In this episode, Rustam Irani shares a leadership lesson that fundamentally changed how he approaches trust, relationships, and marketing. Through a personal story of working first as a higher education marketing leader and later from the agency side, he explores what happens when relationships turn out to be transactional rather than genuine. Rustam breaks down five lessons he's learned about building authentic professional relationships, protecting generosity without becoming cynical, and why the same principles of trust apply directly to higher education marketing. Ultimately, he argues that lasting enrollment success begins with becoming the kind of person—and organization—that people genuinely want to trust.

Timestamps

 * 00:00 – A personal story about trust, leadership, and seeing both sides of the vendor-client relationship
 * 03:18 – The tables turn: experiencing rejection after moving to the agency side
 * 04:45 – Why genuine relationships reveal themselves over time
 * 06:01 – Lesson 1 & 2: Recognizing transactional relationships while protecting your generosity
 * 08:44 – Lesson 3: Doing due diligence before extending trust
 * 09:20 – Lesson 4: Why deep relationships outperform large networks
 * 11:06 – Lesson 5: Applying trust-building principles to higher education marketing
 * 12:05 – Final recap: The five trust tests every leader should remember

Trust Test

Episode Overview

In this episode, Rustam Irani sits down with Will McDonald, Executive Vice President of Admissions at Academy of Art University, to explore what effective admissions leadership looks like in today's higher education landscape. Drawing on more than two decades of enrollment experience, Will shares why the strongest institutions treat marketing and admissions as one unified student recruitment team, how leaders can build high-performing admissions organizations, and why staying connected to the student experience is more important than any dashboard or technology. They also discuss where AI can genuinely improve admissions operations—and where the human element remains irreplaceable.

Resources Mentioned

 * LinkedIn — William McDonald (mentioned as the best place to connect with Will)

Timestamps

 * 00:00 – Introduction to Will McDonald and the importance of admissions and marketing alignment
 * 01:58 – Will's leadership journey, football background, and lessons from Howard Schnellenberger
 * 05:05 – How admissions has changed over the past 20 years and the growing complexity of student decision-making
 * 08:45 – Building effective admissions processes while keeping the student—not the transaction—at the center
 * 12:48 – Why marketing and admissions should function as one unified department with shared KPIs
 * 17:02 – Building admissions teams, hiring for coachability, and staying connected to frontline staff
 * 21:58 – The promise and limitations of AI in admissions, including automation and re-engagement strategies
 * 27:24 – Leadership advice for new admissions directors and the importance of focusing on people, process, and performance
 * 31:16 – Final takeaway: Stay plugged into the student experience by listening to students and frontline teams

Beyond Enrollment

In this episode, Rustam Irani explores a growing challenge facing higher-ed enrollment teams: declining contact rates despite steady inquiry volume. Drawing from conversations with multiple institutions across different program types and regions, he unpacks why traditional explanations like lead quality and staffing may no longer tell the full story. Rustam examines how changing communication preferences, AI-driven outreach, caller screening technology, and increasing digital noise are reshaping student engagement—and what marketers can do to adapt.

Timestamps

 * 00:00 - 01:20 | The Contact Rate Problem Rustam introduces the growing trend of declining contact rates across multiple institutions and program types.
   
 * 01:21 - 05:12 | Investigating the Root Causes Analysis of historical data, common assumptions about lead quality and staffing, and emerging external factors affecting outreach success.
   
 * 05:13 - 06:52 | Why Context Matters More Than Ever The importance of multi-channel communication, setting expectations, and giving prospects context before outreach occurs.
   
 * 06:53 - 08:50 | Speed-to-Lead and Operational Fundamentals Why rapid response times, proper caller ID setup, and communication sequencing can improve engagement.
   
 * 08:51 - 10:51 | Personalized Follow-Up and Alternative Engagement Channels Tailoring messaging to student goals and exploring live chat experiences as an alternative to phone-based engagement.
   
 * 10:52 - 13:29 | Understanding the Modern Student Reality Examining the noise, distractions, responsibilities, and emotional circumstances prospects face when they inquire.
   
 * 13:30 - 15:58 | From Contact Rates to Meaningful Engagement Reframing the KPI conversation from answered phone calls to meaningful engagement and student intent, followed by practical action items for marketers.
   

Key Takeaways

 * Declining contact rates are increasingly influenced by external factors, not just lead quality or enrollment operations.
 * Students are screening more calls and have more communication choices than ever before.
 * Multi-channel communication (text, email, phone, chat) is becoming essential for creating context and trust.
 * Speed-to-lead remains important, but relevance and consistency across touchpoints matter just as much.
 * Higher-ed marketers should shift their focus from improving contact rates alone to creating meaningful engagement experiences that align with how students want to interact.

Not Lead Quality

In this episode, Rustam Irani breaks down the concept of a university’s “brand signal zone” — the geographic radius where a school’s reputation, awareness, and trust actually influence enrollment behavior. Using years of campaign data and real-world examples, he explains why most institutions dramatically overestimate how far their brand reaches, and how enrollment marketers can use geographic insights to build smarter campaigns, lower acquisition costs, and uncover hidden opportunities for growth. He also explores how local trust, specialized programs, and strategic partnerships shape enrollment performance across different distance bands.

Timestamps

 * 00:00 – Why universities overestimate brand awareness
   Rustam introduces the idea that many institutions believe their reputation extends far beyond where the data actually shows influence.
 * 01:13 – The “driving distance” enrollment reality
   Discussion around the statistic that 67% of undergraduates enroll within driving distance of home and why proximity still matters.
 * 02:20 – The Power Zone (0–25 miles)
   Exploration of the strongest geographic enrollment radius and how local events, alumni presence, and community partnerships reinforce trust.
 * 04:16 – The Middle Ring (25–100 miles)
   How brand recognition begins to fade and why program-specific marketing becomes critical in this zone.
 * 06:17 – University of Alaska case study
   A breakdown of how unique regional strengths can successfully expand a school’s reach beyond its immediate market.
 * 08:56 – The Outer Ring (100+ miles)
   Why enrollment conversion rates sharply decline at greater distances and what schools must offer to compete nationally.
 * 09:54 – The “Harvard of our area” mindset
   Rustam shares a story about a university leader who struggled to accept that their institution lacked national brand recognition.
 * 12:07 – Using enrollment and analytics data to map brand resonance
   Practical ways marketers can identify geographic performance zones using CRM, application, CPC, and enrollment data.

Weak Signal

In this episode, Rustam Irani explores how AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity are fundamentally changing how prospective students research colleges and programs. He breaks down why traditional website traffic may be declining while enrollment quality improves, and explains the four critical metrics institutions must track to understand their visibility in AI-generated search results. Rustam also shares the foundational SEO and authority-building principles that still matter in the age of LLMs, along with practical insight into how schools can improve their presence, sentiment, and share of voice in AI-driven discovery experiences.

Resources Mentioned

 * RGI AEO Dashboard - https://aeo.rgiconsulting.net/leadsquared/

Timestamps

 * 00:00 – 01:23 — How prospective students are using AI tools to research colleges and programs before ever visiting a school website
 * 01:24 – 03:05 — The four core metrics schools must track in AI search: visibility, share of voice, citation rate, and sentiment
 * 03:06 – 05:32 — Why some schools are seeing lower inquiry volume but higher application and enrollment quality
 * 05:33 – 06:50 — The SEO and authority fundamentals that still matter in the LLM era
 * 06:51 – 08:14 — The new kinds of nuanced student questions appearing inside AI search tools
 * 08:15 – 10:22 — How AI visibility dashboards and citation analysis help schools identify content opportunities
 * 10:23 – 11:56 — The importance of reputation, transparency, partnerships, and consistent messaging in AI-generated results
 * 11:57 – 15:12 — Why schools don’t need massive budgets to compete in AI search—and what they actually need instead

The AI Signals

In this episode, Rustam Irani sits down with SEO expert Julian Hooks to unpack the growing confusion around declining traffic, AI’s impact on search, and what higher-ed marketers should actually focus on right now. Together, they cut through the hype around AEO, GEO, and LLMs, revealing that while the discovery landscape is shifting, the fundamentals of SEO—and great marketing—are still the foundation. The conversation explores how user behavior is evolving, why attribution is getting harder, and how marketers can adapt without abandoning what already works.

Resources Mentioned

 * RGI AEO Dashboard - https://aeo.rgiconsulting.net/

Timestamps

 * 00:00 – The Problem: Traffic and conversions are declining despite doing “everything right” in SEO
 * 01:00 – Meet Julian Hooks: 20 years in SEO and deep experience in higher ed marketing
 * 04:00 – Is SEO Dead?: Why AI isn’t replacing SEO but reshaping how discovery works
 * 08:00 – AEO vs GEO vs SEO: Breaking down the terminology and what actually matters
 * 10:30 – The Attribution Problem: Why AI-driven traffic is hard to measure (but still impactful)
 * 13:00 – New Signals to Watch: Direct traffic, branded search, and behavioral shifts
 * 15:30 – AEO Measurement Framework: Visibility, share of voice, citation rate, and sentiment
 * 22:00 – How to Prioritize Efforts: 80–85% fundamentals vs 15–20% AI-specific adjustments
 * 25:00 – Content Strategy Shift: Don’t abandon long-form—just surface answers faster
 * 28:00 – Why Traffic Is Down: LLMs are capturing top-of-funnel informational queries
 * 31:00 – Higher Intent Users: Fewer visitors, but stronger conversion and engagement
 * 32:00 – Final Advice: Think holistically, focus on fundamentals, and build a great product/experience

SEO is Changing

In this episode, Rustam Irani shares a pivotal early-career moment that reshaped how he presents data, and breaks down four essential rules for delivering clear, credible, and impactful insights that drive action. 

Resources Mentioned


ChatGPT — https://chat.openai.com/
Google Gemini — https://gemini.google.com/


Timestamps
00:00 – The CEO Meeting That Changed Everything: A high-stakes presentation goes wrong and reveals a critical gap in data storytelling.
04:53 – Introduction to the 4 Rules of Presenting Data: Rustam frames the episode and the lessons learned over years of experience.
05:44 – Rule #1: Clarity and Simplicity: Why overcomplicating data loses your audience and how to present at the right level.
08:08 – Rule #2: Accuracy and Reliability: The importance of validating data, checking formulas, and spotting red flags.
09:23 – Rule #3: Tell the Story Behind the Data: Focusing on what changed, why it changed, and what it means.
10:33 – Rule #4: Use Effective Visuals: Leveraging charts, graphs, and modern tools to make insights instantly clear.
12:00 – From Reporting to Responsibility: Shifting mindset from sharing numbers to owning the narrative and outcomes.


Sent Back

In this episode, Rustam Irani sits down with Chris Shepard to unpack what it really takes to build performance-driven marketing systems that create trust, align teams, and generate measurable results. Chris shares his path from early email marketing and agency ownership to leading digital strategy in higher education, along with the lessons he’s learned about vendor collaboration, data visibility, and the practical role AI can play in modern marketing.

Resources Mentioned

 * The Prompt — Chris Shepard’s weekly AI-focused newsletter for higher education marketers - https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-prompt-7432956494280683520/

Timestamps

 * 0:01 - 2:43 — Intro and Chris’s marketing background
   Rustam introduces Chris Shepard and previews a conversation on digital marketing, leadership, and AI.
 * 2:44 - 8:10 — From record-label email marketing to building an agency
   Chris shares how he got started in digital marketing, taught himself website building and SEO, and grew an agency serving home-service businesses.
 * 8:11 - 13:44 — Selling the agency and moving into higher education
   Chris reflects on selling WebRocket after COVID, what he learned from building trust at scale, and why Tricoci felt like the right next chapter.
 * 13:45 - 20:07 — Why alignment and data matter more than marketing activity
   The conversation shifts to silos in higher ed, why marketing is too often treated as a cost center, and how lead, enrollment, and start data drive smarter decisions.
 * 20:08 - 29:12 — Breaking down vendor silos and building collaborative systems
   Chris explains how he manages multiple agency partners through weekly calls, biweekly strategy sessions, and annual summits that include leadership and admissions.
 * 29:13 - 35:36 — AI dashboards, automation, and the purpose behind The Prompt
   Chris describes building his own live dashboard, using AI for summaries and forecasting, and launching a newsletter to help higher ed marketers keep up with AI change.
 * 35:37 - 40:56 — Career advice for modern marketers
   Chris closes with advice on growth: show up consistently, know your numbers, deeply understand your audience, and stay curious as the industry keeps evolving.

Why They Win

In this episode, Rustam Irani sits down with longtime colleague Charlie (Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management & CMO at Kaiser University) to unpack what it means to be a “modern CMO” in higher ed. They trace the shift from old-school, performance-first tactics to a brand-and-trust-led approach where authenticity, earned media, and mid-funnel experience matter more than ever. Along the way, they dig into how AI is changing research and decisioning, why attribution and yield tracking are still a major gap for many institutions, and what young marketers need to do to grow into real leadership.Resources Mentioned

Chat with Charlie:https://www.youtube.com/@ChatWithCharlieAndFriends/featured

Charlie Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-parker-94989b7/


00:01–02:24 — Welcome + “OG in the industry”: Rustam introduces Charlie and frames the episode around marketing + enrollment leadership.
02:24–06:24 — What a “modern CMO” means now: From standing out to staying a student of the game; the evolution from old media buys to today’s landscape.
06:24–13:40 — Earned media, mid-funnel, and the authenticity challenge: Why organic trust-building is the new “tip of the spear,” and how paid/organic has blurred (especially in social).
12:44–14:44 — The brand vs. performance flip: Charlie’s “triangle” view—performance as the tip, brand as the base; budgeting for reputation and the long game.
15:06–16:39 — AI as a modern CMO toolset: Charlie’s example of using Claude to generate a market study; tools without losing culture and human connection.
16:39–18:35 — Yield over volume + the attribution gap: “More inquiries isn’t the metric”; tracking marketing investment to enrollments is still missing at many institutions.
18:53–21:12 — Brand radius, zoning, and smarter geo strategy: Rustam’s “brand has a radius” idea and Charlie’s story about finding an unexpected out-of-state sweet spot by reverse-engineering graduates.
22:10–25:37 — Bringing the art back: Marketing as science + art; storytelling, belonging, and avoiding becoming a “widget creator in a human business.”
26:05–32:19 — Advice for young marketers: Put in the extra work, understand the full ecosystem, and bring solutions (not just problems—especially in the AI era).
32:42–36:02 — Enrollment isn’t just marketing + admissions: Charlie’s push to elevate financial aid training and soft skills; Rustam’s “FAM framework” alignment (finance/admissions/marketing).
37:02–38:18 — Close + how to connect: Charlie points listeners to LinkedIn; Rustam signs off with the show’s closing line.

The Modern CMO

In this episode, Rustam Irani challenges the assumption that affiliate partners are low-quality, fraudulent, or ineffective for higher-ed marketing. Drawing from firsthand attribution analysis, he reveals how more than 20% of prospective students engaged with a school through affiliate or directory sites before ever landing on the institution’s website. Rustam breaks down five key factors for evaluating affiliate partnerships—lead quality, compliance, partner selection, performance tracking, and brand reputation—while reframing affiliates not as a risky expense, but as a hidden pipeline and awareness layer that can meaningfully impact enrollment outcomes.

Resources Mentioned

 * LeadID (later Jornaya, then Verisk, now acquired by ActiveProspect)

Timestamps

 * 00:01 – The Affiliate Myth: Why many higher-ed marketers dismiss affiliates as fraud or low-intent traffic.
 * 00:38 – Attribution Discovery: The 20% insight that changed Rustam’s perspective on affiliate value.
 * 01:53 – Tracking the Ecosystem: How LeadID/Jornaya enabled cross-site visibility and anonymous user tracking.
 * 06:04 – Factor #1: Lead Quality & Qualification: Evaluating intent, demographics, custom questions, and lead scoring.
 * 08:06 – Factor #2: Compliance & Ethical Practices: FTC guidelines, traffic sources, and the risks of co-registration.
 * 10:35 – Factor #3: Partner Selection: Vetting affiliates through checklists, traffic sources, and longevity.
 * 12:03 – Factor #4: Performance Tracking & ROI Models: CPC vs. CPL, cost expectations, and enrollment targets.
 * 14:05 – Factor #5: Brand Reputation & Placement Transparency: Protecting brand standards while gaining exposure.
 * 17:08 – Reframing the Channel: Why cutting affiliates may shrink your pipeline and assisted conversions.

Affiliate Myth

ROI University is the podcast for higher-ed marketers ready to lead meaningful change. Hosted by Rustam Irani, this solo series helps you unlock higher enrollment, deeper student connection, and the internal clarity to do your boldest work. It’s not just about tactics, it’s about becoming the kind of leader your institution needs. Get ready to raise outcomes across the board: for your students, your team, and yourself.

ROI University: A Higher Ed Marketing Show