Remember, they are not just “one more student”, they are about to make one the biggest and most consequential decision of their lives so far—and a significant financial investment too.

1. Seth Godin’s blog

Don’t read and subscribe to Seth Godin for a step-by-step marketing primer – read and subscribe to his blog for daily doses of marketing wisdom that is, often enough, wisdom about life itself. For example, in one post, Godin asks us to reconsider paying “the smartphone tax” (not the one that shows up on a monthly bill):

It might be costing you more than you think.

Inbound is kind of like content marketing, but better—it goes well beyond just offering great content to earn (not buy!) your audience’s attention. It’s also about creating a seamlessly integrated system that prospective students can opt into at any time—allowing you and your team a close look at your leads, which in turn enables you to communicate with them in the right way and at the optimal times.

The hinge on which the success or failure of an inbound marketing lead generation strategy depends is this: content.

Every Instagram or Facebook post, every tweet, every blog post, every aspect of your marketing efforts must move toward one crucial goal:

You want the prospective student (or their parent) to enter their contact information into a form, converting them into a lead.

The way you do that?

Offer great content.

This is understandable: both inbound marketing and content marketing are concerned with content, with earning your way in to the prospect’s attention instead of buying your way in, and with creating and promoting a digital presence that generates real buzz and interest.

So both inbound marketing and content marketing begin with content that is valuable and worthwhile—something your target audience would notice, read, and share without your having to pay someone to push it toward their eyeballs.

A changing landscape

You don’t need us to tell you that the landscape of higher education has changed dramatically in recent years. The economic downturn, changing educational technology, and shifting regulations have all contributed to a climate of fear and anxiety when it comes to the value of a college degree—are student loans worth it? What can a campus experience offer me that a MOOC or other online course can’t? Is there any value in studying the liberal arts or business in today’s economy?

Additionally, the way that higher education marketers connect with prospective students has changed dramatically. Once upon a time, rising juniors and seniors attended college fairs, riffled through viewbooks, and took calls from recruitment counselors.

These days, the best lead generation strategies for higher education are digital. And by that we don’t simply mean that colleges and universities should have websites and pay for online ads—though of course, having a website is pretty much a non-negotiable.

Instead, when we think of the best lead generation strategies, what rises to the top for us is the strategy known as inbound marketing.

The first secret to generating great leads is this: lead generation begins with a great website.

In higher education these days, it’s all about digital lead generation. Sure, there’s still a place for the glossy viewbooks, brochures, and booths at college fairs, but the growing reality is that most of your prospective students will be looking for you long before you’re ever looking for them.

That’s why for lead generation, your website is key.

Between Good and Great

Mark Twain said that the difference between the exact right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightening and a lightening bug.

For our purposes, the difference between good marketing and great marketing is the same: between a bolt of lightening and a lightening bug. Both are pretty incredible, if you think about it, but while a lightening bug captures the attention of a few people for a while, an impressively timed bolt of lightening can really make an unforgettable impression.

Anyone, with enough determination and hard work, can be good at what they do -- but to be great takes something more.