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. Winning Yield Season with Video

    1D AGO

    Winning Yield Season with Video

    John Azoni (Founder, Unveild) breaks down how higher ed teams should be using video during yield season. Not more content. Better placement. What we cover: Where video actually impacts admits → depositsWhy most schools fall off after inquiryThe “random acts of video” problemHow to use 1:1 video from counselorsWhy student voices outperform leadershipSimple ways to reduce friction (FAFSA, apps, next steps)What metrics actually matter (hint: not views)If your yield strategy is still email-heavy and text-driven, this will challenge it. 🎙️ Follow and subscribe to the Education Marketing Leader for more conversations like this.

    42 min
  2. Strategy Over Tactics. Rethinking Organic Social with Jenny Li Fowler

    MAR 5

    Strategy Over Tactics. Rethinking Organic Social with Jenny Li Fowler

    In our latest episode, Jenny Li Fowler, Dir. of Social Media Strategy at MIT, breaks down the difference between strategy and tactics in organic social media. And why confusing the two is exactly how teams end up busy, stressed, and stuck. Her point is simple. When your strategy is clear, everything gets easier: • You know who you’re trying to reach, not “everyone” • You define what success actually looks like • You stop chasing random posts and start building momentum Organic social can drive real results. But only when it’s anchored to mission, metrics, and discipline. How are you keeping strategy first in your social plan? Drop your approach in the comments. If this conversation resonated, connect with Jenny Li Fowler on LinkedIn and tell her you heard her on the Education Marketing Leader podcast. And if you’re serious about higher ed marketing, follow the show for more operator-level conversations like this. Resources: Organic Social Media: How to Build Flourishing Online Communities

    35 min
  3. Where Direct Mail Fits in the Modern Enrollment Mix

    FEB 19

    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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
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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