For educational institutions, and for many organizations in general, a lot of their reputation relies on how other people view them. There is a certain comfort level you must establish with people before they enroll. For parents researching and for adults looking to further their education, they will often turn to what others are saying to help them in the decision-making process. Validation and third-party proof through referrals and reviews can go a long way.
Prospective students and parents want to see proof that you can deliver on your promises and meet their expectations of a successful educational institution. When considering how to promote your institution and build your reputation in the public eye, case studies should be at the forefront of your brainstorming. Here are three reasons why:
- They can be crafted from readily available information.
Case studies allow for important information to be put into a digestible and attention-grabbing format that can be distributed through your own channels. They can showcase what you are doing well and tell a story that your audience is going to want to listen to. One of the best parts is that you probably already have this information sitting around just waiting to be turned into something new.
A case study can include any positive information or statistics you have collected over the years, including success stories, average grades, graduation rates, or how students in each state are performing across the country. Use information that showcases what your institution does best and provides context for what prospective students and families would want to know before enrolling.
Next, you can take that information you have and display it in a variety of formats for your case study, such as a video, written copy, a graphic, or a mixture of these. It is best to make your case studies easy to read and easy to follow along with.
- They are easy to promote.
Another benefit to case studies is that they are easy to promote once they are created. The information is already available in an easy-to-consume format that just needs to be posted! You can share this information in newsletters and on your website or promote them on social media. Doing so allows your audience to see what you’ve been up to and easily access what they want to know about your institution.
- They are great to have on-hand for future promotions.
Case studies can also easily be used as a pitch asset in your PR efforts. Share your case studies with media outlets if you are pitching something new that is going on at your institution or if you have statistics that could be useful in a potential story. Case studies can also be an asset for your spokesperson to keep on hand for future interviews where they may need key points to talk about to promote the institution. Having that information already in a consumable format can save a lot of time for future interview opportunities and marketing campaigns!
Self-promotion for education institutions can be extremely successful when considering what your audience needs and wants to see before making such a big decision to engage with your institution. Case studies provide an easy-to-consume format that highlights everything a prospective student or parent would want to know about your institution.
Learn more about educational institution marketing from The Cyphers Agency here.
