Most companies including schools understand how critical it is to personalise the customer experience however they often lack the resources and expertise to create improved outcomes. Schools have the challenging task of connecting with prospects and existing families in today’s complex environment, with more touch points across multiple channels and devices.

Here are some simple tips to help improve your approach and create better-targeted marketing strategies within your school. Consumer insights are key to developing an effective and relevant strategy that resonates with parent’s expectations.

What can schools do? 

1. Listen to your current students. Don’t assume that they are happy with what your school offers, they are a fantastic insight into making things better. Carry out focus groups and interviews early and encourage honesty. Ask them to suggest a ‘top ten’ of what they’d like to see at school and take the opportunity to find out what media sources are going to influence their choices? You can use the same media to promote and attract students from other schools. Students in today’s changing educational landscape are empowered to make choices and heavily influence parents in the decision making process.
 
2. Listen to parents. Set up small focus groups to find out what parents think of your school and other alternatives. What are their concerns? Talk to some parents who sent students to other schools – why did they do this?
 RETENTION exist interviews are crucial.

3. Research the competition:
How are other schools and colleges selling their services? 
Do you have copies of their prospectuses? 
Do you know what they say at interviews (ask some of your students if not)? 
How do they make themselves distinctive? 
What is their Value Proposition?

4. Innovate. What can you offer to parents and students that will differentiate your school? Examples include offering curriculum innovations such as the International Baccalaureate  program or supplementary studies such as VET Courses.  Don’t be afraid to think the unthinkable.
Technology will be a driving force in the future and schools need to embed this within their teaching framework.  

5. Provide Testimonials: Authentic videos from current students are often a very strong form of persuasion. Use these to your advantage, showcase your facilities, programs and students utilising their environments and 
highlight the integrated community connection your school has.

6.Keep Communicating: Make sure all prospective and current parents and students know your results, the innovations you are making and the facilities on offer. Make sure you communicate these benefits repeatedly through your prospectus, advertising, website and social media. Repetition is key for successful communication strategies.

7. Make it personal for both current families and external ones! Arrange to talk to all current parents and students at the start of Prep, Year 5 and Year 7. Listen to any individual concerns and let them know who can address them as soon as possible.

Even schools that have full enrolment numbers, will benefit from an improved customer-focused marketing approach. Consistently providing opportunities for stakeholders to see the achievements of students, can positively influence community perception.

You can also create exciting new links to industry and employers, that will improve the focus, learning and outcomes for students. Marketing can be used to enhance teaching and learning. Celebrating and sharing a departments success along with articles on subject area updates are powerful.

Like it or not, every school is already spending a lot of money, time and effort on marketing activities. Every time a prospective parent calls and talks to a member of staff, visits the school website, takes away a prospectus or attends an Open Day, they are connecting with the school. Every advert and press release placed in the local paper, parent newsletter, Facebook advertising and website updates are a marketing cost.

When you consider the time and effort marketing activities already take up, savings can be made by centralising activities, and the increased revenue that comes from formal strategic marketing activities and a well-executed marketing program will show a return on investment many times over in the long term.