A Marketing Minefield

When ever I visit schools or go to any of the bursar group meetings, schools rarely seem to talk about marketing communications. As a keen marketing buff I thought I would share a few ideas with you.

Schools are forever having to adapt and change, the education system is always changing. With an increasing amount of schools turning in to academies and a number of primary schools fighting to attract pupils from the same catchment area it has never been a more important tool for attracting the new intake.

 

Schools are becoming a lot more business orientated. The internet has also opened communication channels, communities are now talking online about their experiences with schools, conversations that anyone from around the world can access.

If schools aren’t prepared they will get left behind and soon it will be too late.

Different people seem to dabble in and out of marketing communications in schools, mainly because schools don’t have the luxury of recruiting a marketing specialist, especially with the current budget restraints.

Most of you wont realise how much marketing you actually do yourselves, whether it be running the school’s twitter page, placing a vacancy on a recruitment website or taking part in an open day.  

So what is marketing communications?It is about communicating with all of the people that can impact on your school’s reputation and therefore directly or indirectly affect the number of parents wanting to send their children to your school. People you should consider communicating with are:

• The local residents
• Local business community
• Parents
• Internal staff
• Education professionals from other local schools
• Education groups, privately and government run
• Young people
• Local clubs
• Cluster and feeder schools
• Colleges and universities
• The Local Authority

Every one of these stakeholders likes to be communicated in different ways and its important that you target your communications to each group individually. Also think about how regularly you need to communicate with each group. Some will want more communication than others. There is no point hoping to communicate your school brand through twitter to internal staff if they don’t use it.

I do think schools can do more to raise their profile. To remain competitive your school must keep up to date with emerging themes in the education sector and new technologies. To do this you yourself needs to communicate with other professionals in the sector whether it be your local bursar group or the local authority.  

Some schools will get left behind, especially as the new academies are actively marketing their shiny facilities. Ask yourself:

1. Who is your competition?
2. Are you better than the local schools? If so why? If not what could you do better?
3. Would you send your children to this school? If so why? If not why?
4. What unique selling points does your school have over others?
5. Who are your customers and what do they need?

One school in Nottingham is offering free English lessons to parents as 80% of their pupils speak English as a second language. They have looked at their customers and provided a unique service to not only attract new pupils but increase their ability to communicate with them.

So, if you have unique selling points do you communicate them to everyone and spread the word?

Jealous of the local school that always has gloating stories in the newspaper?

Spread the world about your successes and initiatives. More importantly you must realise that the media is one of your most important stakeholders. Build a relationship with them and take the time to work with them and you will reap the rewards. If you just send them a story and expect it to go in the paper it probably wont. Invite them in, show them around.

Don’t forget about internal marketing communications.  If all your staff are unhappy it wont be long before this feeds through to parents. If you don’t look after your supply teachers and cover staff, again this will have negative connotations throughout the community. Negative rumours will soon create a drop in admission numbers. You could:

• hold team bonding events
• send an internal newsletter round of success stories
• reward and more importantly recognise hard work
• hold interesting training sessions
• welcome visiting staff, the staff room can be a lonely place

Finally, be innovative! The amount of times I have seen a school set up a twitter account and for a year they have sent 1 tweet! Tell the world your news, we all want to hear it. No matter what medium you use you need to Communicate to your stakeholders:

• school events
• fund raising
• school closures
• special pupil and staff mentions
• School achievements
• Ofsted results (good or bad)
• Exam results
• School vacancies
• Public appearances
• School trips
• Celebratory visits
• Birthdays

If you want any advice you know where I am ... on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, or if its easier just ring me on 07841 752 462 or email chez@aspirepeople.co.uk

Good luck and don’t forget to let me know about your successes, I will spread the word to all our stakeholders for you.

 

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