Balancing Internal Teams and Agency Partners in Higher-Ed Marketing

Guest: Dr. Evan Kropp, Executive Director of Distance Education, University of Florida 🐊

Topic: In-House vs. Outsourced Marketing — Finding Your Higher-Ed Sweet Spot

When should you keep marketing work in-house — and when does it make sense to outsource?

In this episode, Dr. Evan Kropp shares his eight-factor framework to help higher ed marketing teams decide where to invest their time, talent, and budget.

You’ll hear:

• Why there’s no universal playbook — and how to adapt decisions to your institution’s structure and goals
• The true cost of internal hires vs. agency work (spoiler: salary is just the start)
• How to balance control vs. expertise without stepping on toes
• Why brand consistency can sometimes backfire
• How to partner with agencies while protecting student data and your institutional voice
• A practical approach to retaining and developing marketing talent in higher ed

Dr. Kropp also talks about leadership, culture, and the long game of developing future marketers — what he calls “sending the elevator back down.”

🎧 Listen to the full episode for an honest look at what it takes to scale marketing impact without burning out your internal team.

👉 Follow and subscribe to The Education Marketing Leader Podcast for weekly conversations with higher ed’s top marketing minds.

#HigherEdMarketing #EducationMarketingLeader #EnrollmentStrategy #UniversityMarketing #BrandStrategy #AgencyPartnerships