How Universities and Colleges Maximize Value in Campus Communications

For universities and colleges looking to get the most impact from their communications budgets, it's crucial to understand the unique value propositions of the three core channels - digital, mail, and display. Each plays a vital role in reaching and engaging prospective students, current students, alumni, donors, and the local community.

Digital Communications

In today's mobile, hyper-connected world, having a strong digital presence is non-negotiable for educational institutions. The benefits of leveraging digital channels include:

Engagement: With internet and mobile app usage at all-time highs, especially among the prime college demographic, digital is key for keeping audiences engaged and informed. Static offline communications like displays can drive further interaction by incorporating QR codes linking to mobile-optimized content.

Cost Savings: Digital enables major cost reductions through search engine optimization for enrollment marketing, online class registrations, electronic billing statements, and more - eliminating printing, postage, and fulfillment expenses.

Environmental Impact: Communicating digitally significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with traditional print production and transportation.

Mail Communications

Despite the digital revolution, physical mail remains a mission-critical channel that can't be overlooked. From high-quality enrollment marketing packages to financial aid documentation, key communications must still be delivered by postal mail. The advantages include:

Established Channel: While digital reigns supreme in many areas, postal mail is an expected and respected delivery mode for certain formal communications from colleges and universities.

Postage Optimization: With postage rates rising consistently, strategically working with local mailing houses to presort, commingle, and optimize mail intake can yield significant postage savings.

Process Automation: Using vendors with automated printing, inserting, and mail processing equipment helps drive labor cost reductions while ensuring accuracy and speed-to-recipient.

Display Communications

From campus signage, banners and environmental branding to exhibition displays for special events like art shows, effectively leveraging print and display communications provides benefits like:

Branding Control: Working directly with display graphics suppliers enables more control over design elements and can cut costs by removing third-party markups.

Quality Assurance: For high-stakes applications like art exhibition catalogs or limited-run fine art prints, selecting G7-certified producers ensures the highest color accuracy and print quality consistency across media types.

By understanding the unique value propositions of digital, mail, and display communications, colleges and universities can strategically allocate resources across these core channels for maximum impact.

Parker Lake is a veteran of the document management industry having spent the earlier part of his career with Bowne & Co. as a financial printer and electronic data room provider.? After several years away from the industry during which time he became licensed in life insurance, health insurance and annuities, he has returned to the world of document management.? Reach out and connect with Parker on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/parkerlake.