Brain Waves Blog

You need more stories, storytellers, and awareness of the stories other people tell that shape consumer opinion. That’s how you’ll stand out to prospective students, donors, opinion leaders, and rebuild the public’s trust in higher education.

A strong brand is a strategic advantage. In good times it helps you grow faster, and during times of uncertainty and change it’s a powerful anchor. A strong brand means you have increased audience confidence, greater credibility among public and private stakeholders, and a foundation to make challenging and innovative decisions. Your brand isn't just about visibility—it’s about credibility and building trust over time.

Brand and reputation management is one of the earliest and most significant applications of social intelligence. In the current higher ed landscape, reputation management issues surface almost daily. This broad topic stretches across all areas of campus and includes things inside and outside of your control. But you do have control over when and how you prepare for and respond to each situation. 

We’ve shared our strategies and recommendations for how leaders can rebuild trust on campus, but it’s not always as clear-cut to put it into practice. When we developed our social intelligence research, we had the opportunity to share it with Rebecca Ehretsman, president of Wartburg College. She shared some thoughts on the implications of our research.

Last academic year ended tumultuously for many campuses with protests and graduation converging at the end of the semester. We’ve spent some time thinking about how campuses can reimagine, reframe, and rebuild their place in communities and society—and the public’s trust—amidst the current state of unrest in the Middle East and on many campuses. A key concern is understanding how to center our audiences and their needs when we know they’re far from homogenous.

Alumni are a valuable asset and nurturing relationships with them contributes to the future success of your campus. Proud alumni share their experience with others to potentially sway an undecided student or make a gift to help current and future students shine even brighter on campus. Their authentic campus outcomes stories strengthen audience connections and generate positive affinity for your brand.