What attracts students to apply to certain colleges? Roger Dooley looks at the primary motivation for college applicants: Personal branding.
Basically he says that students want to go to a college with a brand that fits into the brand they want to project.
An equally important part of the brand effect is that these high school seniors want to make the school brand part of their personal brand. Earn a degree from Notre Dame, and you are a Domer for life. Graduate from Princeton, and you’ll always be one of the select few. Brands can be regional or specialized, too. Most people wouldn’t know what “Newhouse” signifies, but in broadcasting and journalism it’s a strong brand. In Texas, you can be a Longhorn or an Aggie, and either brand can be prized (or reviled).
This is why students and alumni wear the logos and colors proudly. So how do we apply this to our businesses?
Can we create a brand that our customers want to add to their personal branding efforts?