College branding and marketing will grow in importance as institutions have to rely more heavily on adult students and online education to increase enrollment, industry experts said at a recent conference sponsored by an education-research and consulting firm. While enrollments are expected to increase in the next decade, the overall rate of growth is projected to drop. But the adult-student market, which is increasingly geared to online programs, should remain robust. Conference panelists said the keys to successful marketing include understanding what makes an institution unique, staying true to the institutional mission, finding underserved students, understanding what motivates potential students, and developing messages for specific audiences, such as women and minorities.