Education Marketing Leader with Chris Rapozo

Chris Rapozo
  • 5.0 (4)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

🎙️ Welcome to The Education Marketing Leader Podcast Hosted by Chris Rapozo, this podcast delivers actionable insights and proven strategies specifically for higher ed marketers. Each episode explores the challenges and opportunities in education marketing, providing you with tools to refine your campaigns, elevate your institution’s brand, and engage your audiences effectively. Learn how to create impactful content strategies, leverage personalization, optimize social media, and tackle challenges unique to higher education marketing. This podcast is designed to help you stay competitive and drive measurable results. 👉 Subscribe now to gain practical strategies and fresh ideas tailored to higher ed marketing. Apple podcasts Spotify YouTube Have insights to share? 👉 Contact us to be a guest. Get the insights you need to grow your impact as a higher ed marketer!

  1. Where Direct Mail Fits in the Modern Enrollment Mix

    2D AGO

    Where Direct Mail Fits in the Modern Enrollment Mix

    Direct mail is not dead. Most institutions just stopped using it strategically. I talked with Dylon Jones from Spectrum Marketing Companies about how direct mail actually works in higher ed today. Key takeaways for enrollment and marketing teams • Direct mail fails when strategy fails. Not the channel. • The biggest mistake is sending one piece and expecting results. • A strong baseline is 3 mail drops across 3 months. • Mail must drive to a targeted landing page, not your homepage. • The best campaigns integrate mail, digital ads, and admissions follow-up. • Start with parents early in the recruitment cycle, then shift messaging to students later. Direct mail should never live on an island. It works best as part of a multi-touch strategy. Contact Dylon if you need help via DJones@spectrummarketing.com or cell 806-500-9880. Follow Education Marketing Leader and subscribe so you do not miss the next episode. 🎧

    37 min
  2. Short Form Video That Actually Works

    FEB 5

    Short Form Video That Actually Works

    Short form video “best practices” are mostly fake rules. If you want what works in 2026, you need reps, speed, and real people. In the latest episode of Education Marketing Leader podcast, I sat down with Rob Clark, creator of That Tall Family, Founder of Tall Family Media, and author of Growing Your Influence, 4 Billion Views and Attention Gap, which we co-authored. Here are a few takeaways from the episode: 1) Quantity creates quality. More reps. More learning. More wins. 2) Speed matters. Stop scheduling 3 months out. Culture moves weekly. 3) Real beats polished. AI will make “perfect” content cheap. Human content will stand out. If you’re trying to drive awareness and enrollment with social media video, this episode will help you. Grab your copies of: Attention Gap: https://www.amazon.com/Attention-Gap-Great-Schools-Invisible-ebook/dp/B0GKZ8G72B?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1 4 Billion Views: https://www.amazon.com/Billion-Views-Built-Social-Scratch-ebook/dp/B0FVQFVD2V?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1 Growing Your Influence: https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Your-Influence-Strategies-Generation-ebook/dp/B0DXN7M1LP?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1

    49 min
  3. This School Tripled Enrollment by Breaking Higher Ed “Best Practices”

    JAN 22

    This School Tripled Enrollment by Breaking Higher Ed “Best Practices”

    How does a university triple freshman enrollment while others struggle to break even? In this episode, I talk with James Steen, Ph.D., VP for Enrollment Management & Marketing at Houston Christian University, about what actually drove HCU’s growth. We get into: Why removing friction mattered more than better messagingHow direct admission and guaranteed offers changed behaviorThe role marketing played once the value proposition was clearWhat “next practice” looks like when operations and enrollment alignThis is a real case study. No theory. No platitudes. 👉 Follow Education Marketing Leader and subscribe on YouTube for more conversations built for higher ed marketers.

    37 min
  4. Leadership and Identity in 2026: Starting Over With Intention

    JAN 8

    Leadership and Identity in 2026: Starting Over With Intention

    Season 4 is here, and we’re kicking it off with a conversation that will reset how you think about urgency, identity, and starting over. In this episode of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast, I’m joined by Erin Mark. TEDx speaker, storyteller, and Director of Partnerships at Merit. Erin was born with cystic fibrosis. She grew up hearing she wouldn’t live past 18. At five years old, she overheard her life expectancy on a phone call. At 35, she entered end-stage disease and was preparing to die. Then Trikafta was approved and it saved her life. What we talk about isn’t just survival. It’s what happens after. When the future you never planned for suddenly shows up and you have to figure out who you are again. Erin shares why real change rarely comes from dramatic overhauls. It comes from small pauses that create choice. One habit. One decision. One shift in direction. She leaves us with a reminder she once set as her iPhone alarm during her sickest season: "You woke up today." That’s the work. You don’t have to fix everything this year. You just have to keep moving forward. Follow Erin Mark on LinkedIn for clear, grounded perspective on leadership, identity, and momentum. Listen to the full episode of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

    39 min
  5. The Go-Giver | December Book Club

    12/10/2025

    The Go-Giver | December Book Club

    For our final book club meeting of 2025, we dove into The Go-Giver—and had the incredible opportunity to host co-author Bob Burg for a live Q&A. It was one of our most reflective and practical sessions of the year. What We Discussed Why generosity and value-creation matter more than tactics in leadership and enrollmentHow “everyone is in sales”—especially in higher edCommunicating value vs price when talking about tuitionThe difference between being a go-getter, go-giver, and go-takerWhy listening is often the greatest form of givingHow to build trust in low-trust environments (with international perspectives from Chile)The “big kahuna” lesson: why your most impactful students often don’t look like big wins at first glanceBob Burg’s Key Insights Selling = giving time, attention, counsel, empathy, and valueTrust is earned through consistencyStories connect deeper than how-to adviceThe Go-Giver was rejected by 24 publishers before becoming a global book seriesHis recommended next read: The Go-Giver Influencer (his favorite)Community Highlights Our members shared Thanksgiving experiences, career transitions, international perspectives, and how The Go-Giver mirrors the best parts of higher ed: mentorship, service, and helping others flourish. Next Book 📘 The Hottest Seat on Campus by Angel Pérez 📅 January 21, 2026 Register now: https://www.linkedin.com/events/januaryeducationmarketingleader7402410947400851456/ Thanks to everyone who joined—and special thanks to Bob for his time, generosity, and wisdom.

    52 min
  6. The Art of Effective Prospect Nurturing with Lisa Starkey-Wood

    11/20/2025

    The Art of Effective Prospect Nurturing with Lisa Starkey-Wood

    In this episode, I talk with Lisa Starkey-Wood, VP of Enrollment Strategy at Stamats, about what breaks most prospect journeys—and what to fix first. We cover: RFI roadblocks: Why many teams can’t even find their own inquiry form and how to fix basic CTA and form placement so students don’t stall on step one.Day-zero done right: What a strong confirmation experience looks like (thank-you page, instant email, timely counselor outreach) and why waiting for “perfect” personalization is a mistake.Real personalization: Moving beyond “Hi, [First Name]” to program-specific, audience-specific content that actually reflects what students told you they care about.Yield and melt prevention: Simple, high-impact ways to keep accepted and deposited students engaged using faculty, current students, and multi-channel touchpoints. Extra curricular: Watch her 60-minute webinar on the art of effective prospect nurturing. Follow and subscribe to the Education Marketing Leader podcast for more practical conversations built for higher-ed marketers.

    39 min
  7. How to be a small college | November Book Club Meeting

    11/12/2025

    How to be a small college | November Book Club Meeting

    What does it really mean to be a small college—and to thrive as one? In this special Book Club Edition of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast, host Chris Rapozo sits down with Dr. Gary Daines, author of How to Be a Small College, along with regular EML Book Club members from across higher ed and the agency world. Together, they unpack the “growth or die” mindset that dominates U.S. higher education and explore a more sustainable, mission-driven alternative focused on community, clarity, and authentic excellence. 🧠 Key Takeaways Growth isn’t the only measure of success. Dr. Daines challenges the assumption that bigger is better—arguing that excellence, focus, and community impact define true institutional health.Mission-fit over market-share. Serving “the right students” means aligning programs, people, and messaging with the institution’s authentic purpose.Leadership as teaching. Effective presidents and administrators act as teachers—modeling learning, transparency, and reflection in every communication.Operational wisdom matters. From resource alignment to avoiding “amenities bloat,” sustainability requires discipline and courage to say no as much as yes.Community impact is the ultimate ROI. The most meaningful success stories aren’t always from Wall Street—they’re from graduates strengthening their local communities.💬 Featured Voices Dr. Gary Daines, author and interim president, Salem Academy and CollegeChris Rapozo, host, Education Marketing Leader PodcastRafi Dersimonian (ERI Design)Jill Whitaker (Southern Utah University)Troy Singer (Ring Digital / The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast)Jeff Ebbing (Southeastern Community College)Pablo Mora (University of Santiago, Chile)Denise Nunley (Arizona Christian University)Patrick Anderson (Chepers)🔍 Conversation Highlights The “Apple Watch Analogy” of endless growth goalsHow to advocate for right-sizing without sounding anti-growthThe tension between prestige and purpose—status vs excellenceFaculty of Attention: focusing on what matters mostReal-world stories from campuses around the globe navigating trust, leadership, and community crises📚 Next Up December 4 Book Club Meeting: The Go-Giver by Bob Burg — a timeless business parable about giving first to grow. Bob Burg himself will join the live discussion for a 30-minute Q&A. Connect & Subscribe Follow the Education Marketing Leader Podcast wherever you listen. 👉 Join the EML Book Club and get your next read at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13140172/ Connect with Chris Rapozo on LinkedIn for upcoming sessions, insights, and community updates.

    56 min
  8. The 15-Year-Old Co-Founder Changing How Students Choose Colleges | Evan Goldstein - Quadzio

    11/06/2025

    The 15-Year-Old Co-Founder Changing How Students Choose Colleges | Evan Goldstein - Quadzio

    The college search process is broken, and two teenagers might be the ones to fix it. 👇 When Evan Goldstein tagged along on college tours with his older brother, Jack Goldstein, something clicked: The tours showed buildings, history, and mascots — but not real life. What’s it actually like to live, study, and eat on campus? What’s the vibe on a Tuesday afternoon when no one’s performing for a brochure? That missing authenticity inspired Evan and Jack to build Quadzio, a platform connecting high schoolers with real college students for honest, unfiltered conversations. In this week’s episode of the Education Marketing Leader Podcast, Evan shares: 🎯 How peer connections build trust faster than marketing ever could 🎯 What “authentic” content really means to Gen Z and Gen Alpha 🎯 Why vibe beats prestige for today’s students It’s one of the most insightful interviews I’ve had, and a reminder that sometimes, the next big idea in higher ed doesn’t come from a boardroom, it comes from a high school classroom. 🎧 Now live on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. Follow the link in the comments. #HigherEdMarketing #GenZ #CollegeSearch #StudentVoice #EducationMarketingLeaderPodcast

    30 min
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4 Ratings

About

🎙️ Welcome to The Education Marketing Leader Podcast Hosted by Chris Rapozo, this podcast delivers actionable insights and proven strategies specifically for higher ed marketers. Each episode explores the challenges and opportunities in education marketing, providing you with tools to refine your campaigns, elevate your institution’s brand, and engage your audiences effectively. Learn how to create impactful content strategies, leverage personalization, optimize social media, and tackle challenges unique to higher education marketing. This podcast is designed to help you stay competitive and drive measurable results. 👉 Subscribe now to gain practical strategies and fresh ideas tailored to higher ed marketing. Apple podcasts Spotify YouTube Have insights to share? 👉 Contact us to be a guest. Get the insights you need to grow your impact as a higher ed marketer!

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