This document discusses how authenticity is important for higher education recruitment. It summarizes trends in recruitment from marketing in the 1980s, branding in the 1990s, to authenticity today. It advocates that a school's "DNA" is its authentic sense of self that connects with best fit students. The document provides an exercise to help schools identify their DNA by reflecting on the type of students they want to attract and the words that describe them. It says a school's marketing should authentically "reflect" its DNA.

1. Finding Your
School’s DNA
Jeff Kallay, TargetX

2. Your DNA isn’t
your Brand
It’s much simpler

3. Your DNA
is the authentic
sense of self
That connects with more best fit students

4. Authenticity
“We are searching to get a
grip on what counts for
people in their personal
and business lives.”
Pine and Gilmore’s website

5. History of Higher Education Recruiting Trends
1980’s Marketing
1990’s Branding
2010’s Authenticity

7. I’m an OK lover, but
afterwards I like to
Me too!
snuggle and talk.
AUTHENTICITY

8. Brands are
Mirrors.
Branding only works when it’s authentic.
We purchase on the basis of conforming to self-image.

9. “I visited and it
felt right!”

10. Authenticity
The new consumer demand
“America has toxic levels
of inauthenticity.
Time Magazine Report

11. Inauthenticity
That is the fundamental problem
with advertising: it’s a phoniness
generating machine.

12. Inauthenticity
The easiest way to be perceived
as phony is to advertise things
you are not.

13. Inauthenticity
Most higher education marketing
renders inauthenticity

14. Brands are
Mirrors.
Branding only works when it’s authentic.
We purchase on the basis of conforming to self-image.

16. The Mirror
Exercise

17. Take a deep cleansing breath
1. Look in the mirror
2. Write down five words that describe you
3. Look in the mirror again
4. Write down five words that describe
you on a good day

18. Now think about your school
1. What students would you replicate?
2. Write down their names
3. Write down adjectives and adverbs that
describe them
4. Pick Two - create a hybrid baby

19. Edit your words
1. Come up with five words that describe
your hybrid baby
2. Write them down on a separate piece of paper
3. There’s your DNA
4. Does your marketing “reflect” it?

20. Your DNA
1. These words should be the filter with which
all recruitment marketing touchpoints
2. Be authentic to it
3. Own it

21. “Average Students
Thrive Here”

23. Vulnerability
Vulnerability isn't a word that shows up on lists of ingredients for business success. Here's why it should: Without the willingness and ability to be vulnerable, we simply can't build
deep and lasting relationships in business and, come to think of it, life.
“Vulnerability is often seen as a weakness; it's
actually a sign of strength. People who are genuinely
open and transparent prove that they have the
confidence and self-esteem to allow others to see
them as they really are, warts and all. There's
something undeniably magnetic about
people who can do that.”
Businessweek

24. Keep It Real
SACAC 2008 Survey of 200+ high school seniors
Vulnerability isn't a word that shows up on lists of ingredients for business success. Here's why it should: Without the willingness and ability to be vulnerable, we simply can't build
deep and lasting relationships in business and, come to think of it, life.
“I believe that imperfections show character. That's what I
was looking for in a college. A school that seemingly has
no flaws during a one hour information session (or tour)
not only stands out negatively, but it comes off as bland
and ordinary.” Read the complete survey results Password: sacac

25. Finding Your
School’s DNA
Jeff Kallay, TargetX