Standing Out From the Crowd: Why Differentiation is Still a Big Challenge for Business Schools

brand value, branding, Marcom External Relations Conference

Early this year, I was pleased to attend the EFMD Marketing and Communications Conference at Cambridge Judge Business School. We covered many different topics, including building brand value, SDGs, and the strategic value of alumni relations. Afterwards, I found myself reflecting on one session in particular. Michael Johnson, Johnson Banks Design, cleverly started his session…

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Lessons from the 2023 EFMD Marcom, External & Alumni Relations Conference

2023 EFMD Marcom, External & Alumni Relations Conference group photo

On 3-5 April, more than 80 communications professionals came together at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School to discuss “defining, creating, and communicating value(s)” at the 2023 EFMD Marcom, External & Alumni Relations Conference. While not every participant could name her or his business school’s values unprompted, the discussions went deeper than simply reciting…

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The power of digital marketing in the online learning industry

The power of digital marketing in the online learning industry

How can the online learning industry benefit from digital marketing? Elie Sarkis, Digital Marketing Trainer and Consultant at GBSB Global Business School, tells Stephanie Mullins more. Here’s what he had to say:  Digital marketing has the potential to revolutionise the online learning industry. With the increasing popularity of e-learning platforms, digital marketing has become a crucial tool for…

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Business of Branding report 2022: Fresh insights

business of branding 2022

The UK is the most preferred international study destination, reveals the latest Business of Branding study by CarringtonCrisp in association with EFMD. In the study conducted amongst 3,004 business school students from over 20 countries, 40% selected the UK ahead of the US (35%), European Union (26%), Canada and India (both 19%). “The UK has…

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Demystifying transformation – 5 ways to transform your business school PR

In June, I had the pleasure of attending the EFMD Marcom, External Relations and Alumni Relations conference at Nyenrode Business Universiteit in the Netherlands. After months of restrictions, it was great to catch up with friends and colleagues from the business school world. The overall theme was: “Demystifying transformation”. Various sessions dived into what that…

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9 interesting facts you might not know about 9 business schools

9 facts about business schools

The business education sector is full of intrigue – with surprises about a campus, a building, history or even a name, still arising out of the blue. Associate Director Stephanie Mullins at specialist business education PR consultancy BlueSky Education uncovers some insights into nine institutions. Good stories help to craft a business school’s reputation. Given our long and successful…

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Do your leads have false or genuine interest?

Diagnosing false interest

What do I mean by this title? Well, ask most people who work in higher and executive education what motivates them, and makes their job meaningful. It usually revolves around being involved in work that can help make a positive difference in the world. You’re surrounded by fascinating subject matter and great minds. This is…

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The importance of PR in achieving business schools’ SEO goals

Want to improve how far up Google your website ranks compared to a competitor business school? Associate Director Stephanie Mullins and colleague Jonny Stone at specialist business education PR consultancy BlueSky Education discuss how PR can help. Over the last decade or so, Search Engine Optimisation, commonly referred to as SEO, has become a core pillar…

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A Tale of Two Programmes – How to market a successful executive education programme now?

Executive-education-The-Tale-of-two-programmes_EFMD blog

With executive education under financial pressure due to COVID-19, it’s understandable that teams may be tempted to rush out new products and services. But cutting out the groundwork will inevitably make it more difficult to attract customers – and lead to programmes underperforming. Ensuring a new programme is sustainable depends on three things: knowing your audience, being different and diagnosing potential leads.

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