Bringing Higher Ed Marketing and Admissions Teams Together
Higher education comes with a few inevitabilities. Orientations are going to have icebreakers. May 1st is accompanied by a dose of panic. And, at some point, the marketing and admissions teams are going to clash.
We’ve observed that challenges between the marketing and admissions offices tend to be the norm rather than the exception. Sometimes, these departments operate with an ongoing low-level of tension. Others stop speaking to each other altogether, siloing off into their respective corners. In the worst cases, these offices actively undermine each other.
Whether the marketing and admissions teams are part of different divisions or the same, conflict is likely to occur. The disagreements may be expressed through passive aggression or overtly — either way, the discord can damage the institution. When the marketing team excitedly launches a new viewbook that lacks the buy-in of the admissions team, the college or university can be left with a high-priced printing bill and boxes of materials headed to the dumpster. If the admissions team decides to execute on their own vision for materials, the result can be assets that disregard design guidelines and lack a cohesive brand style.
Whether you’re a team leader or member, doing what you can to cultivate cooperation and mutual respect between the marketing and admissions teams will pay off. By casting a shared vision for collaboration, the two offices are empowered to build the same funnel. As marketing executes with excellence and efficiency, the funnel grows wide, drawing in prospective students. As the admissions team recruits and connects with those prospective students, they convert them into members of the student body.
Let’s explore a few tips for uniting admissions and marketing departments into a cohesive, strategic team.
Tip 1: Create a Good Calendar
Timing can create some of the most heated disagreements between marketing and admissions departments. Admissions, as the sales arm of the institution, wants everything yesterday; for them, lost time equals lost results. Marketing, however, tends to focus on delivering the highest quality product, even if it takes more time. These differing motivators regularly clash.
Leaders can work to get ahead of such conflicts by hosting planning retreats for their teams. These sessions can include a collaborative building of an annual calendar, through which admissions teams receive what they need when they need it, and marketing teams are given the necessary time to deliver quality materials. From there, follow up at least quarterly to anticipate what will be needed over the next three months. Don’t be afraid to modify the calendar as needs change — just make sure changes are communicated to all involved.
Tip 2: Stick to Deadlines
Both marketing and admissions teams need to agree on deadlines — and commit to sticking with them. At times, marketing teams allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good, fiddling with the smallest details and delaying production. On the other side, admissions teams can be impatient, try to move up deadlines or constantly check in on deliverables.
Encourage both teams to build project timelines backwards so that milestones do not create undo stress or chaos. Deadlines need to be agreed upon and achievable for all parties involved.
Tip 3: Create a Transparent Environment
Leaders need to establish the rules of engagement when the marketing and admissions teams meet. People will inevitably have differences of opinion — and that’s a good thing. Willingness to form and share alternate perspectives means that your team members are engaged, thoughtful, and invested in the results of the work that they do.
Work thoughtfully and diligently to create an environment where people can share ideas and feedback without it feeling like a personal attack. One of the best ways to do this is to demonstrate that you, as the leader, are open to constructive criticism and won’t take it personally. As this behavior is modeled and rewarded, teams are likely to grow in their openness to collaboration.
Tip 4: Help Your Team Get to Know Each Other as People
Disagreement can feel like discouragement when relationships are superficial. But as teams get to know each other on a personal level, they can begin to see a plurality of opinions as an opportunity to create the best possible outcome.
Consider how you might facilitate social gatherings and opportunities to celebrate wins together. Remembering that our colleagues are real people with real lives can go a long way in deepening our empathy and trust with one another.
So, too, can food. As one mentor of mine put it, “Everyone has to eat. You might as well make it useful.” On occasion, bring the teams together for a shared meal — not with a specific project objective in mind, but with a spirit of community and fun.
Additionally, having your teams take personality or strengths assessments and sharing results, giving them creative challenges that are not directly related to their jobs, or getting off campus for an activity can all be effective ways to break through the superficial barrier and create better working relationships.
This isn’t all just about conflict avoidance — it’s about the flourishing of your institution, which needs the marketing and admissions offices to be functioning as one team. Each group brings something to the table that can make the other stronger. Ultimately, the university and your students will be the winners as marketing and admissions find ways to create a united team that forms a cohesive, high-functioning funnel.
Looking for more advice on bringing teams together? Check out Higher Ed Marketing Truth #8, Building Bridges and Tearing Down Silos. If you’re interested in partnering with 5° to invite your marketing and admissions teams into brand unity, let’s talk!
