The Role of Commercial Print in Higher Education’s Recruitment Strategy
In this age of digital marketing and social media, sometimes it may seem hard to notice how the role of traditional print materials can be either helpful or even play an integral part in the higher education recruitment strategy.
Beautifully designed and high-quality printed pieces are continuing to serve a very important purpose in branding at a university, appealing and relating to potential students. Be it customized brochures, campus guides in full gloss, or the craft of direct mail with much elegance, commercial printing is bound to be that cogent medium in enabling universities to outshine competitors in crowded marketplaces.
How nicely the printed materials elevate the recruitment efforts of a university, amplify its brand identity, and reach prospective students in ways no digital channel can is discussed here. By leveraging the tactile experience of print, universities can make a lasting impact and create an emotional connection with their audience-one that drives applications, admissions, and retention.
The Enduring Power of Print in a Digital World
Yet, while the go-to for so many universities seems to be digital marketing, print really does offer something unique. In today’s world of cluttered inboxes, ads in every corner of your social feeds, and banners plastered across your web browsers, print offers a pause. It allows an opportunity to approach information in a much more considered and haptic manner.
To read printed means an active process: to flick through a brochure, to read a personalized letter, or to study a viewbook. It’s this tactile experience that separates print from the transitory nature of digital content.
Besides, the sensory feel of a printed piece-hearing it rustle, seeing the brilliance of colors, and feeling its substantial weight-entails more emotional depth and lastingly than does an ephemeral ad on the screen. Printing is perceived as more permanent and substantive, and carries with it a sense of credibility and professionalism that digital communications sometimes lack.
How Beautifully Printed Materials Promote a University’s Brand
Perhaps the most valuable commodity of a university is its brand. It speaks to everything from the programs and campus culture to the experience the students have and the overall reputation. Beautifully designed printed materials reinforce this brand by putting into physical form the values, prestige, and quality of a university. Prospective students who interact with these touchpoints form a perception about the identity of a university through aesthetics, quality, and design.
1. Making That First Impression
The very first contact that a student will make with a university brand often is in print form: a welcome packet, a viewbook, or a personalized letter. The quality of that print says a lot about the institution. A well-executed print, with attention to design and detail, instantly communicates this is a professional university, prestigious, and values excellence in all aspects.
For instance, a well-designed brochure can project the culture of the university, academics, and student life in a very appealing and comprehensible manner. If a student prospectus gets a glossy, well-produced brochure, he or she is most likely to build a perception in the mind that the university is indeed of high standards-a place where they will get a quality education and an enriching campus life experience.
2. Creating Brand Consistency Across Channels
Universities are seriously investing in creating a robust, cohesive brand presence through their websites, social media profiles, and email campaigns. Printing is the essential extension of that digital brand. The flow of design, color schemes, typography, and messaging between both digital and print should be cohesive to create one universal experience for prospective students.
For instance, a student who gets an email invitation for a campus tour will see the same look and feel when he gets a follow-up invitation in the mail. This creates continuity, reinforcing the identity of the university and making the student feel part of something bigger-a community that is professional, organized, and thoughtful in its communications.
3. Increasing the Perceived Value of the University
The quality of print materials could very well create a difference in how a university presents itself. It is where prospects hold a finely printed brochure or a personalized packet about admissions that automatically links to how the university’s programs are.
In other words, high-quality prints, such as a thick, matte brochure or even a die-cut prospectus, give an idea of luxury and prestige; thereby, this signifies that the establishment is serious enough about its brand and what the students experience in the university.
In contrast, poorly designed print materials-those that are low budget or evidencing little attention to detail-can decrease the perceived value of the university. Well-designed print pieces raise a university’s profile and help recruits see it as a place that invests in its image and, by association, in its students’ experience.
Improving Recruitment through Personalization with Variable Data Printing
One of the most powerful ways universities can use print to their advantage is through VDP. It allows the personalization of print based on particular data points about the prospective student. With VDP, universities are able to send targeted, personalized communications speaking directly to the interests, needs, and aspirations of each student.
For example, a university could mail a customized brochure that includes the student’s name, academic interests, and available program offerings. It may mention certain scholarships or even campus activities specific to the desires of that one student. The depth of personalization would make a potential student feel wanted and important, therefore wanting to learn more about that particular university.
This technology also allows higher education institutions to send direct pieces at crucial intervals in the recruiting cycle, directly after a visit to campus has taken place or exactly when a student has completed their application.
Sending these personalized printed pieces on timing secures an experience that keeps such prospective students going and further entices them deep into the decision-making process.
Print as a Storytelling Medium for University Culture
Telling one’s story is one of the most important parts of a university’s recruitment strategy. Print offers a unique opportunity to do just that-to bring a university’s story to life through rich visuals, storytelling, and design. A well-crafted brochure or viewbook can capture the essence of a university’s campus life, academic environment, and student experience in a way that is emotionally engaging.
For example, a university might use large, beautiful pictures of students on campus engaging in various athletic or extracurricular activities while showcasing the quality of student life. The images meld with carefully crafted narratives about university programs, faculty, and values that create a sharp mental image of what it would be like to attend.
In addition to highlighting campus life, print materials can communicate the history and achievement and future vision of a university. It tells stories that include successful alumni, research, and community involvement-developing reasons students would be proud to, and excited about, attending the university.
Retention and Re-Enrollment: How Print Keeps Students Engaged
The role of print does not end when a student gets admitted; it actually is highly instrumental in retention and re-enrollment. Universities are able to keep their students informed, engaged, and excited about their time at the institution through printed materials.
Examples include regular newsletters, event invitations, and academic updates that help students stay in touch with the community of the university. Additionally, personalized materials about upcoming campus events, academic deadlines, or even internship opportunities will keep the student interested in the university and connected to their academic journey.
With returning students, it can also serve as a valuable tool in efforts toward re-enrollment. Custom re-enrollment packets, complete with information regarding new programs or changes in student policies, can make what may seem like a very impersonal process much more personal and smooth, thus persuading students to continue their education at the institution.
Long-term Effects of Print on University Recruitment
While digital marketing will continue to be an important component of higher education recruitment, beautifully designed print materials offer a singular advantage. They help universities create a strong, lasting impression, engage prospective students emotionally, and build a sense of trust and credibility.
By combining the tactile experience of print with the power of personalization through variable data printing, universities can amplify their recruitment efforts and attract the students who will thrive in their academic environment.
Let’s face it: print is anything but dead in the digital era. Used well, print can raise a university’s recruitment strategy to the next level of tangible, personalized, and emotive engagement with a potential student. Beautifully printed materials are a very strong tool in making first impressions, maintaining brand consistency, storytelling, and retention-from first impressions to the consistent development of a brand, telling a story, and even the art of retaining students.