Specialist colleges tend to be smaller, and far less known—especially compared to the top-rated or Ivy League institutions that every student knows by heart just from media alone. Yet, it’s those specialist colleges that offer the most tangible results for your career. Getting known and out there is a challenge, yes; but with the right marketing approach, you can connect with students and, most importantly, show them that there are more paths for their future than just trying to get into the highest-rated school they can.
The notion of higher education is cracking under the weight of how many are graduating today. That’s why students now need to go further and do more during their education in order to transition to the workforce after they graduate. Now is the time for specialist and technical colleges to shine. All that’s left is to know how to market yourself, so read on for some top tips.
Partner With the Right Marketing Agency
The best way to get started with revamping your marketing efforts is to partner with the right agency. Not every marketing institution knows what to do with educational facilities. After all, you aren’t selling in the traditional sense. There are also more nuanced factors like facilities, living conditions, quality of life, and quality of education to consider. That’s why you need marketing agencies that help colleges and universities drive admissions. They’ll have a lot of specialist knowledge you can rely on while also knowing the exact channels to use to connect to young audiences.
Create Clear Pathway Guides
Students want some sort of guarantee for their future. They want to know that they’re making the right decisions. This is true for those just entering adulthood, and it’s especially important for those going into their second career. That’s where technical colleges can shine. Rather than market overarching degrees such as English, you can market degree-to-career pathways that give potential students tangible steps to take.
All that already exists. What’s next is to create comprehensive guides and checklists so that students and potential students can see just what they need to do to get from point A to point B—and how their first step needs to be taken with you.
Host Talks at Local Schools
Young people don’t know the sheer number of options out there. That’s why it’s so important to host talks at local high schools or colleges that help students understand that there’s more available than traditional universities. They can go into an apprenticeship, go to a specialist or technical college, and so on. You don’t need every student to sign up to your school, but you do need to establish that there are more options than they may think for their future.
Offer Taster Sessions
Technical colleges are the perfect destination for short courses, day workshops, and so on. Offer special prices for young people to come and have a taste of what it’s like learning in a technical college, and offer those deals specifically around the time that those young people would be applying to colleges. You can also offer taster courses for free to everyone. This is a great way to prove your values and principles to those who may not be entirely sold yet on your concept.
