AI is everywhere—and higher ed teams are feeling the pressure. The promises are bold: transformation, automation, instant insight. But what if you’re just trying to hit your enrollment goals? Reduce summer melt? Stretch limited resources further without burning out your team? At Everspring, we believe AI should be strategic, not shiny. Aligned to real-world goals, not just tech trends. You don’t need a revolution—you need a roadmap. One that starts where you are and builds with purpose. And the best way to do that? Work backwards.
What Is “Working Backwards”?
Made famous by Amazon, the Working Backwards framework flips the script on innovation. Instead of starting with a solution (like AI), you start with the problem you need to solve. You define your ideal future state, then build toward it step by step—focused on value, not volume.
In other words: AI is a servant, not your strategy. Let’s keep it that way.
Why Higher Ed Teams Are Feeling AI Fatigue
It’s not that AI isn’t powerful—it is. But in higher ed marketing, we see a growing tension:
- “Where do we start?”
- “How does this integrate with what we already have?”
- “How do we avoid overpromising internally?”
- “Will this dilute our institutional voice?”
These are smart questions. The reality is: most institutions don’t need an AI revolution. They need a focused, testable strategy that works for their people, systems, and students.
Don’t Get Stuck in Research Mode
There’s one more trap we see far too often: analysis paralysis.
AI is evolving fast. Search behavior is changing in real time. And the pressure on enrollment teams has never been higher. Institutions that wait too long to test, learn, and adapt risk falling behind in a competitive, AI-shaped landscape.
Now is not the time to stay in planning mode. Now is the time to pilot.
Use what you have. Start small. Measure results. Then build from there—with clarity and control.
Step-by-Step: Working Backwards into Smarter AI Adoption
Here’s how to apply the Working Backwards method to your AI roadmap:
1. Start with the Problem, Not the Tech
Before asking “What can AI do?”, ask:
- Where are we losing time or efficiency?
- What parts of our funnel are stalling?
- What processes feel too manual or hard to scale?
Example: You may realize your team spends hours each week tagging content or triaging inquiries—work that AI can assist with right away.
2. Define the Outcome
Don’t chase tools—chase results.
A Working Backwards approach means defining what success looks like before implementation:
- “We want to reduce inquiry response time by 50%.”
- “We want to speed up program page production without sacrificing quality.”
- “We want better visibility into student behavior across channels.”
Once your outcome is clear, AI becomes a tactic, not the strategy.
3. Prioritize the Data That Powers It
AI is only as smart as the data it learns from—but that doesn’t mean you need a perfect data ecosystem to begin.
Instead, start by asking: What data do we have? Where are the gaps? What could we connect or clean up to support smarter decisions?
Some helpful questions to guide your thinking:
- Are we capturing how students interact across touchpoints?
- Do we have access to enrollment and engagement data, even if it’s siloed?
- Can we begin to layer in external trends or competitive benchmarks?
Even small steps toward better data visibility can unlock powerful results. At Everspring, we help institutions connect the dots between internal systems, student behavior, and market insights—so AI works in context, not just theory.
4. Build Iteratively
The biggest mistake we see? Trying to “AI everything” at once.The smarter move: start small, prove value, then expand. One focused use case can demonstrate impact, build momentum, and help your team learn fast.
Here are common starting points we use to address enrollment and engagement challenges:
- AI-Powered Search Optimization – Aligning your content and technical strategy for visibility in both traditional and generative search
- Melt Reduction Campaigns – Using AI to personalize content and outreach during the critical months between deposit and class start
- Chat Experience Enhancements – Mapping the chat journey and using AI tools to improve content, UX, and responsiveness
- Course Quality Reviews – Applying AI to surface content gaps or opportunities in course materials
You don’t need a 12-month roadmap to get started.You need a 4-week pilot that delivers real insight—and a path to scale from there.
5. Keep the Student (and Your Team) at the Center
In higher ed, your “customers” are both your prospective students and your internal teams.
So, ask:
- Will this make the student experience clearer and more engaging?
- Will it save our team time—or create new complexity?
- Does it help us show up with an authentic voice, even in AI-driven spaces?
Working backwards helps you stay grounded in what matters most: mission, clarity, and student impact.
Tools to Help You Work Backwards with AI
Attend our Session on AI & Student Search
"AI-Ready Marketing That Stays Human"
- When: April 30, 2025, 10:55 AM - 11:25 AM CT
- Speakers:
- Dave Hunt, Director of Enrollment Marketing & Communication at the University of Kansas
- Mike Bell, Chief Marketing Officer of Everspring
This practical session delivers actionable guidance from marketing leaders solving the same challenges you face daily:
- Mapping your value – Using the value proposition canvas approach to articulate your unique benefits
- Building an effective content structure – A strategic blueprint that performs at scale
- Optimizing technically – Concrete steps to improve AI readability without sacrificing authenticity
- UX/UI balance – Understanding where you might have over-optimized for SEO at the expense of human engagement
Dave and Mike will share case studies demonstrating successful content strategies and technical improvements that have delivered measurable enrollment results.
Get a FREE AI Search Visibility Scan
Maximize your institution's visibility with Everspring's free AI + Search Visibility Scan. With half of Gen Z using AI platforms like ChatGPT before visiting university websites, being optimized for both traditional search and AI is critical. Our comprehensive scan analyzes your technical performance, content effectiveness, keyword opportunities, AI visibility, and competitive standing. Request your free scan today and ensure students can find your programs in this new landscape.
Final Thought: Mission First, AI Second
The AI moment is real—and moving fast. But panic isn’t a plan. Strategy is.
By working backwards from your mission and building on the data you already have, your team can move forward with clarity. Whether it’s a single pilot program or a broader shift in search strategy, you don’t need to do everything—you just need to start.
Let’s build a roadmap that works for you.