marketing your school in troubled times, nysais
TRANSCRIPT
Strategies for Turning Around a Declining Enrollment
Rick Newberry, Ph.D.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} During this workshop we will discuss successful strategies to help your school grow during these troubled times.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
Starbucks The Family Portrait Coaching Blog
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
© 2013 Enrollment Catalyst
Enrollment Catalyst partners with schools to provide coaching for school leaders in their
school’s enrollment management and marketing systems, strategies, and solutions needed to
reach their goals.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
Some school observations from travels and consulting across the country
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
School Growth
Leadership
Quality School
Experience
Vision
Faculty and Staff
Parent Satisfaction
Reputation
Location
Price
Competition
Enrollment & Marketing
Plan
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Economic uncertainty } Enrollment instability } Parent entitlement, consumerism and disloyalty } Strong demand for strong schools } Increased competition } Increased dependence on financial aid } Increased focus on branding and marketing } Desire for growth
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Limited resources } Shotgun approach } No written plan } Shift from outbound to inbound marketing
strategies } Interest in word of mouth marketing } We don’t tell our story very well
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
We will discuss several strategies for successfully growing your school.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
1. Leadership matters 2. Focus on parent satisfaction and a quality experience 3. Develop and communicate your brand 4. Set goals and analyze enrollment results 5. Devote resources to staff and the team 6. Launch a parent ambassadors program 7. Consistently follow-up with inquiries 8. Re-recruit your current families 9. Implement a word of mouth campaign 10. Focus your resources on your website 11. Generate leads through online marketing strategies 12. Tell your school’s story through social media 13. Aggressive use of financial aid
Bennis and Nanus believe that “leadership is the pivotal force behind
successful organizations.” � Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge
Enrollment rises or falls on leadership.
} The vision and drive toward school improvement—increasing the quality of the educational experience—will be critical to your ability to increase enrollment.
} The confidence of the parents in the leadership of the school will have a significant impact on retention and word of mouth in the community.
© 2012 Enrollment Catalyst
} The practice of leadership—it’s what a leader does.
} Five leadership practices of exemplary leaders: 1. Model the Way 2. Inspire a Shared Vision 3. Challenge the Process 4. Enable Others to Act 5. Encourage the Heart
� Kouzes and Posner, The Leadership Challenge
© 2012 Enrollment Catalyst
} Envision the future by imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities. ◦ What is your vision? What is your picture of the
future? ◦ “Leaders have a desire to make something happen,
to change the way things are, to create something that no one else has ever created before.”
(Kouzes and Posner, The Leadership Challenge) } Enlist others in a common vision by appealing
to shared aspirations. ◦ Is your vision shared?
© 2012 Enrollment Catalyst
} The implementation of your vision will be critical for creating enthusiastic support for your school. It will also empower word-of-mouth marketing.
} It’s been said that: ◦ “Vision without implementation is hallucination.”
} If you want to grow your school, you have to focus on the quality of the educational experience first.
} Focus Groups and surveys can help you measure your parent satisfaction.
} Survey your parents annually by conducting an overall parent satisfaction and perception survey. ◦ Look for areas of dissatisfaction to improve the
quality of the school. ◦ Report findings from the survey back to parents. ◦ Best time to survey parents is October/November
and January/February/March.
} What is branding? “From a business point of view, branding in the marketplace is very similar to branding on the ranch. A branding program should be designed to differentiate your product [school] from all the other cattle [schools] on the range. Even if all the other cattle on the range look pretty much alike.”
� Al and Laura Reis, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
“The brand on the outside is only
as strong as the brand on the inside.”
– Karl Speak, President, Beyond Marketing Thought
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Develop a compelling visual brand for your school that includes the following: ◦ Logomark ◦ Typography ◦ Color palette ◦ Photography
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Consistent use of your school’s brand elements: ◦ Logo ◦ Tagline ◦ Colors ◦ Message
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Most administrators haven’t considered this question as a key part of their marketing strategy. We need to begin asking the question:
What do you want them to talk about?
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Determine/Define the optimal enrollment your school.
} Develop annual incremental goals to reach capacity: ◦ 2014 ◦ 2015 ◦ 2016
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Develop specific enrollment goals for the following areas: ◦ Total Enrollment ◦ Retention ◦ Admissions � Inquiries � Campus Visits � Applications � Deposits � New students
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Provides a snapshot overview of the re-enrollment of current families and enrollment of new families.
Inquiries
Campus Visits
Applications
Admits
Deposits
Enrollees
Prospects
} Devote personnel resources to your school’s enrollment and marketing effort.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Direct administrative responsibilities for admissions ◦ Director of Admissions/Enrollment ◦ Head of School/Principal
} Additional involvement in admissions ◦ Secretary/Receptionist ◦ Administration ◦ Faculty and Staff ◦ Parents ◦ Students
} Develop, implement and manage the recruitment plan
} Strive to reach and exceed all of the goals } Provide an outstanding campus visit experience
and follow-up for all inquiries and applicants } Increase awareness of the school through feeder
schools, churches and other groups } Encourage and facilitate the involvement of
parents in the recruitment strategy } Report weekly on the progress toward
recruitment goals
} Quality/excellence in their job } Tell your school’s story } Turn negative moments into positive
moments } Channel concerns to the administration } Communication with parents } Relationships with parents } Create memorable moments } Positive ambassadors for the school
} Recruit a team of parent ambassadors to expand the reach of the enrollment office.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Passion for your school } Credibility among their peers } Connections at the school and in the
community } Opportunity to be involved
} Open Houses } Prospective Parent Contacts } Feeder Schools } Feeder Churches/Synagogues } Neighborhood Meetings } Businesses and Realtors } Community Events } Online (Facebook and Reviews) } Internal Marketing
} New parents can be the best resources for your school to reach out to their previous school, church, neighborhood or other group.
} Provide a card in your admissions package that includes the names, child grade levels, phone numbers and email addresses of your parent ambassadors.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Feeder Schools – Act as a liaison and feeder school ambassador to profile your school to the director/principal and prospective parents. Seek ways to share your school with the school leadership and parents.
Feeder Schools
} Feeder Churches/Synagogues – Act as a liaison and ambassador to profile your school to the Pastor/Priest/Rabbi and prospective parents. Seek ways to share your school with the synagogue leadership and membership.
Feeder Churches/Synagogues
} Neighborhood Meetings – Host and/or recruit parents to hold prospective parent meetings in homes.
Neighborhood Meetings
} Businesses, Realtors and Other Groups – Seek ways to profile and share your school at area businesses, realtors and other groups.
Other Groups/Networks
} Community Events – Seek ways to profile your school in local community events.
Community Events
} Online – Engage actively online in Facebook posts and write reviews for your school on key school directory sites including GreatSchools.org, Google+ and other sites.
Online
} Internal Marketing – Provide positive word of mouth internally with current parents to encourage continuous enrollment at your school.
Internal Marketing
} Admissions Packets } Website } Cards for Open Houses } Facebook } Video } Your own experiences
Tools
} Some schools take the “Wait and See” approach when an inquiring parent calls. Rather than following up with key information on the school, the admissions staff member waits to see if they will contact the office.
} Implement a 30-day follow-up plan for parent inquiries. This follow-up plan should include mailings, calls and emails that encourage the parent to apply/enroll at your school.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Step 1 – Make initial contact with inquiry } Step 2 – Send information packet on school
with personal letter (within 24 hours of inquiry). ◦ Make sure the letter is personalized and well-
written to sell your school.
} Step 3 – Call one week later to discuss your school and encourage the parent to take the next step (seven days after inquiry date). ◦ Phone call should focus on the following: � Make sure information was received in the mail. � Encourage the family to visit. � Use the time to better understand the parent’s needs
and sell the parent on your school. � Send hand-written note immediately after call is made.
} Step 4 – Send postcard/infographic/brochure to remind the parent of your school (15 days after inquiry date).
} Step 5 – Personal contact from a current parent (25 days after inquiry). ◦ Use a parent ambassador from a similar grade level to
contact the inquiry. } Step 6 – Send mailing to focus on affording and
applying to your school (30 days after inquiry). ◦ This is the final letter in the regular inquiry sequence.
This letter should create some urgency to enrolling at your school.
} What should you do with your inquiries after your 30 day follow-up? ◦ Monthly contact with inquiries with key branded
messages that include testimonials, stories and stats. ◦ Send your school’s email newsletter.
© 2010 Cherry+Company
} The strategy and process for recruiting your current families to continue enrollment in your school for the next year.
} Re-recruitment is the activity that leads to retention.
© 2012 Enrollment Catalyst
} Parent Satisfaction } Vision and leadership } Retention statistics and reports } Responsibility of re-recruitment } Connections to community } Customer service } Identify at-risk students and families } The re-enrollment process } Focus on the transition grades } Parent communication } Internal marketing } Parent feedback
} When your parents are very satisfied with their experience at your school, they will be your greatest asset to reaching your community. Do everything you can to market your school internally to your parents.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Be proactive in working with current families to keep them enrolled at your school ◦ Grade all of your families on their likelihood to
return next year. ◦ Meet with all families personally that are “on the
fence” regarding their decision to re-enroll. ◦ Host small group coffees and events for parents. ◦ Implement “Next Year and Beyond” meetings for
families to understand the next level.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Launch an internal marketing campaign that coincides with re-enrollment (January and ongoing).
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
“This is the foundation of buzz: in order to get people talking about your product or service,
you must provide a great experience.”
• Rosen, The Anatomy of Buzz Revisited
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
A Great School Will Create WOM
Strong Retention
Strong Parent
Satisfaction
Positive Word of Mouth
1. Talkers—who will tell their friends about you?
2. Topics—what will they talk about? 3. Tools—how can you help the message travel? 4. Taking Part—how should you join the
conversation? 5. Tracking—what are people saying about you?
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
520 540 560 580 600 620 640 660 680 700
Enrollment
Re-enrollment for the 2014-15 school year is the highest ever!
Sent to Parents by division and all Faculty
} Your school’s website should be the hub of news, activity, information and stories about your school.
} It is the most important marketing and communication tool for today’s school.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Brand—It is important to convey a strong brand for your school—including your logo, colors, and tagline.
} Photos—Large, professional photos on the home page will draw the visitor to your school.
} Content—Dynamic content and a compelling message is important to keep users returning to your school’s website.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
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©Association of Independent School Admission Professionals Annual Summer Institute 2013
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©Association of Independent School Admission Professionals Annual Summer Institute 2013
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1. Opportunity to share dynamic content on your website.
2. Increase traffic to your website. 3. Provide significant search engine
optimization (SEO) value for your website. 4. Provide a platform to share content. 5. It’s fun!
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} SEO – Search Engine Optimization } PPC – Pay-Per-Click ads } Social Media } Online Directories and Local Listings } Reviews
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} SEO is the process of adjusting websites and pages to gain higher placement in search engine results. ◦ Where does your school come up on a web search?
} Organic versus Paid ◦ Organic – page titles and keywords in your website ◦ Google’s AdWords – pay-per-click advertising for
keywords.
© 2010 Cherry+Company
} Design your website with your audience in mind—your prospective parents.
} Publish engaging and instructional content on your site.
} Speak human—Use rich and relevant keywords in a natural way.
} Make sure your school shows up in the local search results on major search engines.
} Optimize your web pages with relevant, keyword-focused page titles, meta descriptions, H1 headlines and content.
} School administrators most often focus on website design when launching a new site but fail to focus on the most important elements – SEO and content development.
} It is critical to focus on developing content that is: ◦ Relevant ◦ Keyword-rich ◦ Dynamic ◦ Compelling
} Pay-Per-Click Ads ◦ Google AdWords ◦ Facebook Ads
} Online Reviews and Directory Sites ◦ GreatSchools.com ◦ PrivateSchoolReview.com ◦ Yelp.com ◦ Google+
} Programs ◦ Academics, Athletics, Arts, Service, Technology,
Faith, Character } People ◦ Students, Parents, Leadership, Faculty, Staff,
Coaches, Alumni } Results
} Tell the story of your school through students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff: ◦ Motivate every faculty and staff member to share
one story to the leadership ◦ Focus on linking stories to the USP’s ◦ Develop video vignettes that can be posted on
your website, Vimeo/YouTube and Facebook ◦ Lead story in every issue of your email newsletter ◦ Stories on Facebook, website and blog ◦ Create positive buzz about your school
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Grads at other schools looking back on their experience at your school
} Faculty expressing their unique passion for teaching at your school.
} Students conveying what they like best about your school.
} Students answering the question, “What makes your school special to you?”
} Parent sharing why they chose your school for their child and the difference this decision has made.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} Facebook can be used to connect to alumni, parents and friends of your school and to tell your school’s story.
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst
} When something happens in your classroom, on the field, or on stage that is communicates your school, you need to capture the moment.
© 2010 Cherry+Company
Photos tell the story at Miami Country Day
©Association of Independent School Admission Professionals Annual Summer Institute 2013
} With empty seats, the schools took an aggressive approach to discounting tuition to maximize enrollment.
1. Leadership matters 2. Focus on parent satisfaction and a quality
experience 3. Develop and communicate your brand 4. Set goals and analyze enrollment results 5. Devote resources to staff and the team 6. Launch a parent ambassadors program 7. Consistently follow-up with inquiries 8. Re-recruit your current families 9. Implement a word of mouth campaign 10. Focus your resources on your website 11. Generate leads through online marketing strategies 12. Tell your school’s story through social media 13. Aggressive use of financial aid
For More Information:
Enrollment Catalyst Rick Newberry, Ph.D. 9770 Indian Key Trail Seminole, FL 33776
727.647.0378
[email protected] Blog: www.EnrollmentCatalyst.com/Blog
www.EnrollmentCatalyst.com Facebook.com/EnrollmentCatalyst
@RickNewberry
© 2014 Enrollment Catalyst