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Most universities should focus on their own unique advantages for the best chance at enduring success with their brand.
By Dan Ratner
Marketing triumphs from within
Recent legislative changes and the higher Australian dollar are making universities work harder than ever to attract students. To do this effectively, universities are being pushed to rethink their branding. It is becoming more and more important to understand and communicate what makes each university different and appealing, for better marketing.
This may sound obvious; however, in the absence of a truly competitive landscape, many of Australia’ s universities have based their efforts on‘ category marketing’. This means that instead of selling the benefits of their own institution, they have promoted the merits of going to university in general. More specifically, this often manifests as an emphasis on employability outcomes – for example, trading off employment statistics.
In today’ s environment, this approach is not just problematic it’ s counterproductive. Potential students have already accepted that a university degree will be beneficial; their decision comes down to which institution is right for them.
Some of Australia’ s universities have had a natural advantage here. By virtue of their location in major metropolitan centres, city-based universities have a broader set of attractive benefits for potential students.
Other universities will naturally attract students due to their strong reputations at home and globally. World ranking tables have become an indispensable tool for �
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