Stronger Together: Building Results-Driven Agency Partnerships

Thinking about partnering with a digital marketing agency to boost enrollment or engagement?

Years of leading marketing and communications strategy in higher ed and beyond have taught me that agency partnerships are only as strong as the leadership behind them. Success comes from clear goals, consistent collaboration, and protecting the integrity of your brand at every step.

Here are some lessons learned from the field:

• Start with alignment. Make sure your internal teams (marketing, admissions, recruitment, etc.) are unified on goals before bringing in an agency. Internal clarity sets the stage for external success.

• Be an active collaborator. Treat your agency like a strategic partner, not just a service provider. Share insights, give timely feedback, and build campaigns together with purpose.

• Provide strong collateral. Your agency can only be as effective as the materials you give them. I was blessed in my most recent role in higher ed to have an incredible Creative Services Director who helped ensure everything we produced was outstanding, on brand, and effective. Roles like this are vitally important. Your team should supply updated brand assets, messaging guides, photography, and audience profiles so your agency can accurately reflect your identity.

• Prioritize behavior-driven content. Use data to guide how and where you engage. Responsive emails, targeted social, SMS, direct mail, and personalized landing pages make all the difference.

• Stay consistent during transitions. If you are changing agencies, keep your outreach going. Momentum matters, and consistency builds credibility.

• Hold the line on creative standards. Speed is important, but quality is non-negotiable. Every piece, whether digital or print, should reflect your brand’s identity and voice.

• Keep final approval in-house. Maintain oversight of all campaigns and materials before they launch. Your department should always have the last word to protect your brand and ensure strategic alignment.

• Refine your message with intention. A new agency partnership is the perfect time to reexamine who you are speaking to and how. Make sure your voice connects with the right audience, in the right way.

An agency can help you scale, but leadership must remain rooted in your strategy. Clear direction, high standards, and strong collaboration will always move the mission forward.