What Higher Ed Marketers Can Learn From Retail, B2B, Financial Services and Nonprofit Brands

For the first half of our company’s journey, we learned marketing by solving hard problems across retail, B2B, financial services and nonprofits. Then we brought that hard won understanding to higher education. What emerged was a higher standard for colleges and universities where design, data, story and deep empathy for students come together to drive enrollment, strengthen retention and build brands that last. Here are a few key lessons we learned from each industry along the way:

1. From Retail Brands: we learned the art of branding, differentiation and merchandising. For example, we introduced the concept of cross-selling of related programs into academic program pages.
2. From B2B Brands: we learned how to win trust in complex, high-stakes decisions shaped by many voices. We brought that clarity to higher education, designing experiences that speak to every decision maker and influencer who matters when choosing a college.
3. From Financial Services Brands: we learned how trust is built over time and why relationships matter more than transactions. We applied that thinking to education institutions by credentializing them and offering lifelong learning opportunities.
4. From Non-Profit Brands: we learned that people support causes which understand them. We brought mission driven storytelling to higher education, putting students and alumni at the center and letting the institution serve the story rather than star in it.

If you are seeking a transformative higher education marketing agency, college branding agency, college website design agency, or enrollment marketing agency, please see our work and consider partnering with us.