why content marketing is key to higher education reputation and revenue

The explosion of content marketing is great news for higher education institutions trying to build reputation and increase revenue streams. For two reasons:

1. We have lots of content. Sure, it may take more effort to encourage and help faculty blog about their research and teaching, but the information they can share is the stuff that starts conversations. We also have students doing incredible things like experiential learning and community volunteering, and we have successful alumni who have wisdom to share about their industry. The effort spent by university marketing and communications folks on building editorial calendars, sparking ideas, and editing articles written by our stakeholders is so much more effective than simply reporting on faculty or alumni success. Articles and blog posts written by the experts themselves are genuine and they elicit discussion, advocacy and action.

2. It's cheaper than traditional marketing. Most universities don't have the budget these days for advertising, so it's beneficial to us that our target audiences pay attention to social media marketing. According to Hub Spot's 2013 Report on Inbound Marketing, inbound marketing-dominated organizations experience a 60% lower cost per lead than outbound marketing dominated organizations. What's more, social media and blogs are proving to generate real business, not simply brand awareness, delivering "54% more leads into the marketing funnel than traditional outbound leads." 

So what do we need to do? 

First, we need to enhance our digital and social presence and find out what channels our target audiences are using.

Second, we need to encourage our faculty, students and alumni to provide us with content about the experience and knowledge they have gained, either directly or indirectly from being associated with our institution. We need to help them understand the payoffs for them -- writing credits and experience, but more importantly, reputational gains that will lead to long-term new revenue invested back into the school, which only boosts their work and credentials even further. 

Finally, we need to direct traditional marketing budgets and human resources into building mobile friendly sites and acquiring data analysis tools and training so that we can become even better at content and inbound marketing. 

Higher-education institutions are ahead of the curve when it comes to content marketing. Let's take advantage of that to build our level of success. 

To inspire your team, take a look at the great infographic on the anatomy of content marketing, from Content Plus. 

social media: the best thing to happen to university advancement since the invention of homecoming

That's right. While companies are struggling to adapt to social media marketing, university advancement teams are (or should be) rejoicing that we now have tools to enhance what we've always done best: build real relationships and make connections.

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Bill Lee, in this HBR article, rightly states: "traditional marketing is dead." However, peer-based, community-oriented marketing is now thriving because of social media. Lee reminds us to focus on two important things: 1. find influencers; and 2. give them social capital.

The influencers we've traditionally identified will likely be different than social media influencers. And that's a good thing, as we certainly need to focus on building more and better relationships with our stakeholders that don't have gray hair. We can give them social capital by empowering them with information and knowledge that will help them with their careers, their bosses, their employees, their businesses, their peers and their resumes. And then they can share this info and help others as well. We can provide them with value that will make them not only want to promote us, but also solidify a lifelong connection.

Mark Bonchek backs this up by stating that social media is a gift economy, unlike our traditional market economy. In a gift economy organizations must create social currencies related to our brand, and also earn status, not buy it. If we enable our constituents to connect with each other and with us in this way, we will build deep engagement with them that goes far beyond what traditional marketing could ever do.

Advancement teams at universities have long known that sustained growth is built through authentic customer relationships. We must therefore take advantage of every social media tool that makes sense in cultivating those alumni/student/donor relationships we've already begun. And we can reach so many more with social media marketing.

We're already ahead of the game. Let's keep the momentum going.

face-face and social media fundraising: one and the same

The new world of fundraising looks like this: content marketing, SEO, digital advancement managers, twitter campaigns, and crowdfunding. Yes, things have changed, but the fundamentals are still the same. It's all about building relationships and engaging your stakeholders.

The same old rules of face-face fundraising still hold true. What are they again?

1. Have a strong Case for Support. Your fundraising efforts will only be as strong as the case for what you want your donors to support. This has to come first. Your organization and the project has to be strong, and your online messaging has to be equally as strong in conveying that. Content  is king. If you don't have something important and valuable to post on your web and social media pages, don't say anything. Your aim, just as in "real life" is to have great conversations that will engage stakeholders and build the foundation for a strong relationship.

2. Get out there. A good fundraiser is one that is constantly meeting with people, making connections, and engaging in conversation with donors and prospects. A good fundraising organization is one that does the same thing online. Digital marketing is not the same as traditional marketing. It's about having two-way conversations and engaging people, not simply throwing information or calls-to-action at them. Organizations should find where their target audiences are on social media and be chatting with them and giving them shareable content often and regularly.

3. Listen. Just like with in-person meetings, 90% of the talking should come from your audience. Organizations need to listen for what their online stakeholders are passionate about, what drives them, and what does not. They will be your greatest source of information.

4. Engage influencers. Our greatest assets on the street are our influencers. Donors who are engaged with our organization will influence friends and peers to join the cause. Engaged online followers of an organization can be an army of influencers with an audience bigger than we've dared to dream of. Engage them, empower them to talk about you, and make it easy for them to share information. Set up groups and have share buttons and links on all of your sites that are easy for an influencer to spread around.

Yes, the non-profit world may look a bit different these days, but we all know what we are doing because they are the same things we've been doing for years: building engaged relationships and trust. Happy tweeting!

engaging donors through social media

You know how important social media is. You know your constituents - both young and old - are using it. Are you?   

Non-profits wanting to propel their mission forward and not be caught in the status quo must build an active and integrated social media strategy to engage their stakeholders. Building and keeping an engaged constituency is only becoming tougher as people become busier with many areas of their lives.  Twitter, Facebook, Google +, YouTube, LinkedIn and other social media sites are an easy way to keep them involved and let them be “active” in talking about, and therefore promoting, your organization.

Take Mike for example. He is a university grad who is 15 years out from graduation, has a rapidly rising career that demands a lot of his time, and is starting a family. He had a great experience at his alma mater and would like to stay involved more than he does, which currently consists of modest sporadic donations. Although the university has asked him, he doesn’t have time to mentor a student, guest-lecture in a class, or attend alumni events. What could he do to help the university and feel connected? 

He could help spread the word to his peers about news and events at the school through social media networks. He is on Twitter and LinkedIn.  Many of his contacts include business peers who are former classmates.  The university could engage him online through good content and discussion, and he would then share important messages and forwarding invitations to events and appeals for donations.  The school should have a LinkedIn group where they (and he) can brag about the support he gives and the project he gives to at the school. This will not only make him feel as if he is doing his part, but also keep him more connected so that he will be more and more willing to increase donations. Oh, one thing- it must be easy for him to share information and donate online.

The old adage that the best marketing is word-of-mouth holds true in today’s plugged-in world. Remember that you want to talk with them, not to them. Have content worth spreading. Make it personal by engaging in inspiring conversations, not just one-way announcements. Make sure to follow what is being said about you online. This way, you can join in the conversation and add value, thank your constituents and even correct misconceptions. It’s also a great way to learn what is relevant to them. And as we already know, this is the key to build lasting donor relationships, online or off.