About the Episode
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About the Episode:
Silos between enrollment, admissions, and marketing often prevent innovative strategies from taking shape. How can higher ed keep up with change when their institutional structures are so fragmented?
In this episode, Allison speaks with Katy Campbell, Chief Client Officer, and Sarah Mullins, Marketing Strategist, at VisionPoint Marketing about the biggest roadblocks facing enrollment marketers today. They discuss the real reason innovation stalls (hint: it’s not just budget constraints), how institutions can foster collaboration across departments, and why AI should be seen as an opportunity rather than a threat.
Tune in for insights that will help you navigate internal barriers, streamline marketing efforts, and create a more effective strategy for student enrollment and engagement.
Join us as we discuss:
- [4:21] Roadblocks preventing enrollment marketers from innovating
- [12:18] How AI tools can help marketers navigate higher ed silos
- [18:48] Making faster campaign decisions in real-time
Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:
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Why are silos still one of the biggest barriers in higher ed marketing?
While budget often gets blamed, both Katy and Sarah revealed that the real constraint is structural: silos. Departments operate independently, communication is fragmented, and responsibilities are blurred—especially between marketing, admissions, and student success. Sarah described it as the “higher ed version of the chicken or the egg” dilemma. And in a campus ecosystem where everyone—from biology professors to groundskeepers—is doing wildly different work, creating cohesion is tough. But it’s not impossible. Marketers can begin by showing up as allies, not just executors, and by building authentic relationships across teams.
Katy emphasized that success comes down to prioritization and mindset. Fear of failure, risk aversion, and the pressure to "get it perfect" can stall innovation. But marketing is inherently about experimentation. Fail fast, learn faster. And get comfortable with iteration. That's how real collaboration and innovation begins.
How can marketers better communicate with non-marketing campus partners?
The solution? Speak their language. Marketers are comfortable with KPIs, CTRs, bounce rates, and brand pillars—but many faculty and staff are not. Sarah shared that when she was in-house, one of the best strategies she used was translating marketing speak into outcomes stakeholders actually cared about. Instead of citing Google Analytics metrics, bring numbers that matter: how many students showed up, how many applications came through, how engagement tied to enrollment goals.
Allison added that marketers are experts at making students feel seen and heard—and the same care should extend to campus partners. If you approach conversations with empathy, curiosity, and a desire to help them meet their goals, you’re more likely to get buy-in. Katy also introduced a powerful mindset shift: “Data over ego.” Your job isn’t to be right—it’s to get results. And when you lead with data, not pride, you invite collaboration instead of resistance.
Where does marketing add value beyond recruitment?
Too often, marketing is seen as only playing a role at the top of the funnel—awareness and branding. But as Katy pointed out, marketing should support the entire student lifecycle. That includes post-application nurturing, yield communications, retention messaging, and even student success. When marketers extend their hand to student affairs, academic departments, and advising teams, they can offer support in shaping the student experience.
This reframing also gives marketers more room to innovate. By collaborating across campus, marketing becomes a connector—helping departments deliver more personalized, timely, and strategic communications. And when you align your work to broader institutional goals like retention and persistence, marketing’s impact becomes undeniable.
How can AI help enrollment marketers work smarter—not harder?
AI isn’t a threat—it’s a productivity partner. Katy and Sarah championed the idea of treating AI like a smart intern: it won’t replace your creativity, but it will give you a head start. One great example? Use generative AI to repurpose your highest-performing social media posts. Just drop them into a tool like Claude or Gemini and ask for 10 new variations or caption ideas. Or, use Goblin Tools to turn a chaotic brain dump into a structured to-do list—game-changing when your plate is full.
Another powerful use case: personalization at scale. Tools like Perplexity and AI-driven CRMs can help you dynamically customize content based on a student’s website behavior or form input. If a student is exploring health sciences, for instance, AI can prioritize relevant content in your email flows—without you writing dozens of versions manually.
The bottom line? AI gives you time back. It allows you to shift energy from repetitive tasks to the strategic, creative, and collaborative work that truly moves the needle.
What are some low-stakes ways to start experimenting with AI?
Not sure where to start? Sarah recommends beginning with something small and personal. Use Gemini or Claude to help rewrite an email to a colleague or generate a meeting agenda. Then, once you’re comfortable, start using it to brainstorm content ideas based on past performance. You’re still in control—you’re just accelerating the process.
Katy added that AI can even help you gut-check your own work. Ask it to review a draft message and highlight anything confusing, or analyze tone and suggest edits to better connect with your audience. These kinds of low-risk, high-reward activities build your confidence and help you see AI as a partner—not a replacement.
The best part? Many of these tools are free or freemium and don’t require any special training to get started. Just jump in, test, and see what clicks.
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 and Visionary Voices: The College President’s Playbook.
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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