In today's higher education landscape, marketing teams face a perfect storm of challenges: declining enrollment numbers, increasing competition and the pressure to maximize limited resources. But some universities are finding innovative ways to thrive in this environment by building robust in-house marketing capabilities powered by data. Through a strategic partnership with Everspring, Santa Clara University (SCU) has found innovative ways to thrive in this environment by leveraging data-driven marketing capabilities and expertise.
At a recent American Marketing Association virtual event, SCUshared their blueprint for success, offering valuable insights for institutions looking to strengthen their marketing operations. Here's how they're doing it.
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Starting Small, Thinking Big
Several years before the pandemic made remote learning a necessity, Santa Clara University had a vision: bring Silicon Valley expertise and networking opportunities to students nationwide through an online MBA program. What began as a single program has now evolved into a comprehensive virtual campus serving over 1,000 students across multiple schools.
"Our data enabled approach is really what's driven the geographic scale for the online business portfolio," explains Toby McChesney, Vice Provost for Graduate Programs at SCU. "What started as a really regional student profile has expanded to encompass students across 15 states."
The Power of Connected Data
While most universities have sophisticated marketing tools at their disposal—CRMs, paid advertising platforms and web analytics—those that stand out are connecting these systems to derive actionable insights. Through Everspring's sophisticated marketing infrastructure—including integrated CRMs, paid advertising platforms and web analytics—the partnership has been able to derive actionable insights that many institutions struggle to obtain. This integration allows them to answer critical questions:
- Which marketing channels produce not just leads, but enrolled students?
- What is the true cost per applicant across different campaigns?
- How are leads moving through the enrollment funnel?
- Are we on track to meet enrollment goals?
According to McChesney, “this granular visibility enabled us to update campaign messaging to drive better performance, … and so conversations with students can be more meaningful.”
Building a National Presence
The partnership’s data-driven approach has helped SCU expand from a regional powerhouse to a national presence, with students now enrolled from 15 different states. Everspring's marketing expertise was crucial in adapting the strategy for national audiences, revealing some surprising insights along the way.
While SCU's Silicon Valley connection is a strong regional draw, Everspring's analysis showed that national audiences responded better to messages about scholarship opportunities, application accessibility and tech-centric curriculum. This kind of insight only comes from having systems that can track not just top-of-funnel metrics, but how different messages drive actual enrollments across geographic regions.
"You really have to know your DNA and really know your program to see what marketing messages really resonate," McChesney emphasizes.
The Centralized Excellence Model
Central to SCU's success is their establishment of SCU Online, a comprehensive in-house capability center that serves as the foundation for their virtual campus. This center brings together:
- Marketing and recruitment expertise
- Course content development
- Student services and retention support
This centralized approach allows for consistent quality control while enabling rapid scaling across different programs and schools.
Keys to Success: The Build-Operate-Transfer Model
SCU's journey offers valuable lessons for other institutions looking to build their in-house marketing capabilities:
- Start with a Strong Foundation: Begin with a clear brand strategy and digital presence that translates your campus experience to the virtual world.
- Connect Your Data: Invest in integrating your marketing, CRM and admissions systems to get a complete view of the student journey.
- Balance Brand and Performance: Combine brand-building activities with measurable performance marketing initiatives.
- Test and Learn: Use connected data to try new approaches and quickly identify what works.
- Build Internal Capabilities: Develop in-house expertise while leveraging partnerships strategically.
Looking Ahead
As higher education faces continuing challenges—including the approaching enrollment cliff in 2025—the ability to make data-driven decisions becomes increasingly crucial. SCU's success demonstrates that investing in connected data systems and in-house capabilities can create a strong foundation for sustainable growth.
This article is based on insights shared during the American Marketing Association's virtual event "Data-Driven DIY: The Blueprint for In-House Marketing Success" on October 30, 2024, featuring Toby McChesney, Vice Provost for Graduate Programs at Santa Clara University, and Rhea Vitalis, Vice President of Growth Marketing at Everspring.