Brands are no longer just a logo or tagline. They are how an organisation positions itself, communicates who it is, and differentiates itself. Brands are central to reputation, equity and trust. The same can be said for schools.
Whether they like it or not, schools today have brands. Prospective students see them as brands when choosing where to apply and attend, and when recommending friends. Potential employers see them when deciding whether students from that school will be a good fit. When recruiting staff, your school's brand is essential to attracting and retaining the right people. So why do so few schools think of themselves as brands?
The importance of a good brand
A strong brand gives an organisation an edge. It can help attract more people and protect a reputation when crises happen. A weak brand can quickly destroy value, even when the organisation is doing nothing wrong.
Why schools should think of themselves as brands
The goal of a school is to provide the best possible education, efficiently and sustainably. A school's brand is central to these goals. A strong brand can attract the right students, increase the applicant pool, and help secure the funding to deliver the best education possible.
Why schools don't
Schools are often so focused on the inside, on their processes, people and products, that they don't direct attention outward toward students and prospective students. They may produce brochures, websites and social media, but the branding message is usually weak, because branding is an outward-facing strategy that requires attention to audiences and their experiences. Schools can also be hesitant because they're not always sure what the core message of the institution is. That's a real challenge for mature institutions with a rich history and multiple specialities, each with its own culture, and branding can demand difficult decisions about what to emphasise.
Schools are brands, but many don't recognise it, and that's a missed opportunity. A strong brand can help any institution engage its existing audiences and attract new ones, and do much more to achieve its goals, whether that's better educating students or generating more support.
