In this episode, Rustam Irani unpacks one of the biggest misconceptions in higher-ed marketing: most schools don’t have a lead problem, they have a leak problem. He explains how institutions can identify hidden leaks in their enrollment funnel, why “speed to lead” matters, and how data modeling can transform student engagement. Along the way, Rustam shares personal stories about standing firm with leadership, building smarter communication strategies, and even rethinking how to keep talented team members engaged. The result is a blueprint for plugging leaks, improving conversion rates, and leading with both data and empathy.
Timestamps
- 00:02 – Why schools don’t have a lead problem, they have a leak problem
- 01:14 – Generating tens of thousands of leads but not seeing results
- 02:16 – Identifying leaks: weekend response times & “speed to lead”
- 03:34 – Different engagement preferences: phone, email, chat, SMS
- 04:20 – Building data models to identify ideal student segments
- 07:14 – How AI has simplified lead scoring today
- 08:10 – Standing up for marketing with data in tough leadership meetings
- 12:17 – Empathy in student communication and persona buckets
- 14:37 – Internal leaks: keeping your own team motivated and engaged
- 16:21 – Action steps to plug leaks and transform enrollment funnels
