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Podcasts Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO Episode 33
A President’s Role in Embodying a Brand
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Enrollify_ConfessionsofAHigherEdCMO_Audio_EP#33_AshleaJones_V3
[00:00:00] Jaime: Hi, I'm a higher ed CMO, and I have a confession to make. I actually really used to hate executive communications. I don't really have a good reason for why, except perhaps maybe that a lot of executive communications seem to crop up around crises and crises aren't, you know, the best part of the job.
[00:00:18] But I kind of grew to love it. That sounds kind of strange, but when you hear this conversation that I have with Ashlea Jones, who's one of my favorite human beings, and somebody I've known for a long time, who has really, really put a great level of thoughtfulness around how she approaches executive communications, it really changed my opinion and shaped how I think about it.
[00:00:41] And so I hope you enjoy this conversation, and I hope it prompts you to think a little bit about how you can maybe leverage your university's president to elevate your institutional
[00:00:50] Ashlea: brand.[00:01:00]
[00:01:07] Jaime: Welcome to Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO. The podcast designed for higher education marketers. I'm your host Jaime Hunt, and I am so excited to have this opportunity to share insights and inspiration with Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO. I'm designing a different kind of podcasting experience. With each episode, I'll be bringing in a guest for a deep dive into the challenges and joys we all face in higher education marketing.
[00:01:33] After each episode, you can join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag higher ed CMO. I would love to see this become like a book club, but for a podcast. And be sure to follow me on Twitter at Jaime Hunt imc. That's J A I M E H U N t IMC for more opportunities to connect.[00:02:00]
[00:02:00] I am so happy to be here with one of my favorite people in the whole world. Ashlea Jones, who is currently the interim senior director of news and Communications at Miami University of Ohio. Hi Ashlea. How are you? Hi, how are you doing today? I'm doing great. Better now that I get to have a conversation with you.
[00:02:17] Today, Ashlea and I are gonna be talking about executive communications role in a university's brand and culture because Ashlea is also, in addition to being interim senior director of news and communications, she's also the director of executive communications at Miami. And before we launch into our conversation, can you tell us a little bit about your higher ed journey?
[00:02:37] Oh, sure,
[00:02:37] Ashlea: sure, sure thing. My higher ed journey started about. A little over 10 years ago, my first job in higher ed was as a temporary support associate in the facilities business office. And so there I, that was my first introduction. Those are the people that, the group of people that kind of take care of the infrastructure of the university.
[00:02:59] I may, I was there [00:03:00] almost a year and then eventually I landed a job in the student support area at my prior university. That's the area where the tutoring, non-traditional student services, advising, those kind of things. That was that area and it was under the purview of the provost office. So I eventually landed a role in your department in the integrated marketing and communications department, and that's where I really got a chance to hone in my focus on internal communications and eventually work with the president.
[00:03:29] So my higher ed experience has been from the people that take care of the infrastructure to the people that plan the infrastructure and make the business decision. So I've had quite the journey and higher yet.
[00:03:41] Jaime: You definitely have, and I think in your current role, you support the president in a lot of ways.
[00:03:48] Can you tell us a little bit about some of the things you do in as the executive communications?
[00:03:52] Ashlea: Yes, in in my current role as the Director of Executive Communications, I am responsible for helping the president plan his [00:04:00] priorities. Our president, I help him with his priorities, with his speeches, with focusing on how his vision is translated to our campus community and beyond.
[00:04:10] So that's been super excited. I'm also a member of his president's executive cabinet, so I get to hear all the details and the planning and get a real big aerial view of the university and how it operates.
[00:04:24] Jaime: So I think you have one of the most important roles on campus, translating, like you said at at President's Vision to the campus community.
[00:04:33] How do you see his role in shaping and embodying a university's brand and culture?
[00:04:40] Ashlea: I honestly see the president as the face of the brand. So as a marketing communication professional, we get to do like great things and tell the story of the university, dig up the stories, plan the priorities, plan the pillars.
[00:04:56] But the president is the person that actually everyone sees [00:05:00] and they get their role. They are, they're able to interact with people that sometimes we don't have an opportunity to. So it's important that they live out the branch. Every day in all of the things they do, all the things that they write. One of the examples that I love is at my alma mater for graduate school High Point University, they have branded themselves as Premier Life Skills University.
[00:05:23] Right? And so one of the things that they promise is that every student gets an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people and their president. He's been there for almost 15 years. He has. Triple the size of the university. I think they have four new academic divisions since he's been there, but also he teaches.
[00:05:48] A freshman seminar class. The first year experience class. Yes. So he takes the time to do that. It's not unusual to see him walking to campus hosting seminars. I've been in a couple of seminars. He's an [00:06:00] author, so he's always handing out books and his course is life Skills with. Dr. Cobain. I don't know if he still does that, but that's what was going on when I was there.
[00:06:09] So he's actually embodies like the brand. And one of my favorite quotes by him is that he said, good leaders become what they want their followers to become. And I think that that's a great example of leading a culture at a university. And also, one of the things at our prior institution, one of the things that I was always so impressed by our chancellor was his affinity for his wife, to me, their relationship.
[00:06:34] Infused was just infused throughout the campus and it promoted that family environment that became eventually a part of our str strategic priorities. And being a family, even though it may sound cliche, it translates across generations. So it's like, it's also becomes a brand promise. You're, you come here, you come over here to work, you come here to learn, you come here to teach, you become a part of this family.[00:07:00]
[00:07:00] That's the president's role is so important when it comes to, to pushing that, advancing that brand forward.
[00:07:07] Jaime: You and I were talking a couple weeks ago about what Elwood we're talking about, Elwood Robinson at Winston-Salem State and the family culture that he brought to the university, and he really truly did.
[00:07:19] And I think part of that was he was so visible across campus. He was always willing to stop and do a selfie with students. He didn't walk around campus with an entourage. He would just go over to the dining hall by himself and get his. Fried chicken dinner on Wednesdays and that would be the most packed out day in there.
[00:07:42] You'd have to wait in line to get in and he would just talk to people and be just part of the university. And I think your observation, cuz you predated him, was that really, really shifted the overall culture of the university and that just really jumped out at me that, that. [00:08:00] Was just him being himself and being authentic.
[00:08:03] Yes. But I do think that there was some intentionality there that he wanted to create a place that he would want to be and then that's what came out of that.
[00:08:13] Ashlea: Yes, definitely. That's, to me one of will be his legacy. That would be his legacy. I and I it, and it really showed like an authentic way to infuse.
[00:08:26] A brand to brand to lead by an example. It was, I, there's no question that it's like, he's very family oriented. He cared a lot about the students. Like when I first met him, I, one of my student workers, we were helping with an in an initiative and one of my student workers wanted to meet with him. And he was open, his door was open, he was engaged with the student, heard his ideas, did not like, it was very inviting.
[00:08:54] Jaime: And he always had this open door policy and there was never a time [00:09:00] that I couldn't just walk into his office. Like it was just that he was just accessible almost in the extreme, but in a way that, that, you're right. I think the overall perception of the university and the idea of the RAM family, I think just was solidified with him.
[00:09:17] And I thought it was so interesting. You mentioned his wife, because you know, They were such a cute couple and so like mm-hmm. They'd known each other since like middle school or something, and I felt like they were also really good role models for what relationships can look like too. It was a special place.
[00:09:34] Ashlea: Absolutely. You remember I was his co-host for a little while on his radio show, and one of the things that we had a guest and they asked about something with his wife and he said, oh, I've known her since she was 12 years old, and she was special then, and she's special now. And you see, I've never forgotten that.
[00:09:51] That's so
[00:09:51] Jaime: sweet. That's awesome. Yes, so, so yeah, that's something Ashlea forgot to mention in her intro was that she also [00:10:00] co-hosted his radio show, which is, I think an important part of executive communications is that having a mechanism for communicating beyond just those letters that you send out at the start and end of every semester or whatever.
[00:10:15] And I'm curious about what your thoughts are on how. You think about diversifying what communications channels you use for putting out a presidential message?
[00:10:27] Ashlea: Oh, absolutely. So one of the things is every audience seeks information. Differently, right? So of course, email is one of the main tools you send out the welcome, welcome back, or at the end of the semester.
[00:10:42] Thanks for being here. But I think that it's important that the president's voice has a regular cadence. And so one of the things that's important is figuring out what that cadence is, because it's a, it's a balance because you don't want it to be so often that the voice loses value, [00:11:00] but then you don't want it to be so infrequent.
[00:11:03] That there's no connection besides letters, video messages, the radio show, different things. And one of the tools that we've used is also in my role currently is the President's newsletter, which sounds a little like, well, everybody does that, but one of the things we've made sure that it's like easy to digest, it's scannable, and it's also something that we've been able to repurpose for our external audience.
[00:11:29] We built it around. The President's vision, the President's purpose, it's easy to read. It's the initiatives that we have going right now, and it stays close to the brand when we decide what audience, so that regular cadence, those different mechanisms that we come up with, like the Chancellor's show. At my prior institution at Winston, it was one of those things that we had the, you know, it was a radio show first.
[00:11:56] It, we put it in different places. It was a podcast. It was a, [00:12:00] it was. Live on Facebook, we would play it on the, the university's radio station. So it had a lot of avenues to reach different audiences. And one of the things that is, it can be challenging, but like when we pivoted to it being a, a online platform, right?
[00:12:17] The sometimes the audience, the viewership wasn't where we wanted it to be that day. But if we wait a few days, we would have, we've reached thousands, right? And that just shows the long tail of marketing that it may not look the way you want it to look that day, but be consistent. Have it there, have the information there, and have it somewhere where your audience can see it.
[00:12:42] Jaime: So, yeah, we really leveraged social media with that particular tactic cuz we, we streamed it live on Facebook and I think when I, when I proposed the idea to, to Elwood, it was like, I didn't really sign myself up for doing this show every [00:13:00] week on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM live, but, you know, yes, it was the pandemic And you weren't going out to dinner with your friends or anything?
[00:13:06] No, no. But yeah, it was. Great. How we diversified what he did. And talk to me a little bit about how you're doing that now in your current role. How are you leveraging social media, speaking engagements, presentations, that kind of thing? How do you keep that consistently sharing that brand and culture message?
[00:13:26] Ashlea: So one of the great things that we have going now, besides the newsletter, and I mentioned that we repurposed that newsletter for like government officials and the government relations department uses it for their audience. One of the other things is leveraging the president's address, like the state of the university address, or if he just decides to do an update.
[00:13:46] We, this year, the president and I did a master slide deck, like had hundreds of slides. But we didn't use those hundreds of slides for one audience. We would break them up, we'd add, subtract, [00:14:00] change 'em around based on the audience. So we were able to use these slides, not only this slide deck, not only for like our internal audience that attended the state of the university or just address or watched it online.
[00:14:14] We also used it for like when he would speak with alumni, when he would speak with the board of trustees. It's a consistent message, but we would tailor it to the audience, the information that they wanted to hear, but it's still on brand, and so everyone got that same message. So that's one of the things that we have used that I think we did a great job with this particular year.
[00:14:36] With our presentations, with the slide decks, also making it, putting it where people would wanna see it. So like now we make sure that it's on the president's page. If someone wants to end, honestly, I get a lot of requests for those slides or for the video afterwards. Mm-hmm. So that's been something that has been, that's been great.
[00:14:57] Social media is something that I'm working on this [00:15:00] year. That's one of my objectives. So we leverage LinkedIn cuz my president. Does a lot of op-eds and things like that. So LinkedIn is like the ideal place for that. I'm trying to figure out what's the best, what's another platform, social media platform that would be great for him and great for his voice cuz I think that we could amplify his voice and the brand on social media.
[00:15:21] It is just figuring out exactly what's that sweet spot for it.
[00:15:25] Jaime: I know a lot of presidents have historically been on Twitter, and it's sort of this thank you to the fill in the name of the club for inviting me to the fill in the name of the event. It's always such a pleasure to fill in the blank with what you did at this event, and it to me, rarely rings authentic and it rarely rings.
[00:15:47] As something that people actually want to see. Like who? The people who wanna see it are the people who had the event, but wouldn't maybe a handwritten note or something like that be more effective than just this like mindless tweet out to the [00:16:00]
[00:16:00] Ashlea: group. Absolutely. So we do a lot of handwritten notes to like, Thanking people, congratulating people on their accomplishments, especially faculty with awards that they win, grants that they receive.
[00:16:15] We do a lot of that. There's usually a news story or something about that as well. So a handwritten note from the president. I don't think that's necessarily the place for social. I think social is more of the vision. The brand amplifying their voice on. And things that matter, like the future of higher education, those kind of things.
[00:16:36] But to be connected to the internal audience and some of external, we write notes and send personalized letters from the president saying how much we enjoyed and we love to come back and, and every letter is personalized. It's not just this blanketed. We are specific about what happened. It was great talking to you about this.
[00:16:56] It was great hearing your remarks about this or I [00:17:00] enjoyed attending and we may bring up specific points that happened there and I think that adds a lot of personalization and makes the person who received it
[00:17:08] Jaime: feel good. How do you think that plays into creating a culture at the university?
[00:17:14] Ashlea: So it does create a culture of, to me, gratitude and I'm a big proponent of, I feel like.
[00:17:21] Everyone when they do work, compensation is great, but you wanna know that you're appreciated and you wanna know the why behind why you, why you're doing what you do. And I think that that sometimes can outweigh compensation itself and sending those handwritten notes, personalized notes, and knowing specifically not just a blanketed letter that works for everyone.
[00:17:42] I think it, it stirs up something in the recipient. You know that hey, someone's watching. And, and a lot of times the president isn't someone that you know personally often, you know, and Yes. So receiving that I think is a great motivator and makes [00:18:00] really the recipient feel good and important and know that, that what they're doing is not just, Hey, I'm getting a paycheck.
[00:18:07] I'm coming here every day. But it's advancing the university and others are taking notice about of what you're doing.
[00:18:13] Jaime: I think that is such an important thing for leaders do. Noticing people, you are totally right, that we sometimes are just toiling away doing our jobs. Yeah. We get a paycheck, but not having that sort of, oh my gosh, the leader of this organization recognizes that I'm providing something to the institution that's valuable.
[00:18:34] That's a little like, okay. Okay. I, I'm feeling it. You know? Yes. A little bit there. Yeah. I love that. I love that. So from your perspective, what role does storytelling play in a college president's effort to shape the brand and culture of university?
[00:18:49] Ashlea: So one of the things that I have been kinda exploring lately, We're constantly talking about how higher ed is shifting.
[00:18:58] The culture is shifting, the [00:19:00] landscape is shifting. And it's funny because you can find articles before the Pan Pandemic that say the same thing, but I think the pandemic just exacerbated. You know, it made it like, oh my God, everything is changing, everything is rapid. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what I'm, I don't know what to do.
[00:19:16] You know, and Roman's down, this is down financial things. It's, it's so many things, right? And I think with higher ed, we sometimes get into a place of the data, the numbers, which is important, don't get me wrong. But just because something is better doesn't always mean it's preferred and. One of my coworkers and I, we had a conversation about this recently because I, someone could argue that Dunking Donut has better coffee than Starbucks.
[00:19:49] Right? But to me, what Starbucks has capitalized on is the experience. I have a friend that works at Starbucks, and she said that during the interview process, [00:20:00] one of the things that she was asked was, what's your favorite drink? Starbucks drink. And it's funny because I'm like, does the drink tell them about the person or does the, or is it that they know that their brand is so strong that everyone has had their dreams?
[00:20:16] So that's. It was an interesting thing to me, but so like in, in higher ed, sometimes we have very similar mission statements and there are schools that are better, but it's how you're telling a story. So back to where, like what I said about High Point, that they promise an extraordinary education. They promise that it's gonna be an in inspiring environment.
[00:20:35] They promise that you're gonna have caring people. Right? And so then we have to have stories that back that up, that show. That these caring people, this inspiring environment and how students are getting this extraordinary education. And so I think that even with the president, again, how I, I mentioned that sometimes the president has audiences, they're in rooms that we don't always get.
[00:20:59] [00:21:00] The marketing and communications person doesn't always get, yes, we have it on a news site also. We send it out on social media, but the president is. Also with a different audience. And these things need to align the stories that we are telling outta marketing and communication and the stories that the president is also telling.
[00:21:18] And you have to align that like data and facts with emotion. With things that are gonna stick to people that make like some of our, even our, the presidents of the United States. I know, like George W. Bush was one of the kings of this that I remember, is that he's asked a question and then he goes into the story, right?
[00:21:37] And that story is like, oh wow. Like I had a friend and his grandfather thought that George Bush was the best man because he was standing in front of a John Deere tractor. Giving a speech and his grandfather was like, that's a good man. Now, how likely is it that George W. Bush has been on a track?
[00:21:57] Jaime: Right?
[00:21:57] Right.
[00:21:58] Ashlea: How likely is [00:22:00] that? And then John Deere, the brand itself, him being next to that brand, spoke something about him as a man. So it's how it made the person feel. And so we have to translate that data, those facts into feeling. And the president has to use his voice to elevate the brand, but also know the brand.
[00:22:19] We have to be alive. They need to, those two things need to be alive. One of the things that I found that helps with that is planning how we plan for our brand concepts. We have marketing plans, communication plans, and one of, I'm a proponent for presidential plans.
[00:22:35] Jaime: So tell me a little bit about how you approach that, how you create a presidential plan.
[00:22:40] Ashlea: So one of the things I had to, I was fortunate enough that my president did outline like some of his, the things that mean a lot to him. That he initiatives that he cares about, what's his leadership philosophy, those kind of things. So I was able to use that to create a presidential [00:23:00] plan. And one of the ways that the presidential plan helps you determine how, who, when, and what's the purpose of it, right?
[00:23:10] So have a regular cadence, decide what audience, what platform that you're gonna use with the audience. To push these same initiatives that align with the strategic priorities of this university. And so that's how I've used this plan to inform, kind of like build connection while also pushing the university's brand as a whole.
[00:23:35] Jaime: Hey all. I hope you're enjoying this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO. I wanna take a moment to thank my friends at mindpower who are making season two of this volfi podcast. Possible. Mindpower is a full service marketing and branding firm celebrating nearly 30 years of needle moving, provoking research, fueled creative and strategy.
[00:23:55] Mindpower is woman founded and owned, W B E N C, [00:24:00] certified nationally recognized. And serves the social sector, higher education, healthcare, nonprofits, and more. The Mindpower team is made up of strategists, storytellers, and experienced creators from market research to brand campaigns, to recruitment to fundraising.
[00:24:15] The agency exists to empower clients and amplify brands and help institutions find a strategic way forward. You can learn more about their work in the world by heading on over to Mindpower, Inc. That's M I N D P O W E R I N c.com. And be sure to tell the crew that Jaime sent you their way. See you mentioned a little bit earlier that big master slide deck, which I think is genius and I actually have started to create my own.
[00:24:44] Personal master slide deck of all the presentations I've given with like, here's everything so I can pick and choose if I give a presentation in the future. It's a brilliant idea. How do you, when you're picking what you wanna have for a specific audience, how do you and the [00:25:00] president think through what stories are going to be the most impactful for that audience?
[00:25:04] Ashlea: So a lot of times, so parents for instance, so parents care a lot about what the university is doing as far as. Building not just the future of higher ed, but the how are you preparing the student for the future workforce. So the slides that you would use for that one would dis would talk about that. You know about the university, about great things that students can become a part of, but also what they can do afterwards.
[00:25:33] And that's super important to parents. So knowing that you take the slides, like what stories? Speak to that, what does the president need to say that speaks to those parents? What their desires are, faculty and staff, we highlight their accomplishments a lot of the time. So it's so funny, the person is usually surprised that the president.
[00:25:57] Included them in the speech, like I see on [00:26:00] some of my colleagues who were mentioned will post on LinkedIn. Oh, I was so honored to be part of the president's remarks today, and it's usually a surprise. And even if they weren't there, someone tells them they find a clip or someone sends it to them and they post it and it's actually a feel good, but also faculty and staff care about the direction of the university.
[00:26:21] Especially as it pertains to them, they're part in the university, what their colleagues are doing. Sometimes that's inspiring to like, think things that they may wanna also be involved in or like, oh, I had this idea. So we speak to them in that way. But also one of the things that sim, I feel like that every employee, even though I said the president is the face of the brand, every employee plays a role in the brand and the university.
[00:26:46] Right? So it's also picking those, those slides. It also is to inform. So one thing that's very important is that you, that communication comes [00:27:00] from the inside out, right? So you want your faculty and staff and students to notice information and not read it in media outs from outside media source. So these are also opportunities for that.
[00:27:13] Like if there's a certain initiative or there's certain something that is. That's happening in the university that we want them to know. That also determines, hey, this slide deck, this may be a good slide to bring up. Or even to bring something back to their remembrance that we had this and now it's here, it's happening.
[00:27:30] So I think that's one of the ways when we do like board of trustees, right? Board of trustees, it's the future of higher ed. So we think a lot about what's this future gonna be, what direction is the university going in now? And what do they wanna know about? And so we picked slides that tar, we target them that way, but also they too like to hear about the accomplishments at the university, that we have this extraordinary faculty.
[00:27:59] We have this extraordinary [00:28:00] staff. We have these students that are doing this amazing research. So we pull based on what we think the audience interest is.
[00:28:07] Jaime: I think this is so smart, like this whole idea of this master slide and this like pulling other audiences into the story because then that's activating brand champions, right?
[00:28:21] Like the president is going around in, in empowering people with stories about the institution that they can tell other people, and it's, I think, can be so massively overlooked as an important tool for conveying
[00:28:34] Ashlea: brand. I think that sometimes. Not just with the executive communications, but even with internal communications, I feel like they're the unsung heroes of a brand elevation.
[00:28:46] I do. Yes.
[00:28:50] Jaime: I remember giving a job talk. Like in 2007, so this is a long time ago, but it was like, what's my philosophy on public relations? And I remember [00:29:00] I created a little graphic, it was probably really ugly cuz this is a long time ago, but a little graphic that was like, you have to start with the internal audience and then you build out, and then you build out and then you build out.
[00:29:12] And I think sometimes you can hear the presidents talking about, we just have to tell our story to the world. But if your campus doesn't know your story, that's not good. That's like really not
[00:29:27] good.
[00:29:27] Ashlea: Like what if high points faculty and staff didn't know that the brand was, that the students are gonna be in an environment when inspiring people?
[00:29:37] What if they didn't know that? Like then it wouldn't work. So it has to be from, it has to start from the inside. I, I can't even explain how, it just doesn't work if your internal audience doesn't know what you're doing. And have you ever, like, not just in a paper, but like when you meet someone and you're, they're, oh, your job sounds interesting that how cool?
[00:29:59] And [00:30:00] they're like, oh, you don't wanna work here? Oh my God, you're ambassador, telling others that work. You don't wanna work here. And so that is, it's important to know why, or like I know being younger and my mom reading a paper like I heard, I saw this or that, or like there's been things that have come up at my prior institution that I've had friends send me and I'm like, oh yeah, I know about that and this is what this is.
[00:30:28] And it's important to have that like for your reputation.
[00:30:33] Jaime: Yeah, absolutely. That segues me super well into my next question, which is, how can executive communications play a role in crisis management and reputation management? And especially during those challenging times that your institution might face, how do you leverage executive communications or internal
[00:30:52] Ashlea: communications in those situations?
[00:30:54] So I do think that from the, everybody wants to hear from the leader. So one of the challenges that [00:31:00] leaders presidents have is one of them is the response protocol that last year, that was my, one of my priorities, figuring out what's the response protocol. Everyone wants to know, Hey, what is the president gonna say?
[00:31:15] What is the president? And your response has a lot to do with, I mean, it goes out into the world and it is out. Like it's not an in, it's no such thing really as an internal document, I sent this internal email, it goes out, sometimes statements, isolate. They're gonna isolate a group. Depending on what it is, right?
[00:31:35] So when it comes to crisis communications, I think that people wanna hear from the president, you have to be authentic, tell what could happen, but also have a level of positivity with it. It can, everything can't be gloom and doomed because that's the way I have this saying. You lead from the front.
[00:31:56] That's the way everybody else is going to feel if you. [00:32:00] Presented that way, but at the same time, they want to feel like they're being told the facts. They're being, you're being authentic, you're being transparent, telling me what's going on, but also giving me something to glean from. It's gonna be okay, we planned for this, so this was unexpected, but we're working on this.
[00:32:20] I think that that plays a major part in crisis communications. I think like especially when it came to. That was like something out of the blue. We all thought we were just going home for a month. No one knew that they would have to completely change the way we were working, teaching, learning. And one of the things that I found a lot of presidents to do that I thought was important was to consistently talk about the mission of the university.
[00:32:50] Like, Hey, we're still here to educate students. We're still here to give them a great college experience. We, we want you to have a great work experience [00:33:00] that's part of the mission of the university. Even though we're doing this differently, you know, pivot became the covid word. Even though we're doing this differently, I thought that that was like impactful because it kept people going like, what?
[00:33:13] Okay. Instead of it, Hey, what are we gonna do? What are we gonna do? Instead of being frantic, and we were a little frantic, but we also could say, we have this mission that we have committed to and we're going forward with the mission. And I think a lot of. Institution that were very successful, it was because they went forward with their mission, even though it may have looked differently than they had originally planned for it to be executed.
[00:33:38] Jaime: When I think about crises, I think back about, we were both at Winston at the time, but not in the same department. When there was that homicide on campus during homecoming and. I think about the chancellor's social media presence throughout that crisis, and hopefully he's retired now, so hopefully he won't be mad [00:34:00] at me that I eventually had to be like, we need you to stop tweeting.
[00:34:03] But he got a lot of kudos for throughout the time that we were in lockdown posting and responding to people, people were tweeting questions and he was answering them. And there was a point where it was like, maybe you're overly transparent right now, but. It was like people felt like there was a real human who was there who cared about this student, who cared about everybody who was locked out of campus.
[00:34:30] Cuz it was probably about one in the morning on Halloween. So, you know, people are probably not all back on campus yet, or trapped on campus who wanted to be getting off campus cuz there was an alumni event that night and it just gave this sort of, Presence of somebody that was a human being.
[00:34:49] Ashlea: Definitely, he definitely showed his humanity during that time, and it's, it's, and he led with empathy and it's funny, like it's a, that's [00:35:00] also a fine balance, like what you mentioned, that you kind of have to say, Hey, pull back a little, because you don't wanna take responsibility necessarily if it's against the university.
[00:35:10] Right. So it is a balance, but I love the way, you know, we just already talked about how he was approachable and he had empathy for the family, and I think that's a big part of crisis communication when it comes from a leader is being empathetic. So just like there's change management, Right, and you'll see like a lot of companies when they've had to downsize or they have to lay off for whatever reason, one of the things that I think it's, it's a tough thing to do.
[00:35:38] And even though you don't wanna, like you have to, it's a fine balance. Again, it's a fine balance, but you have to show empathy to the people that are most definitely the people that are most effective, and show your humanity in that. And I think that that's makes it a little easier to digest. That that crisis or that [00:36:00] change or that challenge, it makes it easier to digest when your leader is showing that, Hey, I have to lead, I have to do this.
[00:36:06] I have to make hard decisions and sometimes I can't. You being as transparent as possible. However, I'm empathetic to the cause. I think that is. Great for the University's brand, but also for the person's brand, for them as a person. I think that it's funny because like when I was in college, I knew who the chancellor was, but my mom knew, didn't know him, but she was like, he's not gonna tolerate that.
[00:36:33] Like he, like you, chancellor and president becomes like the student's guardian. You know, you go, you end up going straight to the, you've adopted this kid for however long they're there, and so they expect you to be this empathetic, this parent that is going to be transparent. Tell us what's going on, cuz I have my kid in your care.
[00:36:57] Even though they're living in a residence hall, it's [00:37:00] not the resident assistant or the resident director. It's the president's responsibility and being seen as a human. That my kid is in the care of an empathetic human, I think makes a big difference in the parent's decision. Well, when
[00:37:15] Jaime: parents play such an important role in recruitment and retention, you know, you want a parent who's like, no, no, no, you're going back to school in the fall.
[00:37:25] Or, oh, you run into this issue. Here's how you can advocate to fix it. But if they're not bought into the institution, and they might just be. No, you're right. You should drop out. Yeah. This is absolutely, you know what I mean?
[00:37:40] Ashlea: And that is one of, so that is one of the presidents, one of their biggest audiences too.
[00:37:45] Parents, like they wanna, I had a friend, that daughter took sick at school and she's away from, she's outta state and he's like, I'm chancellor and oh, [00:38:00] chancellor's. Check on your kid in her residence hall. And I, I thought that was an interesting concept. But the chancellor is their voice, their, they play a major role and the parents have to feel connected and they have to feel like this is a good person that I put my.
[00:38:18] Kid in the car of, and it's funny because there are thousands of other employees there that your kid will come in contact with, but, and very unlikely that they will come in contact directly with the president or the chancellor, but it is that person's responsibility to care for my kid and I have to see you.
[00:38:35] And that's a, again, they're the face of the brand. I have to see you as this person. And that goes back to what we said about Chancellor Robinson being a family. Oh, my kid is in good hands. He's a, he's big on family. He, you know, his wife is great, his kids are whatever. And that speaks to the university's brand.
[00:38:53] Without you, that's not even done on purpose. You know, that's not part of the strategic priority is that the chancellor is [00:39:00] the brand, but it matters. And it, like you said, it matters for. Retaining students, it matters if I'm gonna send my kid back there. Their that reputation of the president or chancellor and their voice and how empathetic they are and how much they show that they care.
[00:39:16] Jaime: Well, and you can see it when it goes wrong. Like when, like some of the stuff that was happening in Michigan with the Nassar case and sort of the lack of empathy that some of the leaders had towards the victims that were just horrifically. Sexually assaulted for years and years, and you had this sort of complete lack of empathy.
[00:39:40] And I'll tell you, I would be like, no kid of mine is going there. Not with that attitude. And I think about my dad telling me that he didn't want me to go into the military because he saw how women were treated when he was in the military. Now I'm sure things have changed since the 1960s and seventies, but you know, his [00:40:00] perception of that became his reality.
[00:40:02] And when you have this sort of really negative perception of the leadership, That, that becomes the reality of the perception of
[00:40:11] Ashlea: institution. Absolutely. And it's challenging to recover from it. I think that a president's plan, like a presidential communication plan, should also be embedded into that strategic plan.
[00:40:24] We work so hard for our strategic plan every, with every division, every department involved, faculty marketing, those kind of things. So if I was a president, I was discussing this, definitely. Connect with marketing when deciding your presidential plan or what your priorities will be. Make sure that they align, but also make what you do part of the strategic plan of the university, because those are things that when we look at a strategic plan, we are very intentional about achieving those goals.
[00:40:56] And so I think that if a presidential plan priorities were [00:41:00] a part of that, like for as long as the president's gonna be there, I think that would really elevate presidential communications and also create alignment across the university with, when it comes to presidential and executive communications.
[00:41:14] That's what I would like to see. I
[00:41:16] Jaime: love that. I think there's just not enough intentionality around executive communications, and I've been at, I don't even know, I've lost track of six institutions now and I've seen a lot of. Sort of, it's just sort of that start of the school year, end of the school year thing.
[00:41:34] And maybe if there's something big enough that happens in the middle of the school year, there's something kind of tossed in there and but the level of intentionality that it sounds like you have had in terms of creating a plan that's both a multichannel but also. Multi-year thinking about a long-term strategy for your president, it just sounds like it could be just so transformative for so many [00:42:00] institutions.
[00:42:01] Thank
[00:42:01] Ashlea: you. And definitely finding that focus where to focus your voice. That's what the plan helps with. Yes.
[00:42:09] Jaime: And do you just work through it with the president? You get his priorities and then you're creating drafts of things and talking it through with him and all of that. So
[00:42:18] Ashlea: honestly, what I like to do is create something for him to react to.
[00:42:23] So, hey, this is what I'm thinking. And by me being embedded in marketing and communications, it also helps with the alignment. I know what stories the team is working on, what things we're, what our future goals and plans are, and he knows that too to an extent. But then when we're talking about it, As it pertains to him, it gives him an opportunity to either like, oh, well, what have you thought about it this way?
[00:42:47] And we both can go back and forth about that. And I think that that's a great way of doing it where it's aligned with the marketing communications, but it also is authentic to him. It sounds like him. This is [00:43:00] something he would actually do, even though I said about getting out of, you know, taking a chance of getting outta comfort zone, it's still important that comfort.
[00:43:07] Has a level of that has to be there. And I think that having this discussion and kind of easing certain things that are new, we ease into it. What's the best way? Okay, so this year we may we'll take this step, but maybe next year we'll take these steps. And that's how I think about it. And like as I think through the next academic year, that's what I'm working through so that I can present that those ideas.
[00:43:32] Jaime: I love that. And I like that you mentioned authenticity because like with any brand, a brand has to be authentic or it's not going to work, right? Because if it's, if you say this is what you're going to experience and then that's not what you experience. Like taking your high point example if, if you're saying you're gonna be in a caring environment or with caring people, but then you get there and people are like the DMV and making you, you know, take a number and [00:44:00] polishing their nails and then looking up at you like, You're disturbing them.
[00:44:04] That's gonna, that's not a good brand. So the same thing has to hold too for president. You can't have a president be communicating a trait about his or him or herself. That isn't a trait they actually possess.
[00:44:21] Ashlea: Absolutely. I, I worked with someone once and they wanted to, the leader, they thought, the leader was like, well, to attract younger people, should I change my clothes?
[00:44:31] Should I make them a little more trendy? And it's like, that's not gonna translate well on you because that's not you. And so it's like wearing outfits that don't belong to you, that don't fit you. You're trying too hard. You're trying too hard. And that same outfit could look great on someone else because it's their personality.
[00:44:51] So a presidential plan also gives you opportunity not to try on things that fit. But the window shop, the things like, what about this? Or what [00:45:00] are you thinking about this? Or, this is where the trends are headed, this is where higher ed is headed. What do you think about embracing this? And that's like what we were discussing about social media.
[00:45:11] Where do you wanna head? Where do you wanna go with this? Yeah, I love
[00:45:16] Jaime: that. So if people are like, Ashlea, I need to talk to you because I need to talk to my president and we've gotta get this figured out. Where can people find you? So
[00:45:26] Ashlea: I'm on LinkedIn, Ashlea Jones, A S H L E a, Jones, and I'm also on Twitter as Ashlea Elaine at Ashlea.
[00:45:37] Elaine, a l a i n e. And feel free to email me and it's aa howard nine gmail com.
[00:45:48] Jaime: Awesome. Awesome. Well, as always, you can find me on Twitter at Jaime Hunt Imc, J A I M E H U N T, imc. I'm also on LinkedIn. I'm spending a lot more time on [00:46:00] LinkedIn these days than on Twitter. Part of it's that, I don't know what's going on now when this episode releases, but when we're recording this, Elon had just decided that we get to be limited in how many tweets we get to read in a day.
[00:46:12] So that's fantastic. So LinkedIn is, is a more likely place to find me, and I would love to hear. You know your thoughts on this episode and how you think that you might be able to better leverage executive communications to boost your institutional brand, leverage your president to tell your brand story.
[00:46:29] So please engage in conversation around this topic using the hashtag higher ed CMO on both Twitter and LinkedIn. Any closing thoughts? Ashlea,
[00:46:39] Ashlea: thank you so much for having me. This was a lot of fun and it's a discussion that means a lot to me. You know, I think communication makes the world go round. So thanks.
[00:46:46] It was great being here.
[00:46:49] Jaime: It was so great having you, Ashlea. And, um, for the listeners, let's go bust some silos.
[00:46:59] Ashlea: Hey, all, Zach [00:47:00] here from Enrollify. I hope you enjoyed this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO with Jaime Hunt. If you like this episode, do us a huge favor and hit that follow and subscribe button below. Furthermore, if you've got just two minutes to spare, we would greatly appreciate you leading a rating and a review of this show on Apple Podcasts.
[00:47:18] Our podcast network is growing by the month, and we've got a plethora of marketing admissions and higher ed technology shows that are jam packed with stories, ideas, and frameworks that are all designed to empower you to become a better higher ed professional. But Enrollify is far more than just a podcast network.
[00:47:35] Enrollify is where Higher Ed comes to learn new marketing skills, discover new products and services, and find their next job. We're a growing learning community of 4,000 members, and we love to welcome you into the fold. You can access our free blog, articles, newsletters, e-courses, and more, or purchase our master course on how to market a university with Terry Flannery @enrollify.org.
[00:47:57] We look forward to meeting you soon and welcoming you into the [00:48:00] community. Again, you can subscribe for free @enrollify.org.
About the Episode
The what's what...
In this episode, Jaime and her guest delve into the crucial role of a college president in shaping and embodying a university's brand and culture. Ashlea Jones, interim senior director of storytelling and director of executive communications at Miami University (Ohio), shares invaluable insights into the relationship between a president's vision for the future of the institution and its alignment with the university's brand and culture. Discover how this alignment can significantly impact the overall success and sustainability of the university in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.
Takeaways include:
- Examples of how college presidents can effectively leverage storytelling techniques to shape the brand and culture of their universities.
- Insights into how executive communications can play a critical role in crisis and reputation management.
- Ideas for supporting transparency in executive communications
- Ways for communicators to rethink how to approach executive communications as part of a brand strategy.
This episode is brought to you by our friends at Mindpower:
Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is sponsored by our friends at Mindpower- a full-service marketing and branding firm celebrating nearly thirty years of needle-moving, thought-provoking, research-fueled creative and strategy. Mindpower is women-founded and owned, WBENC certified, nationally recognized, and serves the social sector – higher education, healthcare, non-profits, and more. The Mindpower team is made up of strategists, storytellers, and experience creators. From market research to brand campaigns to recruitment to fundraising, the agency exists to empower clients, amplify brands, and help institutions find a strategic way forward. Learn more about Mindpower here!
About the Enrollify podcast Network:
Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Our podcast network is growing by the month and we’ve got a plethora of marketing, admissions, and higher ed technology shows that are jam packed with stories, ideas, and frameworks all designed to empower you to be a better higher ed professional. Our shows feature a selection of the industry’s best as your hosts. Learn from Mickey Baines, Zach Busekrus, Jeremy Tiers, Corynn Myers, Jaime Gleason and many more.
Learn more about The Enrollify Podcast Network at podcasts.enrollify.org. Our shows help higher ed marketers and admissions professionals find their next big idea — come and find yours!
About the Podcast
Transformation has been a hallmark of Jaime's career. In nearly 20 years working in higher education, she been part of four university rebrandings and five website overhauls. She's been hands-on in the development of an integrated marketing communications model at three institutions. As a result, she has gained extensive expertise in brand strategy, recruitment marketing, internal communications, crisis communications, issues management, online innovation, and media relations. She also has in her portfolio government relations and, for two years, she oversaw a public radio station. She is currently the vice president for university communications and chief marketing officer for Old Dominion University, a 23,000-student public R1 research institution in Coastal Virginia. Prior to her current role, she was the vice president and chief communications and marketing officer for Miami University (the one in not-as-sunny Oxford, Ohio). She also served in marketing and media relations leadership roles at Winston-Salem State University (North Carolina), Radford University (Virginia), the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, and Northwestern Health Sciences University (Minnesota). Her background also includes more than four years as a print journalist and three years working for nonprofits and in nonprofit consulting. She earned my bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota and her master's degree in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University.
Ashlea Jones is the interim senior director of storytelling and director of executive communications at Miami University (Ohio). Previously, she served in various communications roles at Winston-Salem State University – a historically Black university that is part of the University of North Carolina System.
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Mindpower is a full-service marketing and branding firm celebrating nearly thirty years of needle-moving, thought-provoking, research-fueled creative and strategy. Mindpower is women-founded and owned, WBENC certified, nationally recognized, and serves the social sector – higher education, healthcare, non-profits, and more. The Mindpower team is made up of strategists, storytellers, and experience creators. From market research to brand campaigns to recruitment to fundraising, the agency exists to empower clients, amplify brands, and help institutions find a strategic way forward. Learn more about the amazing work Mindpower is doing here!
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Host Jaime Hunt engages in candid and insightful conversations with leading minds in the field, exploring not just the nuts and bolts of marketing, but also the diverse and often unexpected challenges and stories that define higher education marketing.
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