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Dr Petrus de Kock in conversation with Marzanne van der Westhuizen, Executive Head of Sales and Marketing at Eduvos. The article below is extracted from Volume 36, Issue 5 of the PMR.africa magazine.
In the previous article, we shared key takeaways from a conversation with Siegie Brownlee, CEO of Eduvos. In the latter, it became evident that the story of adaptive growth and success of the institution in recent years stems from a well-honed and executed strategy.
The second of three conversations with Eduvos executives was with Marzanne van der Westhuizen. It quickly emerged that she is in a perfect position, as Executive Head of Sales and Marketing, to shed more light on the brand, how it has evolved, and how to position a private higher education provider in the market.
Marzanne explains that growth is not just a marketing function; it’s an organisational capability. Marketing is embedded at every level of the institution, and decision-making across departments is aligned with the brand promise. Marketing is not simply what is said to customers, but rather the way Eduvos engages with students daily.
Importantly, Eduvos operationalises its brand promise by creating personal transformation for national impact. This is achieved through small class sizes, personalised academic support, work-integrated learning, and academic programmes. Feedback loops with students and sponsors are systematically built into the process to ensure the institution delivers what it promises and continuously improves student experiences.
Having discussed the significant growth Eduvos has been experiencing with Eduvos CEO Siegie Brownlee, one of the questions posed to Marzanne was: "To what do you ascribe Eduvos’ growth and success in recent years?"
Marzanne explains that success cannot be attributed to one thing or one department of the institution. Instead, it’s the result of everyone pulling together to do “many intentional things”. The marketing and sales function specifically played a pivotal role by aligning campaigns with national development priorities, ensuring access through flexible funding models, and providing options for diverse learning modes, including hybrid on-campus, online, and distance modalities.
Eduvos has differentiated itself through strategic partnerships, innovative programmes, and multi-campus accessibility, all of which have contributed to its scalable growth model. This coordinated effort between academic teams, student support, marketing, and sales has ensured that the institution remains responsive to the evolving needs of students and society.
Eduvos’ customer understanding extends well beyond demographics. Marzanne explains that the team made significant investments in research to map student journeys, understand decision-making behaviours, and segment audiences based on engagement preferences and application timing.
These insights were not purely for commercial benefit; they were applied to create access for working professionals, learners in underserved communities, and students with disabilities through their range of study options. Eduvos also recognised the important role that parents, family members, and employers play in the decision-making process, using this understanding to shape targeted messaging and support structures.
By integrating behavioural data and listening to student feedback, Eduvos was able to personalise engagement at scale while simultaneously automating processes to improve responsiveness. Marzanne emphasises that Eduvos’ approach shifted from making assumptions about what students need to actively uncovering how they behave and what influences their choices.
Building trust was not an add-on; it was the foundation of Eduvos’ strategy. Marzanne recalls that Eduvos’ early efforts focused on ensuring alignment between what was promised and what was delivered.
Trust was earned through multiple layers: academic integrity and quality assurance backed by national and international accreditation; employment-readiness through work-integrated learning and practical exposure; and access and affordability supported by funding partnerships with providers such as ABSA, Fundi, Capitec Education Finance, Manati and Student Hero. Eduvos also demonstrated social responsibility through collaborations with NGOs, community engagement, and wellness support.
Student stories, graduate outcomes, and employer partnerships were consistently showcased to provide tangible evidence of quality and impact. Marzanne stresses that in education, trust is built over time through consistent delivery and transparency about what students can expect. The Eduvos brand is positioned not to sell qualifications, but to invite students into a trusted relationship.
Marzanne is clear that education is not a transactional sale. The decision to study is complex, personal, and life-changing, with long-term consequences for the student and their families. The buying cycle is extended, and the purchase is rarely based on price alone.
Eduvos understands that families, employers, and communities influence the decision-making process. This requires a careful, value-led approach that focuses on guiding prospective students through their journey, rather than simply convincing them to enrol.
Additionally, as Marzanne notes, marketing education is about offering a pathway to purpose and national contribution, not just about selling access to a campus or qualification. This reinforces why trust, relevance, and personalisation are essential in the sector.
Operating four intake opportunities each year demands precision and endurance. Marzanne explains that the institution’s always-on marketing strategy is sustained through daily tracking of leads, conversion rates, and engagement data.
Eduvos’ Marketing and Sales teams use real-time insights to tailor interventions for each intake, acknowledging that the needs and decision-making behaviours of a student applying in November are different from one applying in May.
What sets Eduvos apart is its operational agility. Campaigns are adjusted daily, messaging is refined per student segment, and resources are quickly shifted to respond to changes in demand. This responsiveness is also supported by Eduvos’ learning models, which help the institution meet students where they are, not just where campuses are located.
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