Sept. 20, 2022

Purpose Driven Marketing Through Brand Storytelling

Purpose Driven Marketing Through Brand Storytelling

The most important part of storytelling in higher education is creating stories where students can easily insert themselves and be an active participant. 

 

Chad Wilson is the Vice President and Executive Creative Director of Marketing at Grand Canyon Education, an education service company that provides an array of support services in the post-secondary education sector, including work with their key client, Grand Canyon University.  

Chad oversees everything encompassing strategic work including creative vision, creative development and consumer research to dynamic media plans and multi-platform initiatives. In this episode, Chad breaks down purpose-driven branding, marketing, and storytelling and why it is important in higher education marketing.  

Join us as we discuss:

  • The definition of purpose driver marketing and what it means to Chad
  • The importance of aligning the DNA of your brand with your students’ values
  • The importance of authentic storytelling in marketing 

GCE Agency Vimeo showcase: https://vimeo.com/showcase/gceadagency 

The Higher Ed Marketer podcast is brought to you by Caylor Solutions, an Education Marketing, and Branding Agency.

    

 

Transcript
WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:06.280 The High Red Marketering podcast is sponsored by the ZEMI APP enabling colleges and universities 2 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:15.160 to engage interested students before they even apply. You're listening to the Higher Ed 3 00:00:15.240 --> 00:00:20.480 Marketer, a podcast geared towards marketing professionals in higher education. This show will 4 00:00:20.519 --> 00:00:25.399 tackle all sorts of questions related to student recruitment, donor relations, marketing trends, 5 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:30.160 new technologies and so much more. If you're looking for conversations centered around 6 00:00:30.199 --> 00:00:34.359 where the industry is going, this podcast is for you. Let's get into 7 00:00:34.359 --> 00:00:45.399 the show. Welcome to the High Red Marketer podcast. I'm troy singer and 8 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:52.159 yes here with Bart Taylor and for this episode. I commit to you if 9 00:00:52.200 --> 00:00:55.920 you listen to it to the very end, you will be moved, you 10 00:00:55.960 --> 00:01:03.320 will be inspired and you will learn things about high ad marketing that you just 11 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:07.319 did not know. Today we are talking with Chad Wilson, the vice president 12 00:01:07.319 --> 00:01:12.879 and executive creative director of marketing at Grand Canyon Education. I'm sure that you 13 00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:19.040 are familiar with some of him and his team's work and that's why we invited 14 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:23.400 him to be on the podcast. But, as you'll see within this episode, 15 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:27.439 he is a leader. He exudes it, he lives at. Higher 16 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:34.040 Education is his calling and I can't say enough of the feelings you get while 17 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:38.040 listening to this conversation. Yeah, Chad does such a good job of articulating 18 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:42.799 so many great things about higher education marketing. Um, you know, he 19 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:47.439 he also exudes his own faith and a lot of what he is his own 20 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:51.159 purpose driven and what he does in his marketing and how that comes out through 21 00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:55.799 through the through the work of Grand Canyon Education and Grand Canyon University. He 22 00:01:55.879 --> 00:01:57.040 just has so many good things to talk about. I mean we talk about 23 00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:00.480 storytelling, we talked about Um brand, we talked about, you know, 24 00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:06.239 mission alignment and and really understanding your consumers and their DNA and how that aligns 25 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:08.719 with your school. So a lot of great things and, as Troy said, 26 00:02:08.759 --> 00:02:12.960 I mean stick around the whole episode. You might even want to listen 27 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:15.080 to this episode a couple of times. There's just so, so packed full 28 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:20.840 of good conversation and good information, a lot of practical things. Um. 29 00:02:20.919 --> 00:02:23.000 And and again, if I always say this, you know some of the 30 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:27.680 smaller schools. If you're listening, don't don't tune out and say, oh 31 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:30.520 well, we're talking about Grand Cannon University. There pound guerilla. That's not 32 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:35.520 gonna apply to me. It does. We make sure that it's practical and 33 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:38.840 it's going to apply to just the smallest schools. He's got so many good 34 00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:40.719 things to say about that. So I really think you're in for a treat. 35 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:46.639 Today we're talking to Chad Wilson about purpose driven marketing through brand storytelling. 36 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:55.919 Here's our conversation Chad, although Bart and I are very excited about speaking your 37 00:02:55.960 --> 00:03:00.719 truth around purpose driven marketing. But before we get into the conversation, is 38 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:07.400 there something that you've learned recently that you think would be worth sharing? I 39 00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:14.439 love to read and just learn from other folks their trials and tribulations, Um, 40 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:17.560 and any type of, you know, expertise field. So what I've 41 00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:23.520 been really um getting into recently is just different perspectives on leaderships and I've been 42 00:03:23.560 --> 00:03:30.759 reading a book entitled Extreme Ownership from Jocko Willing and, Um, I'm not 43 00:03:30.840 --> 00:03:34.319 through with the book yet, but I'm deep into it and boy, I'll 44 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:38.599 tell you, there are so many lessons and this book about leadership and many 45 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:42.680 of them you may have, you know, in your own world, like 46 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:46.319 been implementing, but to hear it in the context of from a navy seal 47 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:52.840 Um, you know, operator, commander, etcetera, and how important really 48 00:03:52.840 --> 00:03:59.240 strong leadership is. It's really interesting in the concept around extreme ownership can be 49 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:02.120 kind of summed up in this quote by Jocko that I found really interesting. 50 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:06.039 I just thought I would share it with the broader audience here. A leader 51 00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:11.400 must be attentive to details, but not obsessed with them. They must be 52 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:15.439 strong but have endurance. The leader must be humble but not passive. They 53 00:04:15.519 --> 00:04:20.000 must be close to subordinates, but not too close. A leader must exercise 54 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:27.120 extreme ownership, but employee decentralized command. They must have nothing to prove but 55 00:04:27.399 --> 00:04:31.199 everything to prove. So you know, when I think about those words said 56 00:04:31.240 --> 00:04:36.879 there with my own team and other teams within my marketing group, I couldn't 57 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:40.439 agree more with it. You know, there's so many, so much to 58 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:45.680 meet to what he said and when you can have this concept of extreme ownership 59 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:48.360 what you're doing, what that means is like when everything goes down, if 60 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:53.319 anything goes down on your team, you, as the leader, you own 61 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:56.560 every bit of it. There could be fault with what you did, you 62 00:04:56.600 --> 00:04:59.920 could be fault with one of your team members, but it's your issue if 63 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:04.079 somebody on your team didn't execute to the agreed on plan. So what happened? 64 00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:09.839 Start with yourself on it and move forward. So it's really great. 65 00:05:10.199 --> 00:05:14.360 Thanks, Chad, and I think you've hit on the reasons why we wanted 66 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:19.720 you as a guest and the organization that you lead. I think a lot 67 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:25.639 of marketer, especially in higher education, will be familiar with the results and 68 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:29.720 the work that you do leading into it. If you could please tell everyone 69 00:05:29.879 --> 00:05:34.720 about Grand Canyon Education and then your roll as vice president and executive creative director, 70 00:05:36.040 --> 00:05:41.079 give us an introduction and what that entails. So Yeah, Chad Wilson, 71 00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:45.560 vice president, executive creative director. Um, I work at Grand Canyon 72 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:49.120 Education. We Are Higher Education Service Provider Company. Um. So what that 73 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:54.959 what that means really is is we help universities do a lot of different things, 74 00:05:55.000 --> 00:06:00.000 but one of the main functions is enrollment marketing services. Sometimes it's account 75 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:02.399 being and some other other issues that they may need help with. So it's 76 00:06:02.439 --> 00:06:08.639 it's quite quite broad. Um. But particularly what what I do is, 77 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:15.240 Um, I manage marketing activities for a big portion of what we do for 78 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:17.439 our clients. Um, we have a number of clients that are in higher 79 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:23.879 education space. Um the one of the pre eminent names that might folks might 80 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:29.360 know. It's grand can university. We also service a number of other UM 81 00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:34.519 partners for specific programs, Um in nursing, and there's many of them around 82 00:06:36.120 --> 00:06:42.399 somewhere in that that realm. And we also service K twelve education Um, 83 00:06:42.439 --> 00:06:47.319 all encompassing. So if it's a public school or a private school or a 84 00:06:47.319 --> 00:06:55.199 private Christian School, Um. The idea is education is super important all levels 85 00:06:55.680 --> 00:07:00.319 of it. It's the great equalizer and we want to help folks achieve their 86 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:05.920 dreams and their goals through education. So that's really a summary of kind of 87 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:11.519 what we all do at g C. Thank you. And we had a 88 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:16.720 previous conversation and we had a robust conversation about the topics that we were going 89 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:21.240 to discuss today, storytelling, marketing and branding, and when we tried to 90 00:07:21.319 --> 00:07:27.879 figure out what we would title this episode, You came back and said purpose 91 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:32.759 driven marketing through branded storytelling, and that was so compelling. So I would 92 00:07:32.839 --> 00:07:38.600 love for you to describe what the definition of purpose driven marketing is to you. 93 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:45.759 Purpose driven marketing is has become a buzzword in the industry, not just 94 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:53.800 in education. Marketing, but in just marketing industry period, and I would 95 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:58.920 just like to spend a moment to just kind of discuss, you know why 96 00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:05.120 I think that that term purpose has been co opted by brands that big, 97 00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:11.879 small, international, you know whatever, um to fit within this kind of 98 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:18.759 trend of purpose driven marketing. And when, when I think of purpose driven 99 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:24.959 marketing associated with what we do for Grand Canyon University, for instance, there's 100 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:35.200 purpose built into the framework of of what the institution does. Without purpose, 101 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:41.799 GCU wouldn't exist. And what's interesting about it the students that attend Gcu the 102 00:08:41.960 --> 00:08:46.519 purposes in them. So what Grand Canyon University does, number one is recognized 103 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:52.720 that. So Grand Canny University Um is fortified with all of the things you 104 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:58.320 would think of higher institution, Education Institution, so excellent academic programs, many 105 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:05.000 different Opportun unities for different students, Um, Bachelor's, doctoral, master level 106 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:09.879 programming, uh, all of those things in c double a, opportunities for 107 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:16.159 the the traditional campus, all the things you think of an highergy institution like. 108 00:09:16.440 --> 00:09:20.519 That's what GCU does. But what's different is the approach to the student, 109 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:26.919 because the purpose lives in the student and whatever their goal, passions, 110 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:31.679 calling is. That's where the purpose and the beauty comes from. Now, 111 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:37.120 tying back to how I was saying, some of the other marketing trends are 112 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:41.120 happening with this purpose driven marketing. What I see out there, UM, 113 00:09:41.159 --> 00:09:45.519 in many instances is, you know, you've got a lot of big brands 114 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:48.879 out there and they have board of directors like many many, even small ones 115 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:52.039 do as well, but they have to follow up with their e s g 116 00:09:52.200 --> 00:09:56.240 metrics, and these e s g metrics could be just things that are natural 117 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:00.840 to their business. Sometimes they're not. Maybe they have to answer something that 118 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:03.360 the board is or maybe their investors are like saying hey, this, that 119 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:05.799 or the other thing. So then they're put in a position to say, 120 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:11.480 how do I find a purpose that we can rally behind and then create a 121 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:15.960 marketing connection and then get that out to the our consumer base and hopefully it 122 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:18.000 will resonate, so on and so forth. So I think in a lot 123 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:24.879 of those instances it's a manufactured kind of purpose driven marketing strategy and I think 124 00:10:24.919 --> 00:10:28.720 the audiences and the consumers see it and it's unfortunate, and I just wanted 125 00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:33.799 to draw the distinction there because I really feel at the you know, GC 126 00:10:33.960 --> 00:10:37.759 is a Christian University. So there's missional aspects to what they're doing. That 127 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:41.200 is undeniable and when you look at it through a Christian world perspective, it's 128 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:48.240 it's just even more Um, powerful of a purpose kind of mindset going into 129 00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:52.759 what they do. So, whether it's through just their communications, through Enroman 130 00:10:52.840 --> 00:10:58.240 counselors or faculty and staff with students, or or in our marketing, Um, 131 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:01.759 it's there, it's baked in, it's that's what it is. I 132 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:05.120 love that and I think that, as you were talking about it, because 133 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:07.440 that was gonna be one of my follow up questions, was the idea of, 134 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:09.240 you know, a lot of places, especially, you know, Christian 135 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:13.000 universities, will say, well, we're mission driven marketing or were mission driven, 136 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:16.679 uh, in what we're doing and that that seems like that's a piece 137 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:22.399 of Um, purpose driven marketing. But even like a, let's say a 138 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:26.840 state school, if they have a you know, I'm thinking of Purdue University. 139 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:28.279 Ethan Braden has been on the show a couple of times and you know, 140 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:33.240 there there's is the pursuit of excellence and and so their purpose is excellence 141 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:37.080 and everything that they do and that's going to come through in the way the 142 00:11:37.080 --> 00:11:41.799 admissions counselors engage with the students, the customer service, the academics, those 143 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:43.559 types of things. So it's so. What I'm hearing you say is that 144 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:50.080 purpose driven marketing isn't necessarily mission driven all them. That might be a subset 145 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:54.960 of it and there might be natural ways that different types of institutions can fit 146 00:11:56.120 --> 00:11:58.559 up under the purpose, but at the end of the day everybody needs to 147 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:03.639 understand and what their purpose is. Is that correct? Yeah, absolutely. 148 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:09.960 Understanding your your values, understanding your consumers values, how do they align, 149 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:16.440 and then making sure that the DNA within both our symbiotic is really the core 150 00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:22.679 of it. So with with G C U, the brand is really built 151 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:28.000 because of the reflection of the student body that attends G SEU. Right Um, 152 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:35.559 which which is pretty Um. It's a beautiful thing really. It's I 153 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:39.519 don't know how to describe it in words. If you step onto the campus 154 00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:46.159 you are you kind of walk into a different world. Everybody is gracious, 155 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:50.879 everybody is welcoming. It's it's like I used to work in a five star, 156 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:58.039 five diamond resort through college, my Undergrad and one of the things I 157 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:03.759 learned was just excellent customer service and it's almost like everybody at Gcu has those 158 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:07.919 qualities just baked in there and it's just wonderful. So like there's just this 159 00:13:09.080 --> 00:13:11.320 nature about it Um, and it doesn't have to be the students or it 160 00:13:11.320 --> 00:13:16.039 doesn't have to be the athletes or the faculty, of the staff, whoever 161 00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:20.679 you come in contact with at g cu, you just you end up with 162 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:24.600 a smile on your face and you leave and you're like wow, what a 163 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.480 remarkable place. And it's because there's such an alignment with the mission, the 164 00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:31.960 passion for what they're doing, Um, and everything. So it's really unique. 165 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:35.320 So it's a I think it's a DNA alignment Um, which is really 166 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:39.240 interesting. But I'm guessing, because I do a lot of work with different 167 00:13:39.320 --> 00:13:45.159 Christian universities. Even though that alignment might be there and there might be those 168 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:50.679 things on campus, getting everyone to understand how that translates into marketing is often 169 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:54.519 very difficult, and so I'm guessing that what you're doing with the purpose driven 170 00:13:54.519 --> 00:14:01.000 marketing umbrella and the way that you are then defining the brand and communicating the 171 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:05.159 brand, that takes a lot of work and it's not something that just because 172 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:09.080 you know, the school's mission aligns with the prospective students mission. That's this 173 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:13.039 basis. That's the start, but I'm guessing there's a lot that builds on 174 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:16.120 top of that. I mean, just from a pure marketing perspective, you 175 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:20.279 have to you have to look under the hood, so to speak, and 176 00:14:20.279 --> 00:14:24.240 and really get to know your audience is really well, Um, through research, 177 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:31.440 you know, tactics and other things, and just conversations and Um engaging 178 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:35.919 and having conversations. I think conversations are one of the best tools that a 179 00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:39.480 marketer could have, um, in any in any type of marketing. But 180 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:46.759 yeah, you know, we also look at from a leadership standpoint. They 181 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:52.799 look at not just the programs that are important for getting the students Um career 182 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:56.440 ready for whatever their purpose is ultimately going to be, and how those aligned, 183 00:14:56.120 --> 00:15:03.679 but when we're talking about alignment of messaging and stories that we can leverage 184 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:11.320 in marketing, the the executives and the leaders of the universe diversity in the 185 00:15:11.320 --> 00:15:18.200 institution, they're they're following a path through Christ in so many ways that they're 186 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:24.519 developing programs that address needs in the world and they're they're looking back at those 187 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:31.960 needs and saying how can we as an institution, solve this thing by whatever? 188 00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:37.360 Is it a different program? Is it a different access point Um for 189 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:43.399 students that may not be suited for a four year college degree? Or maybe 190 00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:46.480 it's a some other way that we can get them or maybe they're having a 191 00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:52.240 huge amount of struggle in their high school and they don't have tutoring Um available 192 00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:56.720 to them. Can we offer a tutoring program? Oh yeah, we can. 193 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:58.080 Well, let's not just do that, let's turn it into a scholarship 194 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:03.200 opportunity for some our lower income neighbors and let's change their life. Okay, 195 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:07.559 that sounds great. So now there's a program that has impact and now you 196 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:11.840 have a marketing message that you can use Um to to share that message and 197 00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:15.440 bring more people in and and really change lives. And that's ultimately what I 198 00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:18.440 think higher education marketing is about. And when you're talking about purpose driven like 199 00:16:18.919 --> 00:16:25.440 that, is life changing. That's future generation altering. A lot of great 200 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:27.480 things that can come out of that when you're when you have invested interest in 201 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:33.120 all those things. So that's great, so inspiring, because troy and I've 202 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:37.399 talked before on the podcast. I mean we're both first gen students and have 203 00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:41.320 experienced that ourselves and part of the reason, that's why I'm, you know, 204 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:45.200 moved out of the corporate world into higher ed because I wanted to kind 205 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:48.480 of give back to that that impact. So that's great to hear. You 206 00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:52.120 had mentioned earlier about just the conversations and the research and some of the other 207 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:53.799 things. What kind of team does that take? I mean, tell us 208 00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:56.679 a little bit about the team at G C and and and the team that 209 00:16:56.759 --> 00:17:00.039 you are leading. And from a marketing and point what what does that look 210 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:03.159 like? Let me just give a little bit of a kind of a top 211 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:06.440 down scenario. I'M gonna keep it brief because I could go off in all 212 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:10.119 these different tangents. But you know, we have a CMO and then there's 213 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:14.920 two vice presidents, myself and my counterpart. Um counterpart oversees a whole different 214 00:17:14.920 --> 00:17:19.119 side of the department. I oversee the creative side, Um, and my 215 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:26.160 creative team is built up of creative brand marketers. I even have a media 216 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:30.160 kind of strategist side to the brand marketing team, which isn't common for a 217 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:36.039 creative group. Um. They also deal with consumer engagement, research and strategy 218 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:41.119 development that informs the creative and then the other side, Um, is all 219 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:45.319 my creative folks. So my CD, my art director, my our directors, 220 00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:51.279 my copywriters, I have a multimedia group. So photographers, Um, 221 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:56.599 uh DP, so, director of photographer, Um, editors, so on 222 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:59.920 and so forth. Photographers. I might have said that before in a video 223 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:04.720 at any post production team. So Um, pre robust group of really smart 224 00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:10.960 creative individuals. and Um, we we, we dig down in deep and 225 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:15.720 we we, we, um. We love what we do and I think 226 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:21.160 that's really important in any occupation that you might have. But one of the 227 00:18:21.240 --> 00:18:23.279 things that I try to get my team to constantly do is, like, 228 00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:26.720 what are we solving for? What are we trying to get out of this? 229 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:30.759 What else is there? What are we missing? Um, do we 230 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:34.039 really understand the full nature of this program that we're putting out shoot? What 231 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:38.240 kind of research do we need to really kind of around that square peg that 232 00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:41.799 fitted in the right hole? Like what are what are we doing? So 233 00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:47.119 the mindset is to learn and grow and try and fail and get up and 234 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:49.160 do all of those things. So I think I'm going off on a tangent 235 00:18:49.160 --> 00:18:55.519 on all a bunch of different parts of this but Um, yeah, you 236 00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:59.759 know, and I think because the way that I have my my work set 237 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:04.759 up. It's not a traditional type of you know agency model where, Um, 238 00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:07.839 the brand people are way over there and the art directors and the writers 239 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:11.119 are over here and maybe there's some digital people interspersed and then we go higher 240 00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:15.680 a bunch of different external production people. Um, we have done that and 241 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:18.839 we do that often on, depending on what we're executing. But we have 242 00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:22.839 a great team that does a lot of stuff just in house and they're excellent, 243 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:27.000 excellent people. So yeah, that's great and I think that, uh, 244 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:30.839 and you and I talked about this before and I just remind our audience. 245 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.279 I mean, you know, I know that there's a lot of small 246 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:37.119 schools that are listening and sometimes I think that, just pragmatically, I think 247 00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:40.279 you kind of set a few little things that I wanted to point out to 248 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:42.160 everybody, but maybe you can expand a little bit more. But I mean 249 00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:45.519 you've got people that are learning, you've got people that are focused on content 250 00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:48.839 and focused on, you know, understanding the consumer and things like that. 251 00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:52.799 I mean what what do you think is kind of that that skill set that 252 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:56.200 even just the smallest teams need to have? I mean, I think sometimes 253 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.519 people get overwhelmed. They asked me, you know, I'm at a conference. 254 00:19:57.559 --> 00:20:00.599 They're like, Hey, I've got two to have people on my team. 255 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:03.640 You know what, what what? I've got an opportunity to hire one 256 00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:07.240 more person. Who should I hire? What should I do? Um, 257 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:11.240 and I and sometimes it's it's difficult, but I think that sometimes the skills 258 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:15.720 that you're looking for is more valuable than, you know, a position necessarily. 259 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:19.400 I think I think you you nailed it. Um. If you have 260 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:22.920 a really small team, and look, we've we've grown over the years. 261 00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:29.359 We were really small when we were first marketing GCU. After the leadership group 262 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:33.319 came in, two eight there's just a few people, maybe before people on 263 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:38.559 the team. So totally understand that perspective. But it's the traits and it's 264 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:45.119 the character, the character of the people. Right. So, you know, 265 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:48.839 you you first have to understand the vision, ultimate ultimate vision, and 266 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:51.200 understand that and they go, Oh my God, that's a huge whale. 267 00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:55.480 I can't just do that right. You want to eat the whale all in 268 00:20:55.559 --> 00:20:59.039 one bite. You have to just be pragmatic about it and say I'm gonna 269 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:03.960 eat this thing by after by after bye. So just looking at Um, 270 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:07.559 the resource, your human resource, not human resources in terms of the department 271 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:12.000 resources, on your team, and if they have the characteristics of people that 272 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:17.240 want to jump in and help and and learn and grow and and also understand 273 00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:21.759 like you're gonna fail and you're gonna drop the ball, but that's okay, 274 00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:23.960 we gotta get it done and we're gonna learn from it and you know, 275 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:29.960 those trials and tribulations make you better in every endeavor. I truly believe that. 276 00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:33.359 So if you have people that are willing to put that extra effort out 277 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:36.119 there and say, Hey, you know what, I'm not a I'm not 278 00:21:36.200 --> 00:21:40.759 a video person, but I understand that if if we're doing an email journey, 279 00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:42.680 because that's something we can we can do with a small team of three, 280 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:47.359 instead of just a written testimonial, I'm gonna get a camera, I'm 281 00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:48.240 gonna go figure out how to use the thing, I'm gonna go sit with 282 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:51.480 a student and I'm gonna put it on video and I'm gonna put it an 283 00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:53.359 email because it's gonna be more engaging, and then we can see how that 284 00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:57.640 performs over a written testimonial email thing and then before you know, you have 285 00:21:57.680 --> 00:22:00.559 an ad comparison. You get more engagement and you're like, okay, great, 286 00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:03.839 look, I've proven this out, boss, this is the way we 287 00:22:03.880 --> 00:22:07.880 need to do email journeys, so let's invest in a real va fucker for 288 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:11.279 a person. So I'm just throwing some thoughts out, but you know, 289 00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:14.480 it's really just getting out there and trying. Yeah, exactly, and your 290 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:17.160 example is exactly spot on. I use it all the time. I tell 291 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:19.319 people that, you know, what we have in our pockets these days with 292 00:22:19.359 --> 00:22:26.200 our our smartphones has more power than the average broadcast studio did ten fifteen years 293 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:30.279 ago, and I mean the quality that you can get out with sticking your 294 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:34.279 iphone or your galaxy on a on a tripod and getting a twenty lobby or 295 00:22:34.359 --> 00:22:37.599 Mike off of Amazon and, you know, a couple of ring lights. 296 00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:41.599 You can get some decent stuff and you don't have to have a huge team, 297 00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:47.079 you don't have to have a huge videography department. It's something that the 298 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:49.640 average content person can do and I think sometimes, I think you said it 299 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:52.680 well, you've got a willing just just be willing to step out there and 300 00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:56.759 try something. You might fail, you might not, you might actually hit 301 00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:59.039 it out of the park and, uh, you know, I had. 302 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:00.559 I had somebody a little tiny Bible College. It was just him. He 303 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:04.920 was the marketing and admissions director and you know, he heard me say that 304 00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:08.000 one time and he went back and and did that and he, you know, 305 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:11.799 got it on eye clips and did a little logo that animated their logo 306 00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:15.480 and put it up on facebook and he had more engagement, more people engaged 307 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:18.880 with it, on something that he did on the fly than he ever had 308 00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:22.960 before. And so it's that trial and air stuff. So thanks, Chad. 309 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:25.839 That's a great, great thought. I think about it in teams, 310 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:27.319 in sports a lot. I'm sorry, I just I wanted to add onto 311 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:32.200 their like if you've ever played a sport, you know you have a role, 312 00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:36.240 right and when you're out there on the field and thinking soccer specifically, 313 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:41.319 and you might be a striker or a front frontline person, if you're gonna 314 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:45.240 be hesitant to do something that's gonna put the team in an advantageous position, 315 00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:49.920 then you're not living up to the vision of what the goal of that team 316 00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:53.119 is to do, which is to win. So you have to be willing 317 00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:56.599 to to maybe take a punch in the head when you're going up for a 318 00:23:56.599 --> 00:24:00.400 head or to hit the ball in the net like that doesn't real good. 319 00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:02.319 But Hey, if you hit it and the goalie doesn't hit you in the 320 00:24:02.359 --> 00:24:03.480 head, guess what, you've scored, you in and then that's great and 321 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:07.440 you've learned from it. So you just gotta put yourself out there. We 322 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:11.240 talk a lot about it on the show. Schools are really struggling today that 323 00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:15.920 make the same at spend work. CPMS are up eight nine year over year. 324 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:19.640 On facebook and Instagram, our college clients are no longer looking for rented 325 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:25.160 audiences. They're looking for an owned community where they can engage students even before 326 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:29.079 they apply. This is why Zemi has become so crucial for our clients. 327 00:24:29.480 --> 00:24:33.559 With over one million students, close to ten thousand five star ratings, consistently 328 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:37.920 ranked as one of the top social laps and recently one of Apple's hot APPs 329 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:41.359 of the week, there simply isn't anything out there like it, and we 330 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:45.920 have seen it all. Zem Me not only provides the best space for student 331 00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:49.880 engagement, but the most unique and actional data for their one sixty college and 332 00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:55.759 university partners. We know firsthand from our clients that Zem is a must have 333 00:24:55.960 --> 00:25:00.720 strategy for Gen Z. Check them out now at colleges DOT Zeem Dot Com. 334 00:25:00.759 --> 00:25:07.119 That's colleges dot Z E M E dot Com. And yes, tell 335 00:25:07.160 --> 00:25:11.359 them Barton Troy sent you. Chad. We want to make sure that we 336 00:25:11.640 --> 00:25:17.960 tap into your branding experience and take the conversation there. A lot of people 337 00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:22.559 know Grand Canyon University and you said you do a lot of work for them, 338 00:25:22.599 --> 00:25:29.759 but you also do work for smaller universities and under the Grand Canyon University 339 00:25:29.880 --> 00:25:33.680 brand there are other things that you're developing brands for. So if you can 340 00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:37.680 introduce our listeners to that. And then, Chad, what we like to 341 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:42.279 do is tap into your experience and the recommendations that you would give teams as 342 00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:47.200 they approach their branding. Well, I think I will use the G C 343 00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:53.119 U Um University enterprises is a way to kind of get into the additional branding 344 00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:59.440 opportunities. So Um, one of the things that we do for GCU is 345 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:03.759 is not only the GCU brand Um, but it goes all the way down 346 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:07.759 to the low funnel enrollment stuff. So it's full funnel everything we do for 347 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:12.640 for GCU. But what GCU also has um and and this is where it 348 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:17.759 gets a little fun for the team because, Um, it's not just about, 349 00:26:18.839 --> 00:26:23.880 you know, higher education marketing. It's when they're they acquired um hotel 350 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:30.279 and they have a hotel Um and they have all these different enterprises. They 351 00:26:30.279 --> 00:26:33.400 have a beverage company called grant, any beverage company. They have a golf 352 00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:38.599 course, Um, and a printing and Promo Company and a bunch of different 353 00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:45.160 eateries, restaurants and things like that. So we get to help GCU brand 354 00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:52.759 those businesses and, Um, you still use the principles within marketing and branding 355 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:56.119 that you would in any any sort of function, right or if you're an 356 00:26:56.160 --> 00:27:00.680 agency or anything else. But you you get to play in a different sandbox, 357 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:03.559 which is great because it opens up the creativity. I think whenever you're 358 00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:07.200 looking at it work, you just don't. You don't want to be stale. 359 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:11.839 Um, and when you can do what you do, Um is your 360 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:18.319 passion, which for me it's marketing and creative development and branding, you you 361 00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:21.279 get to look at a different side of the house and go wow, look 362 00:27:21.319 --> 00:27:22.799 at look at that empty place. What do we get to do over there? 363 00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:27.359 Oh, this is a marketplace that I'm familiar with because I'm that consumer. 364 00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:30.640 Or you know, I like this. I like off. So I'm 365 00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:34.640 an. I do like off. I don't play it enough, but point 366 00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:41.319 being, as a Golfer you're gonna have a different approach to marketing than a 367 00:27:41.400 --> 00:27:45.799 non Golfer. But regardless if you are aren't, you still have to apply 368 00:27:45.880 --> 00:27:51.799 those those principles and then really get to work with the different stakeholders and discover 369 00:27:51.880 --> 00:27:56.119 what those the mission and the vision is for that entity and how that needs 370 00:27:56.160 --> 00:28:00.640 to come to life and things like that. So I think that the team 371 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:06.720 enjoy the variety of work around that type of opportunity. Yeah, and I 372 00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:08.960 know that. I know that. I've you know, my background is corporate 373 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:12.000 marketing as well. As you know, twelve years ago just focused entirely on 374 00:28:12.079 --> 00:28:15.960 Higher Ed. But I noticed that over the course, you know, like 375 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:18.519 you talked about being able to brand the restaurants, the golf course, the 376 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:22.960 hotel. You know, there's there's something in that type of branding. So 377 00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:25.359 that's a little different than higher Ed. But it's but it's not. I 378 00:28:25.400 --> 00:28:27.559 mean there's marketing, is marketing, but there's different audiences and things. But 379 00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:30.960 I think one thing that's unique about Higher Ed that I've noticed over the years 380 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:36.519 that that I think that I I don't take for granted. I think sometimes 381 00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:38.440 people who have been in higher end their entire career might take for granted. 382 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:44.759 Is just the way that the faculty influence marketing on a on a college campus, 383 00:28:44.759 --> 00:28:48.359 I mean academia. We need to respect that. I mean that's certainly 384 00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:55.880 the tradition, but sometimes academia can put things into the marketing realm that is 385 00:28:56.480 --> 00:28:59.920 challenging for us as marketers to kind of navigate. Tell us a little bit 386 00:28:59.920 --> 00:29:03.400 of out how your team kind of approaches that. I'M gonna use this as 387 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:08.440 a transition to the evolution of the G cu mission, because when i read 388 00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:12.839 this mission to you you'll understand why I wanted to use this to connect to 389 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:18.640 the faculty piece, because this this this is also really part of the theme 390 00:29:18.680 --> 00:29:23.119 here of the purpose or of the marketing angle. But Um, this will 391 00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:29.359 help put context and how, Um, the academio side, academic side, 392 00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:33.400 Um and marketing kind of come together to on the same playing field. So, 393 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:37.359 Um, this is an evolution. This has been you know, the 394 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:42.559 original mission was was good and sound, Um, but over time GCU really 395 00:29:42.599 --> 00:29:49.599 started to to live the mission in. President Mueller put put some teams on 396 00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:52.400 it and this is what they've developed and it's gonna be coming out soon. 397 00:29:52.599 --> 00:29:57.960 So M G SU AS A missional, Christ centered university with an innovative and 398 00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:04.680 adaptive spirit that addresses the world's deep needs by cultivating compassionate Christian community, empowering 399 00:30:04.839 --> 00:30:11.799 free and virtuous action and serving others in ways that promote human flourishing. Through 400 00:30:11.839 --> 00:30:18.079 academic excellence, the university equipped students with knowledge of the Christian Worldview, instilling 401 00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:22.680 them in a sense of purpose and vocational calling that enables them to be innovative 402 00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:30.400 thinkers, effective communicators, global contributors and transformative leaders who change their communities by 403 00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:37.240 placing the interests of others before their own. It's a lot, right, 404 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:42.079 but it's deep, it's impactful. Every time I read it I get the 405 00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:48.599 chills. Um, we put together a video that articulates it Um really well 406 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:53.240 and really exciting to to help them launch this thing. But what is so 407 00:30:53.559 --> 00:30:59.920 valuable in that mission? To answer the question about the academic piece, everything 408 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:10.319 that the academic folks are doing is to help the students have human flourishing opportunities. 409 00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:15.039 So what is that? What does that mean? Their whole job under 410 00:31:15.079 --> 00:31:19.319 the provost and everybody is to provide the students with the knowledge and the critical 411 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:22.960 skills too. Once they get out into the real world, is to put 412 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:30.119 those things to use, but without understanding the human flourishing aspect and the vocational 413 00:31:30.200 --> 00:31:36.880 calling that comes from Um uh, being a person on this earth. Um, 414 00:31:36.920 --> 00:31:40.240 and if you're a Christian, you understand that we're all children of God, 415 00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:42.279 we're all equal, we're all from the same playing field, that this 416 00:31:42.440 --> 00:31:48.079 vocation is your avenue to live your life and for you to pursue those dreams 417 00:31:48.119 --> 00:31:52.880 and build your community and do all of those amazing things with your family, 418 00:31:52.920 --> 00:31:56.559 your loved ones, your friends, so so on and so forth. Um. 419 00:31:56.599 --> 00:32:00.599 So I think when the questions and the hard conversations happen around the table 420 00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:07.400 with faculty, Um Deans and provost and whatnot, in the back of everybody's 421 00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:14.519 mind it's like, how are we able to get the right communication out about 422 00:32:14.559 --> 00:32:19.839 whatever program or whatever detail that needs to be from an academic standpoint into the 423 00:32:19.880 --> 00:32:23.640 consumer's mind through this Lens Um? And it's hard, it really is hard 424 00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:29.359 in a lot of a lot of cases. But if you can connect that, 425 00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:37.079 um brigger, through the academic structure that Gcu offers or any institution offers 426 00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:44.640 Um to the students in goal of having this life in this vocation too, 427 00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:49.759 to become whoever they want to be. It's like this little Um light, 428 00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:54.279 light in the bottle type of situation. Um. So I think just because 429 00:32:54.319 --> 00:33:00.359 everybody at the table kind of understands this, it makes those conversations, even 430 00:33:00.400 --> 00:33:02.720 though that they can be hard sometimes, Um, at the end of the 431 00:33:02.759 --> 00:33:07.720 end of the day we're all trying to solve for that end goal. Um. 432 00:33:07.720 --> 00:33:13.279 So they understand that when I'm talking about a message, I want people 433 00:33:13.359 --> 00:33:20.559 to feel emotion when they're they're talking about a program or investing their savings into 434 00:33:21.440 --> 00:33:25.400 a degree program. Want them to feel that this is the right thing. 435 00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:31.079 I can I can be that person solving this problem for whatever community is, 436 00:33:31.720 --> 00:33:35.640 and if the language and the visuals that we can put in front of them 437 00:33:36.279 --> 00:33:43.759 Um to help them better understand that Um has to come in front of a 438 00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:49.440 academic phrase, then let's have that conversation and figure out how we can work 439 00:33:49.480 --> 00:33:53.359 together to get the communications solidified. That's cool. I love how that is 440 00:33:53.400 --> 00:33:57.559 all you know. You start with the mission and the branding and you kind 441 00:33:57.559 --> 00:34:00.960 of monografy it all together and then you know you've got these elements that start 442 00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:05.960 to come out this and I think probably one of the key elements, Um, 443 00:34:06.279 --> 00:34:09.400 is that storytelling, because the storytelling is what connects that emotional level. 444 00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:14.519 I mean it's so often people get tired of me talking about the emotion. 445 00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:16.519 I need to see more emotion. Emotion needs to be because, I mean, 446 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:20.320 that's that's the nature of story. Tell me a little bit about how 447 00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:24.800 storytelling starts to play into being able to execute and explain the mission. So 448 00:34:24.920 --> 00:34:30.679 I call it undeniable, authentic storytelling. So what does that mean? Is 449 00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:36.679 that another marketing trend, Buzzworthy, buzzworthy thing? Maybe, maybe so, 450 00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:45.599 um, but I think what what that ultimately means is you have, you 451 00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:51.239 have so many stories, some of the you know earlier, earlier on, 452 00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:55.440 or you're talking about you you have friends that work in really small colleges or 453 00:34:55.519 --> 00:35:00.119 universities with a marketing department of one or two people. Right, that person, 454 00:35:00.159 --> 00:35:06.480 the one person that you referenced before, if he probably trips over stories 455 00:35:06.559 --> 00:35:09.760 all day walking down the hall. What are you gonna do with those stories? 456 00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:13.320 How are you going to tell them? What what are they? Which 457 00:35:13.320 --> 00:35:16.199 one should you tell first, or or which one she tackles second or forth 458 00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:22.320 whatever. Um. It all depends on on what Um what the other goals 459 00:35:22.360 --> 00:35:30.280 are. But when you're talking about undeniable authentic storytelling is is there something that 460 00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:34.840 other people within the subset can relate to? Can they see themselves in that 461 00:35:34.960 --> 00:35:38.719 story? Can they can they relate a part of it? Can they um 462 00:35:38.920 --> 00:35:45.679 imagine themselves Um at the end of that story? Um, Oh that that 463 00:35:45.719 --> 00:35:50.519 could be me earning that particular degree or that. This, this story really 464 00:35:50.519 --> 00:35:53.679 resonates to me because I have a sister and brother, a mom or dad 465 00:35:54.639 --> 00:36:00.679 that had a similar story. So now I'm invested emotionally with this a little 466 00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:07.280 bit deeper. Um. So those campaigns Um that we've rolled out over the 467 00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:13.480 years that really lean into that, I think, are the ones that they 468 00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:20.559 resonate the most. They move Um, people from UH fence sitters onto the 469 00:36:20.639 --> 00:36:24.239 right side of the fence. Um, whether it's immediate or downstream, I 470 00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:29.199 don't really care for at least where I stand from a brand marketer perspective, 471 00:36:29.239 --> 00:36:32.559 creative market perspective. I just want them to to make that ultimate decision to 472 00:36:32.880 --> 00:36:37.800 come over Um. And there could be a lot of other tactics that bring 473 00:36:37.840 --> 00:36:42.199 them slower faster over. But my point being is, Um, if you 474 00:36:42.239 --> 00:36:45.000 can find those stories and tell it in a compelling way so people get emotionally 475 00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:50.079 invested because they can relate to it, then I think you're you're winning there, 476 00:36:50.199 --> 00:36:53.440 and we have a number of examples that I could go on about. 477 00:36:54.039 --> 00:37:00.000 Um. So yeah, I think that's important. I mean you've talked about, 478 00:37:00.159 --> 00:37:04.440 you know, their storytelling, it at a messaging level, at a 479 00:37:04.480 --> 00:37:08.039 campaign level, but then I also think that sometimes people forget their storytelling it 480 00:37:08.119 --> 00:37:12.840 even just a photograph level. Um, you know, the the idea that 481 00:37:13.360 --> 00:37:16.360 you know so many times people get tired of me talking about this, but 482 00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:19.199 you know, all somebody will say, Hey, can you look at our 483 00:37:19.239 --> 00:37:22.280 website? You know it's it's a lot of times it's a smaller school and 484 00:37:22.400 --> 00:37:24.239 you know they've taken pictures in the middle of summer when nobody's there and they're 485 00:37:24.280 --> 00:37:29.199 just empty, empty pictures with just buildings. And I said, what this 486 00:37:29.280 --> 00:37:31.880 shows me is that you've got a physical infrastructure, that that is a college, 487 00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:35.800 but I don't see any people. I can't see myself in this. 488 00:37:36.199 --> 00:37:38.920 And now all of a sudden the photo is a fact and not a story, 489 00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:43.239 and I guess that's the basic version, I guess, unless you've got 490 00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:45.280 some other ideas. I would love to hear your perspective on this. But 491 00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:50.199 even a photograph, if I put as if I put somebody in there doing 492 00:37:50.239 --> 00:37:53.559 something intriguing, now I have a story that somebody need starts spinning through their 493 00:37:53.599 --> 00:37:59.800 mind and they can then relate to it and engage into that photo. Um. 494 00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:04.800 Is that some of the things that you're thinking about? Yeah, absolutely. 495 00:38:04.920 --> 00:38:12.599 Um, still imagery. You're absolutely right. It is a storytelling construct. 496 00:38:12.719 --> 00:38:15.920 Even if, even if you're just capturing moments of activity vibrancy on your 497 00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:22.880 campus or in a program setting, a lab setting, be intentional about it. 498 00:38:22.920 --> 00:38:27.239 Don't just snap the photo. Think about what's happening and why you're there 499 00:38:27.280 --> 00:38:31.800 taking that photo and Um, and and tell that story. So, if 500 00:38:31.840 --> 00:38:36.960 it's just a general campus image, to your point, don't just show a 501 00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:40.840 blank canvas and think that the audience is going to see that and go, 502 00:38:40.880 --> 00:38:45.119 Oh, I can see myself sitting on that Park Bench. Put Somebody in 503 00:38:45.159 --> 00:38:50.599 that Park Bench doing something that you would commonly see that they can then go, 504 00:38:50.639 --> 00:38:52.559 oh, that reminds me of my friend or me, my girlfriend could 505 00:38:52.559 --> 00:38:58.440 be you know, whatever the thing is Um and Um and own it. 506 00:38:58.559 --> 00:39:04.440 And in what I your I said somewhere along the line you need to know 507 00:39:04.519 --> 00:39:07.719 your DNA really well. The beauty, the beauty about GCU, to be 508 00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:13.079 frank, is the DNA is is all there. We we know our things. 509 00:39:13.199 --> 00:39:19.000 We know we're Christian University, we're Um, free market, U, 510 00:39:19.320 --> 00:39:25.239 entrepreneurial, visionary, Um, getting deep into the sciences and bringing all these 511 00:39:25.239 --> 00:39:30.960 worlds together in a beautiful way. So what do we what are we what 512 00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:35.719 are we showing? We're showing those things in active participation and the when you 513 00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:37.440 take any if you go to our website and you look at some of the 514 00:39:37.519 --> 00:39:43.320 main imagery, you'll see you'll see the stories there. You'll see that Um. 515 00:39:43.440 --> 00:39:46.559 Yeah, so I think that's a good what I loved about just the 516 00:39:46.679 --> 00:39:50.239 still photography thing is that a lot of people just think, oh, we 517 00:39:50.280 --> 00:39:52.159 just need a picture, just go get a pictures. It's not. You 518 00:39:52.280 --> 00:39:55.079 gotta think a little bit more about what you're putting out there. Yeah, 519 00:39:55.119 --> 00:40:00.119 and it doesn't take much. Just take a little bit more time and go 520 00:40:00.519 --> 00:40:04.840 Um. And that can be for athletics and Um like, like I said, 521 00:40:04.960 --> 00:40:10.840 just general, you know, campus visuals or even particular college Um Story. 522 00:40:10.960 --> 00:40:15.000 So if you're in an engineering program or some other science thing, like 523 00:40:15.320 --> 00:40:19.679 yeah, it's cool to show all the equipment, bells and whistles and those 524 00:40:19.679 --> 00:40:22.320 things get I you know, people look at it, but what else can 525 00:40:22.360 --> 00:40:27.360 you add to those images to make somebody really want to be there, be 526 00:40:27.440 --> 00:40:30.400 in that, in that environment? As we bring the episode to a close, 527 00:40:30.440 --> 00:40:34.159 we would like to ask you, Chad, if there was a piece 528 00:40:34.159 --> 00:40:38.199 of advice that you could offer marketers out there that they can or should implement 529 00:40:38.679 --> 00:40:46.719 immediately. What would that be? I kind of would just go back to 530 00:40:46.840 --> 00:40:54.639 that. You have to try. You just have to get like I don't 531 00:40:54.639 --> 00:41:00.840 know what the thing would be for everybody, but they know they're struggles and 532 00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:07.679 if they're Um tiptoeing into the water, don't just be calculated about it. 533 00:41:07.719 --> 00:41:10.920 So don't be cavalier. Let's not be cavalier, let's be calculated, but 534 00:41:12.440 --> 00:41:15.320 get out there and try. So, going back to that email example, 535 00:41:15.360 --> 00:41:20.880 I think that's a really simple and there's super complicated automated email journeys, teams 536 00:41:20.880 --> 00:41:23.880 of I don't know, people that can do stuff, you know whatever, 537 00:41:24.280 --> 00:41:29.559 or you can be a nimble group or your own Um person building out a 538 00:41:29.599 --> 00:41:32.000 journey but you know what, what do you think? Or what are the 539 00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:39.559 what is the literature? The quick Google search say about Um engaging better, 540 00:41:39.599 --> 00:41:43.480 engaging emails? Oh, it's video, but then let's figure out how to 541 00:41:43.480 --> 00:41:46.519 get a video into our emails. You know, just be be calculated about 542 00:41:46.559 --> 00:41:50.559 it. Try. You'RE gonna fail and that's okay, and in earlier part 543 00:41:50.599 --> 00:41:52.960 you said you might not. And if you don't, then then that's a 544 00:41:52.360 --> 00:41:57.559 you hit it out of the park, but I'm not saying that failing is 545 00:41:57.760 --> 00:42:00.960 what you want to do. But when it happens, don't don't knock yourself 546 00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:06.880 down farther. Just look at what happened. They own it in an extreme 547 00:42:06.880 --> 00:42:12.079 way. Fix it and then, and then modify and grow and be more 548 00:42:12.320 --> 00:42:16.000 incinacious about it. Thank you, Chad. From the very first piece of 549 00:42:16.000 --> 00:42:22.480 advice that you gave us about the extreme leadership book and then also sharing the 550 00:42:22.519 --> 00:42:28.000 g cu mission, you have exuded leadership and we see why you're a leader 551 00:42:28.400 --> 00:42:31.400 in your or in our industry. For those that would like to reach out 552 00:42:31.480 --> 00:42:37.000 to you after this episode, in either contact to you or get to know 553 00:42:37.039 --> 00:42:38.679 you a little bit better, what would be the best way for them to 554 00:42:38.719 --> 00:42:43.800 do so? Me Up on Linkedin Chad Wilson and just when you search, 555 00:42:43.960 --> 00:42:47.199 just put Grand Kenyon Education, Chad Wilson and all I'll pop up. I 556 00:42:47.280 --> 00:42:52.280 was hoping I had some sort of easy extension, but you know, it 557 00:42:52.400 --> 00:42:55.599 was your l's get a little goofy Um, you know, and you can 558 00:42:55.639 --> 00:43:00.960 hit me there or yeah, all my other so shows I kind of try 559 00:43:00.000 --> 00:43:02.599 to keep that a little bit, you know, private, a little bit. 560 00:43:02.599 --> 00:43:07.840 So I think Lincoln is the best and if you want to look at 561 00:43:07.880 --> 00:43:13.400 some of the storytelling work, I've put together a showcase piece on our video 562 00:43:13.599 --> 00:43:20.079 so video dot com, slash showcase, slash G C E AD agency, 563 00:43:20.320 --> 00:43:23.119 and that'll give you an opportunity to look at our sizzle reel, but also 564 00:43:23.360 --> 00:43:30.400 a number of longer forms, deeper emotional storytelling pieces that we've done specifically for 565 00:43:30.800 --> 00:43:32.880 our partners. So thank you chat and if you don't mind, we'll put 566 00:43:32.920 --> 00:43:37.119 a couple of links in the show notes to make sure people can see examples 567 00:43:37.159 --> 00:43:40.519 of your work in some of the things that you mentioned today. But do 568 00:43:40.559 --> 00:43:44.880 you have any final thoughts that you would like to share? Yeah, I 569 00:43:44.960 --> 00:43:47.119 just wanted to say and encourage everyone, and you've heard me say this the 570 00:43:47.199 --> 00:43:51.559 last couple of episodes. Hit rewind and go back and listen to some of 571 00:43:51.599 --> 00:43:53.639 this again. I mean there's so much depth in what Chad was talking about, 572 00:43:53.719 --> 00:43:57.880 especially around the mission. There was just when he was talking about some 573 00:43:57.920 --> 00:44:01.119 of the new things that that G C E is helping Grand Canyon University do 574 00:44:01.280 --> 00:44:05.400 and and and kind of align some of their mission to then be able to, 575 00:44:05.880 --> 00:44:09.599 you know, really communicate the D Na. I think is so important, 576 00:44:09.920 --> 00:44:14.719 and I also think that there's just so many key elements that that Chad's 577 00:44:14.760 --> 00:44:17.880 kind of bestowed on us with with just the idea of some of the leadership 578 00:44:17.920 --> 00:44:22.960 elements, as well as just looking for ways to kind of fail forward, 579 00:44:22.480 --> 00:44:25.599 Um, you know, keep looking for ways that you can do something different 580 00:44:25.719 --> 00:44:30.599 or outside of your comfort zone, Um, and and be okay with it 581 00:44:30.800 --> 00:44:34.559 just maybe not working out to the percent that you wanted it to be. 582 00:44:34.599 --> 00:44:37.960 I mean, and you learn something, all the better. We we live 583 00:44:37.960 --> 00:44:42.800 in a digital age and it's it's not like you're gonna have a a skid 584 00:44:42.880 --> 00:44:45.480 of brochures you have to throw out. I mean, there's a lot of 585 00:44:45.480 --> 00:44:49.599 things that we can fail forward on that are not gonna really do much damage 586 00:44:49.599 --> 00:44:52.360 it, but it's gonna it's gonna get you skills that are going to go 587 00:44:52.400 --> 00:44:54.679 a lot further, and so be willing to take a few risks and and 588 00:44:54.880 --> 00:44:58.719 try some new things. I think that's great. Thank you, bark. 589 00:44:59.480 --> 00:45:04.480 The Higher Ed Marketer podcast is sponsored by Kaylor solutions and education, marketing and 590 00:45:04.519 --> 00:45:10.440 branding agency and, I think, patented a Marketing Execution Company combining print and 591 00:45:10.519 --> 00:45:17.079 digital assets for better outreaching communication. On behalf of Bart Kaylor my co host, 592 00:45:17.280 --> 00:45:23.760 I'm troy singer. Thank you for joining us. You've been listening to 593 00:45:23.800 --> 00:45:29.199 the Higher Ed Marketer. To ensure that you never miss an episode, subscribe 594 00:45:29.239 --> 00:45:32.840 to the show in your favorite podcast player. If you're listening with apple podcasts. 595 00:45:34.119 --> 00:45:37.400 We'd love for you to leave a quick rating of the show. Simply 596 00:45:37.440 --> 00:45:40.480 tap the number of stars do you think the podcast deserves. Until next time,