Performance Marketing vs. Performative Marketing
The Invisible Work That Actually Drives Enrollment
Every higher ed marketer knows this battle. It’s not new, but it sure seems to be getting louder.
I’ve been asked to buy billboards, wrap trains, and sponsor sports teams.
And chances are, if you’re a higher ed CMO, you have been too…
Across institutions, it feels like a constant tug-of-war - between marketing that succeeds and marketing that can be seen.
Between driving ROI and driving past a billboard your board member loves.
We all know the tension: You want your dollars working where your audience actually is. But that often means your internal stakeholders won’t see the ads.
It’s a weird thing about this work - the more effective you are, the less visible your in-market activity becomes, at least initially.
But that’s the job. That’s the discipline.
Championing campaigns that may seem invisible internally, because they’re effectively targeted externally.
But if you’re looking to grow, it’s the only way to go.
Because performance marketing beats performative marketing. Every. Single. Time.
- Seth
About The Author
Seth is the founder and CEO of Kanahoma, a San Diego-based performance marketing agency on a mission to build a better agency for organizations building a better world.
You can learn more about who we are and what we do at www.Kanahoma.com.