The Lawlor Group | Smarketplace

What Now? What's Next?

September 2020

During the peak of the depression in 1936, poet Carl Sandburg wrote his famous poetry book The People, Yes, which according to reviews “lauded…

Mastering the Art of Juggling

Lawlor Focus

August 2020

Last month, we noted that all of us are in a real conundrum and full of uncertainty about what we should do now to plan for tomorrow. As we all…

We Are in a Conundrum

Lawlor Focus

July 2020

What do we do now as we plan for tomorrow? This is a lingering question impacting all organizations and individuals, particularly those involved…

Now is the Time to DO

Lawlor Focus

June 2020

Author and activist James Baldwin so eloquently noted, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is…

Adapting to Meet the Challenge

Lawlor Focus

May 2020

The confidence to do—and in many cases, differently, is the new challenge facing everyone in college and university communities. As Chronicle…

Make a Calculated Pivot

Lawlor Focus

April 2020

Everyone associated with colleges and universities today is facing a marketplace situation that is a catalyst for creating innovative and relevant…

Illustration of businesspeople on a life raft in open water

Now Is the Time to Think Differently

Lawlor Focus

March 2020

Traditionally the month of March has brought to mind themes that motivate everyone to be positive about the light at the end of the tunnel. Colleges…

Hearts and Minds in the Higher Ed Marketplace

Lawlor Focus

February 2020

February is often associated with the passion of our hearts and the fulfillment that comes with engaging in such meaningful work as serving higher…

New Year Brings New Opportunities for Higher Ed

Lawlor Focus

January 2020

Now is the time for real innovative, edupreneurial thinking and doing that creates distinction and enhances value.

Market-Smart Thinking for Moments of Trepidation

Lawlor Focus

December 2019

The business of higher education is creating lots of consternation and uncertainty for everyone on college and university campuses, and particularly enrollment professionals.

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Food-for-Thought Insights Worth Digesting

Lawlor Focus

November 2019

This month we’re serving up a few morsels from higher education industry commentators to feed your edupreneurial thinking and foster psychological resilience.

illustration of man flipping a light switch

Higher Ed Ingenuity: Delivering Treats Without Tricks

Lawlor Focus

October 2019

As they adjust to increased competition within the industry, higher education institutions will need to successfully operationalize new ideas to ensure the benefits to students are authentic.

Competition for College Students Intensifies

Lawlor Focus

September 2019

Several market forces are converging to pressure the student recruitment efforts of colleges and universities, resulting in increased competition for enrollment.

“What Now?” Colleges and Universities Ask

Lawlor Focus

August 2019

The top-of-mind prompt “What now?” can facilitate edupreneurial ideas and solutions for creating differentiation and providing genuine value-added experiences.

Prestigious Pricing and Marketplace Atrophy

Smarketplace

August 2019

If colleges, universities, and leadership choose to be blindsided by the prevalence of prestigious assessment, then enrollment and revenues will atrophy.

Marketing's Role in Continuous Improvement for Higher Ed

Lawlor Focus

July 2019

For colleges and universities that are engaged in innovation, three marketing functions can reinforce continuous improvement.

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10 Takeaways from Summer Seminar 2019

Lawlor Focus

June 2019

The theme of this year’s Summer Seminar, “The Power of DO: Market Insights That Foster More Doing,” focused on informing action and inspiring it.

“Just Do It” Co-Creator Scott Bedbury on Authenticity in Higher Education

Smarketplace

June 2019

Hearing from branding guru Scott Bedbury was a highlight for the private higher education senior administrators who attended Summer Seminar.

The Power of Do: Acting on Gallup Data to Drive Graduate Success

Smarketplace

June 2019

Gallup data presented at Summer Seminar indicate that alumni who feel engaged at work are also more likely to feel their college degree was worth it.

The Necessity to Do: Market Conditions Impacting the Higher Education Industry

Smarketplace

June 2019

Market-smart insights delivered across three sessions at Summer Seminar covered the economic, demographic, and financial forces impacting private higher education.

The theme for this year's Summer Seminar, “The Power of DO: Market Insights That Foster More Doing," is gaining momentum from the ground level to the board level within college and university communities.

Higher Education’s Price Creates Real Consternation

Lawlor Focus

May 2019

Published tuition prices already keep many people away, but many more students and families are even balking at the discounted net price. The consternation is contagious.

Illustration of businesspeople next to a giant hourglass

When May 1 Is More Like April 1

Lawlor Focus

April 2019

During the countdown to May 1, factor in how May Day resembles April Fool’s Day to students who are just kidding about their deposit or think the deadline is a joke.

Keep Moving Forward Through the Ups and Downs

Smarketplace

April 2019

Life is like a book—and so are work experiences. We all encounter various chapters, some short and long, some good and bad.

Knowing What to DO

Smarketplace

March 2019

It's March Madness off the court too, in college admissions! Alleviate some angst by registering for Summer Seminar in Minneapolis on June 10-11, featuring market insights that foster more doing.

Illustration of people rolling out a red carpet

The Value Proposition’s Double Meaning

Lawlor Focus

March 2019

Naming the specific values that it has committed to uphold can help a college or university signal to prospective students how welcoming it truly is.

Doing Makes the Difference in Higher Education

Lawlor Focus

February 2019

The contemplative culture at colleges and universities often makes them reluctant to flip the switch from innovative thinking to actual doing.

Three Things the Marketplace Is Telling Private Higher Education

Lawlor Focus

January 2019

Our “Trends for 2019” examines three attitudes of prospective students that point independent colleges and universities toward how they should express their value.