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The importance of creating brand awareness for the higher education industry



As potential students think about entering college or university, how does your institution make sure that you’re at the top of their list?


Every student who is about to enter higher education has two difficult decisions to make – which vocation shall he pursue, and which institution shall he go for his training or education. Coming to a decision is no easy task, as there is a plethora of factors to consider. These include courses, fees, location, facilities, faculty, history, prestige, extracurricular programs, the specialty of the college/university, the relationship that the college/university has with its community, and the desirability of graduates by employers in the market that the student wishes to start his career in. With so many colleges and universities competing for local as well as international students, how does an institution of higher learning stand out and be a student’s preferred option?


In order for students and their parents to place a college or university as one of their top considerations, the institution must first establish brand awareness among its target audience. It is important that potential students and their parents are able to recall the college/university and one or more of its distinctive features during the decision-making process. Therefore, to aid this recall, the institution needs to invest in branding. Having a clearly-defined brand strategy and a steady implementation of branding activities will create the desired brand awareness.


For colleges and universities, it is especially crucial to make sure that the experience is just as well designed as the communications. Having a brand identity guideline that not just covers the correct implementation of communications such as brochures, websites and advertising, but also includes guidance for the interaction between college/university staff and students is key to making sure the brand strategy is consistently applied across all touch points. As word-of-mouth from faculty and alumni carries a heavy weight in the decision-making process, experiences such as lectures, classes, campus facilities, extracurricular programs and support services have to be audited and curated to ensure they are consistently positive and engaging.


Need help with creating a brand strategy and branding guideline? Sparkle Brand Management helps develop brand positioning, produce brand identity guidelines and designs communications that are consistent with your business goals. Contact us at sparklingbrands@gmail.com today.

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