Read the positioning statements of multiple higher ed institutions and you’ll notice many similar words and phrases: academic excellence, diversity, career readiness. Sound familiar?
Look at the advertising that results from these positioning statements, you see a lot of similarities as well. (For a good laugh, look at the Monsters University ad and website.)
Higher ed has earned a reputation for sameness.
But, I’m going to defend higher ed marketers. Most of the sameness we see isn’t a result of shoddy research, or the lack of creativity in brand strategy development, or the lack of understanding what makes the institution unique.
Most of the sameness comes as a result of the fact that there are 5,000 institutions of higher education in this country, and they all do basically the same things: offer courses, confer degrees, and prepare students for what comes next in life.
Even though they offer the same basic “products,” there are many differences across these 5,000 institutions, of course. Some are large, and some are small. Some are public, and some are private. Some are in big cities, and some are in small towns. Much is open to interpretation as well. “Small class sizes” may mean five students to one person and 50 students to another. One student’s definition of academic excellence may be very different from another student’s definition.
The bottom line is that there just aren’t enough words in the English language to make 5,000 higher ed institutions sound completely different.
So it’s difficult to develop a positioning statement that is unique and different. Much of the differentiation comes from the place — the look of the campus and surrounding town, the people, the recognizable spots on campus.
However, there are some positioning statements that stand out from the rest.
What are the elements of a strong positioning statement?
1) It is aspirational, but grounded in the real experience of the institution.
Too little aspiration, and it won’t move the institution’s brand. Too much aspiration, and the positioning statement won’t be believable. (Which means it will never be implemented.)
2) It is inspiring.
It makes people proud to work there.
3) It reflects the perspective of the audience, not the institution.
This is where research comes in. A brand is defined by what the external audiences think, not what the internal audiences think.
4) It identifies the qualities of the institution that matter to people.
An institution may be known for the quality of the food in its dining hall. However, if the quality of the food in the dining hall isn’t an important criterion in college selection, focusing on it in the positioning statement isn’t going to move the needle on any key measure.
5) It focuses on benefits, not attributes.
Diversity is an attribute, not a benefit. What benefit do students get from the diversity of the institution?
6) It sounds the same way people talk.
Even though it is an internal document, a good positioning statement is jargon-free and conversational. “We provide an exceptional education rooted in the Byzantine foundation of analytical evaluation, resulting in students who are capable of navigating the complexities of the world” is not something anyone says. Ever.
7) It is short enough so that people can remember the main points, word for word.
No one will remember a 300-word positioning statement, and no agency will be able to develop clear, single-minded communications from a 300-word positioning statement.
For example?
“We inspire graduates to a life of continuous learning, service to others, and meaningful work by providing an education that is grounded in the liberal arts, in a small, friendly setting where faculty know each student by name.”
Different from every other institution? No. Different enough from most that when combined with photos and personal stories it could be differentiated and ownable?
It’s a start.
Want to learn more? We recently published a white paper that explores the specific challenges of higher education branding and gives you strategies for clearing the most common hurdles.