How to do Branding for a University?

Things that Require Your Attention

Post-COVID times require things to be branded in an “ A plus” way as during COVID time, the rate of enrollment in universities declined due to obvious reasons.

Even in such hard times, the students did not stop studying, education went on for all the individuals across the globe. So, universities need to stand out now, they need to gain their students' trust.

Some of the things to focus on:

• Support: Make sure you are giving assurance to your students that you will be there at the time of need and will provide all the necessary assistance possible.
• Faculty: With so much free content available these days, it becomes important to convince the students that they are getting an education from qualified professionals with the best educational background.
• Promises: The cost of degree-level education has increased immensely. In many cases, it is observed that students remain unemployed even after pursuing a highly expensive program. Since success can not be guaranteed, it becomes crucial to provide students with the right guidance and influence.

How you can Kick-Start Your Branding Journey

Building a brand is a tough nut to crack, it requires time, effort, and attention to the details. Here are a few important things that can be done to brand your University:

• Take Advantage of Your Strength
• Tell Your Successful Stories Often
• Make Catchy and Impactful Slogans
• Logos and Colors must be Right
• Consistency is Key
• The Focus should be on the “Value”
• Competition should not be Neglected

Take Advantage of Your Strength

There are many universities where the enrollment in one specific department is the highest compared to the other departments. The reason behind the high enrollment could be many things, like faculty, infrastructure, practical lab work, extracurricular activities, and others.

You can make this your USP and take advantage of it. You can sell the programmes as flagship programmes and attract more students to your university.
This way, it will not only increase enrollment in that one department, but it will also have a positive impact on the reputation of the university.

Similarly, a high number of placements in one course can also promote that particular course and invite more admissions in the coming year.

If the university is located in a serene and hilly area, then you can use the location of the university as a selling point. This can attract and encourage individuals from the Plains area to be admitted to the University. The calm and chilly weather can help students be more comfortable and provide peace of mind so they can focus more on their studies.

Tell Your Successful Stories Often

It does not matter if your university is old or if you have just laid the foundation of the University. Having a narrative and a strong story behind the existence of the university will help others understand the purpose of its establishment.

One must be fully confident and honest when it comes to describing the achievements, purpose, and narrative of the University. The origin story will always have a profound impact on the listener's mind.

Make Catchy and Impactful Slogans

A lot of times, universities come up with catchy but vague slogans or meaningful but boring taglines. You must understand that slogans should be catchy and meaningful, leaving a long-lasting impact on the reader's or listeners' minds.

You have to be creative with the slogans, and the slogans must reflect the image of what your University has to offer. Do not rush and take enough time, as it will impact the branding of the University.

You must focus on reflecting the honest image of your University through your slogans.

Logos and Colors must be Right

The logos and colors may seem unnecessary to most of the people out there. But, these things play a crucial role in branding the university.

While working on logos, you have to think a lot, as the logo must have an origin story and meaning attached to it. You can take inspiration from anything and tell the audience about the importance of it. The depth and detail in the logo will leave a great impression on viewers.

When it comes to color coordination, you must understand that different colors have different vibes, like red ,which is a very bold and loud color. So, make sure you are choosing the color palette wisely.

Consistency is Key

Consistency is such a generic term to brand your University. The main question is: In what terms and aspects do you have to be consistent? The answer is  “everything”. Make sure you are adapting to all the changes occurring in the market and accepting those changes. Regularly updating is crucial to showing that you are active and ready to take action at any time.

Online branding also requires great attention, You must be consistent with uploading and promoting your achievements on social media. This will enhance engagement on your social media handles, and your followers will get updates on the latest news related to the University.

The Focus should be on the “Value"

A lot of times, Universities waste so much time on marketing and branding that they forget about delivering value to their students.

It is important to have a precise understanding of your audience to build your brand. There must be a particular department of your University that has the highest enrollment of students every year because of the faculty or the skills taught in that particular department.

Use such things to build the brand and promote the University, this is a great way to showcase your exceptional values and make yourself appear different from the others in the market.

Competition Should not be Neglected

One of the common mistakes made while branding your university is neglecting the competition and not analyzing it properly. When it comes to courses and academics, most of the universities offer the same things. You need to come up with a unique selling point and also make sure that your USP is not similar to the USP of your competition. You have to make yourself look different from others in the market.

Make sure you are properly analyzing your competitors' weak and strong points to brand your university differently.

Conclusion

The right marketing and branding strategy can benefit you in the long run. Make sure you are considering all the above mentioned points and taking action accordingly. These pointers will help you deliver your message to your target audience through your brand and build an honest relationship with them.