this approach mirrored a business model where sales and marketing work hand-in-hand. By uniting these functions under Melissa’s leadership, CCM was able to streamline processes, eliminate inefficiencies, and create a seamless student experience.
Key benefits of this integration included:
- Faster response times for student applications and inquiries.
- Real-time adjustments to marketing campaigns based on enrollment trends.
- Enhanced collaboration between marketing, admissions, and advising teams.
The result? CCM consistently outperformed other colleges in the region, seeing increases in applications, enrollments, and community engagement.
Building a High-Performing Team
Melissa emphasized the importance of team-building and professional development. Weekly one-on-ones with employees created a culture of trust, while departmental retreats and cross-functional meetings encouraged collaboration. Staff were empowered to contribute ideas, from new student engagement strategies to innovative marketing campaigns.
Melissa also rolled out a marketing toolkit that provided staff across the college with branded templates, logos, and guidelines. This initiative empowered departments to maintain consistent branding while fostering creativity and ownership of their communications.
Leveraging Data to Drive Success
Real-time data was instrumental in CCM’s transformation. By analyzing the enrollment funnel, Melissa’s team identified where students were getting stuck and addressed those gaps with targeted interventions, such as personalized communications and improved advising.
The integration of marketing and enrollment allowed CCM to pivot quickly. For example, if a marketing campaign wasn’t yielding the expected results, adjustments could be made immediately. This agility gave CCM a competitive edge in a market with over 79 nearby postsecondary institutions.
About the Show: The Hidden Gem podcast is dedicated to empowering community college presidents, executive team members, enrollment, marketing and communication leaders with the knowledge and insights they need to harness the full potential of strategic marketing and communications within their institutions. This podcast aims to shed light on the often-overlooked aspects of marketing, emphasizing its vital role in shaping an institution's overall strategy and success.
By showcasing real-world examples, case studies, and interviews with experienced community college leaders and industry experts, the podcast will inspire its audience to view marketing and communication as integral components of their leadership toolkit, not an ancillary service. It aims to elevate the importance of these functions and empower leaders to make more informed and strategic decisions in their roles.
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.
Connect with Us at the Engage Summit:
Exciting news — Maya will be at the 2024 Engage Summit in Raleigh, NC, on June 25 and 26, and we’d love to meet you there! Sessions will focus on cutting-edge AI applications that are reshaping student outreach, enhancing staff productivity, and offering deep insights into ROI.
Use the discount code Enrollify50 at checkout, and you can register for just $99! This early bird pricing lasts until March 31.
Learn more and register at engage.element451.com — we can’t wait to see you there!
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