Some people know a lot about a few things. Others know a little about a lot of things. Rachel Reuben, a higher ed marketing consultant, is one of those rare professionals who knows a lot about dozens of topics, and is able to handle them all with equal skill.

I met Rachel through Hudson Valley Women in Business, when she was looking for a copywriter to collaborate with on her website, for her higher education marketing consulting business. Having worked in marketing for schools before, I was struck by the breadth of expertise Rachel commands. From long-range marketing plans to social media assessments, implementing brand strategies, setting up office workflows and systems, training on crisis communications, and on-the-ground project management and support, the proverbial table to which Rachel brings her skills is less like an conference-room desk and more like the dining hall from the Harry Potter novels.

Rachel sat down to talk about running a business that supports a cause she deeply believes in—the power of higher education—and how she works with clients.

Robin Catalano: Tell us a little bit about your background before you started your own business.

Rachel Reuben: While I was in college, earning my bachelor of science in organizational communication and marketing in the late 1990s, I started freelancing by designing the first websites for many departments at SUNY New Paltz. That landed me my first full-time job upon graduation at the college, as their first Web editor. I spent the first 14 years of my career there, the last half as their director of Web communication and strategic projects.

Upon earning my MBA in marketing and management at the end of my tenure at SUNY New Paltz, I was hired as the associate vice president for marketing communications at Ithaca College. After four years I was recruited by Colgate University to become their next vice president for communication.

In the summer of 2015, I decided to leave that job and move back to the Hudson Valley. I wasn’t sure at that moment in time what I was going to do—I desperately needed rest and to be near my family to recharge after a very tumultuous year. Through the process of networking with others in the higher education industry, I landed my first two contracts without even seeking them out or deciding to consult. After those contracts I thought, Why don’t I try this for six months or so? Here I am, rounding the corner on nearly four years in business.

RC: What are the key components that make your business, and the way you approach higher ed marketing, different?

RR: I actually have two separate business practices. Rachel Reuben Consulting, LLC is a marketing leadership consultancy. I provide interim marketing support, strategic marketing counsel, and marketing operations assessments to colleges and universities. I don’t have any direct competitors with these specialties. I also run Marketing Tech Therapy, which was created as a digital marketing agency to help small businesses, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs with marketing strategy and planning, as well as implementation by building websites, e-mail marketing campaigns, social media strategy, and more.

RC: What are the biggest challenges in higher ed marketing?

RR: I’d say the biggest challenge is often funding-related—having enough budget to do quality, measurable marketing. It’s often very challenging to convince the powers that be that marketing is not a “would be nice” expense, but rather a core, critical expense that should be highly prioritized in the mix of university spending.

RC: What are the most common mistakes or oversights you see in how colleges and universities market themselves?

RR: Too many use the same type of bland, indistinguishable brand points—excellent faculty, great student-to-faculty ratio, great location, etc. You could put most university logos along with those points, and that doesn’t distinguish them from their competitors. Few take the time to do solid market research to really listen and learn about what makes them unique, and then capitalize on that in the marketplace.

RC: What lessons have you learned over the years about client communication?

RR: Consistency is key. After every meeting, follow up with action plans. Have shared Google Docs with running weekly agenda items that can be added to throughout the week as they come to mind.

RC: How many hours do you typically work in a week? Is there any particular task that you love…any that you could do without?

RR: At least 40, sometimes more. I could do without paying taxes.

RC: What type of marketing do you do for yourself?

RR: Peer-to-peer networking, LinkedIn, engaging with executive search firms, engaging with agencies that do work in the higher ed vertical, my website. I’ll be exhibiting at and sponsoring my first higher ed conference this February.

RC: Social media is a huge marketing topic these days. How much social media marketing do you think a business really needs in order to be successful?

RR: It totally varies by business. For my higher education practice, for example, I don’t think it would be effective at all. My target audience is presidents and VPs at institutions, and they want someone they can trust, preferably via someone they know; referrals are key. For my small business digital marketing agency, social media can be an effective way to market my services. But for makers who need to showcase their product and cultivate future customers, it’s a gold mine.

RC: Have you found it beneficial to join any professional networking groups?

RR: Yes, I’ve found Hudson Valley Women in Business to be a helpful, supportive group. While I’ve only landed one client through more than a year with the organization, I’ve developed relationships to build referrals, and have met key partners I have teamed up with on client projects.

RC: Did you ever have a moment where you thought This is too hard or I’m done with this? How did you work through it?

RR: Oh, just about every month or two. As soon as my biggest contract is close to coming to an end, I worry if I’ll get another. And then I do, and the cycle continues. Faith is huge for me. I just have to keep believing.

RC: How do you creatively recharge?

RR: I turn on some Michael Bublé, grab a glass of wine and start making jewelry.

Learn more about Rachel Reuben and her marketing services on her website.