What if you could predict enrolment, prove the impact of your marketing and finally get a seat at the strategic decision-making table?

In this episode of the CMN Podcast, we catch up with Lee Parker, former Marketing Manager at Milton Keynes College and now working in the commercial holiday sector, to discover what FE marketers can learn from a completely different industry.

In this episode, we explore:

• In-house teams vs agencies: Why smaller teams can be more strategic, when to bring in external expertise, and how FE marketing teams can avoid becoming the college’s one-stop shop for absolutely everything.
• The data that changes everything: How one simple question on an application form helped MK College segment its audiences, understand conversion rates and forecast course demand.
• From clicks to classrooms: Why engagement metrics aren’t enough, and how understanding cost per enrolled student can transform conversations about marketing budgets.
• Video that actually makes people care: Why showcasing facilities isn’t enough, how storytelling creates emotional connections, and why your content is competing with Netflix and social media, not just the college down the road.
• Stop reinventing the wheel: Why marketing campaigns might have a much longer shelf life than you think, and how to maximise the lifetime value of every piece of content.
• Doing more with less: How budget constraints can spark innovation, why colleges should collaborate on research, and why AI-generated content isn’t the answer to everything.
• Taking creative risks: Why every college should commit to at least one boundary-pushing project a year.
• Building your influence: Lee’s advice for becoming the person in the room who knows the student pipeline, audience insights and numbers better than anyone else.

Lee also shares why marketers spend too much time worrying about what everyone else thinks, how FE colleges could learn from commercial campaign measurement, and why the goal should be to move beyond delivering marketing activity to shaping college strategy.

Whether you’re a one-person marketing team or leading a large department, this is an episode packed with practical ideas to help you make smarter decisions, demonstrate your value and create marketing that genuinely makes a difference.

Listen now and ask yourself: are you measuring what matters, or just measuring what’s easy?

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The College Marketing Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clearhead⁠⁠⁠

Kate Couzens has spent around 17 years working in further education, starting out on reception before moving through enrolment, admissions, school liaison and marketing. That journey has given her a unique perspective on FE - from the front desk right through to senior leadership. Listen now, subscribe and please leave us a review!

Luminate Education Group

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The College Marketing Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clearhead⁠⁠⁠

This episode was recorded at the CMN Roadshow in York 2025 and features Dan Booth-Curtis from East Durham College.

⁠East Durham College⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The College Marketing Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clearhead⁠⁠⁠

Mark Burey is Group Director of PR, Marketing and Communications at HRUC - Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges.

With a career spanning the BBC, higher education, local government and The Alan Turing Institute, Mark brings a fascinating perspective on the future of FE marketing, from authentic student storytelling to AI, digital transformation and the challenge of giving FE the recognition it deserves.

⁠Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The College Marketing Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clearhead⁠⁠

Katherine McCormack is Director of Marketing & Student Recruitment at South Bank Colleges in South London, where she leads recruitment, outreach and brand strategy across colleges, academies and university pathways.

She’s worked in education for over 12 years, has led major rebranding and campus transition projects as well as developing multilingual ESOL campaigns. Listen to this episode for her take on the importance of authentic, student-led content and real-life storytelling in FE marketing.

South Bank Colleges

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The College Marketing Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clearhead⁠⁠

A short bonus episode recorded live at the CMN Conference today by our co-founder Gav O’Brien.

When a short three-week temping job turned into a 12-year commitment, Susan Williams realised she found her niche at Loreto College.

Embracing AI, keeping up with the teens on social media (while not trying to be one) and what students really want to hear and see on their digital platforms - take a listen now!

Loreto College

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The College Marketing Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clearhead⁠⁠

Emma Wilde is the Executive Director of the College Marketing Network. She’s the one-woman-band who is single-handedly keeping FE professionals connected, up-skilled and up-to-date. Have a listen to hear what she did before moving into FE marketing, and some of the major changes she’s seen over the past 20 years.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The College Marketing Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clearhead⁠⁠

In this episode, hear from Linzi Atkinson, a marketing leader with 15 years of experience across engineering, retail, and B2B agency work. After being made redundant during COVID, she moved into further education, where she led an award-winning campaign that earned a Silver at the FE First Awards.

She shares her journey overcoming imposter syndrome while stepping into her role as Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment at Oldham College.

Episode note: recorded in 2025 - Linzi has now been at Oldham College for a year.

Oldham College

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The College Marketing Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clearhead⁠⁠