At a recent virtual event, one of the participants asked, “With so many higher-ed digital marketing companies now, how do I know that my program isn’t getting the same thing as everybody else?” and they make a good point. MF Digital Marketing was one of the earliest marketing companies to enter the digital marketplace specializing in higher education. Naturally, all companies want to be successful and profitable but there is room for all of us. Just as not all schools or programs are a perfect fit for a prospective student, the same goes with digital marketing companies. We came up with a few questions that you can ask when making an assessment for a new digital marketing company.
Are they collaborative?
This might seem like a no-brainer but a collaborative working relationship is essential for success. You’ll want to find a partner, not just a service provider. Someone who listens firsts, values the input of both admissions and marketing, and then offers solutions.
Do they offer customized solutions?
Going back to our original question. The concern by the participant was that they felt these companies might be leveling the playing field by offering cookie-cutter products. Find out if they have copywriting and design staff that will create new custom content just for you rather than recycling existing messages and templates.
Are they good or great with data?
Your data – how messaging and tactics have performed in previous cycles. is the differentiator when it comes to making your campaigns stand out. Having the ability to dig into your existing data and analytics to find the nuggets that will help determine what drives positive outcomes – quality applications — is important. Also, in return, you’ll want a company that can provide you with measurements of success and help guide you in a different direction if analytics reveal new patterns. If they don’t constantly refer to data and conduct regular quantitative analysis, it’s time to move on.
Do they work with your competition?
Some firms who aren’t selective may have conflicting loyalties, but your grad program can’t afford to hire a marketing agency who is new to graduate programs. You’re paying for expertise. Find out how many grad programs they currently work with, ask for introductions to your peers at those schools and if you consider moving forward, you can always list your direct competitors in a non-solicitation clause in your contract to avoid a conflict.
At MF Digital Marketing, we specialize in digital marketing for a niche market segment – graduate business and law school programs. It’s worked extremely well for us over the years and we have many satisfied clients. We keep ourselves at a small, boutique size so that we can service our clients completely and not spread ourselves too thin. It’s the MF Digital difference. If you’d like to learn more, contact us today!