From enrolment to alumni: The marketing and management of university-student relations: A study of U.S. and Canadian best practices

Abstract

The marketing and management of relationships is an essential component of public relations. The transition from a one-time discrete transaction to an ongoing relational exchange has redefined the way organizations interact with stakeholders. Relationship management is a key component to long-term organizational success, and the university-student relationship is an ideal situation for the application of relationship management and marketing principles. When implemented across departments, relationship management theory and marketing techniques work together to achieve long-term, mutually beneficial relationships for the university and student. This study evaluates key variables of relationship management, community building and dialogic communications, along with four components of relationship marketing: seller expertise, communication, interaction frequency, and relationship benefits in order to achieve best practices for university-student relations. The results demonstrate how universities that incorporate a relationship strategy are able to build community and create value at every phase of the student life cycle. Through a qualitative study of 17 U.S. and Canadian universities the researcher proposes best practices in the areas of strategy, tactics and measurement in order to achieve mutually beneficial relationships with students from enrolment to alumni.