What does storytelling have to do with overseas student marketing? How can improved storytelling help institutional marketing teams to improve their international student recruitment strategies? Paul Jensen, Weber Shandwick's President of Corporate Practice in North America brought these topics to life.

The 2014 Intead Global Marketing Workshop for Academic Leaders brought together some of the best and brightest in academia and industry. Accomplished leaders like Paul Jensen shared a refreshing perspective on international student recruitment and marketing. Mr. Jensen's presentation focused on the importance of storytelling in marketing. For a fresh perspective on international student recruitment and marketing, institutions should consider how storytelling can appeal to prospective students and improve a student's connection with an institution.

Mr. Jensen noted that "all business is storytelling." I would add that all recruitment is storytelling as well. The audience (prospective students and parents) need to feel and understand why one institution is potentially more appealing than another. It's not an easy task for an institution to bring storytelling into marketing materials-- digital and print. But, storytelling drives engagement and successfully appeals to both the heart and mind of prospective families.

There are some critical takeaway messages when it comes to storytelling:

1. Connect with the audience. What matters most to prospective students and their parents as it relates to your institution?

2. Statistical numbing is rampant. People are not motivated by data and facts. Numbers are important but it's more important to appeal to prospects at a deeper level.

3. Great storytelling starts with an action idea. Storytelling is an active, involved engagement. To create great marketing, make it personal and use details.

4. Storytelling doesn't always work for marketing but universities and colleges are doing very little of it at the moment. This is an opportunity to be on the cutting edge.

5. If you don't tell a good story, someone else will. You want to be at the leading edge of storytelling in marketing...before your colleagues and competitors beat you to the punch.

To watch Mr. Jensen's slide presentation from the 2014 Intead Global Marketing Workshop please use the link below.