Every school’s marketing team must be on the same page when it comes to defining “marketing” – if not, chaos will ensue! Everyone knows we are ultimately talking about enrollment growth (“filling seats”), but the path of getting there will be challenging if the Head of School, Admissions Director, Social Media Coordinator and Marketing Team Volunteers (Parents) are all on a different wavelength in terms of what marketing is (and what it is not).
In this episode, we lay out a clear definition of marketing that applies to every school. It sets the stage for future episodes where we talk about the strategy and tactics that are essential for successful school marketing.
SHOWNOTES: (more…)
As a Duct Tape Marketing consulting working with small business and private schools, we are always looking to help you spend your school marketing dollars wisely when the economy is tight. In this guest article “Marketing Smart When Times Are Tight“, I suggest 5 ways to be:
- Be Valuable
- Be Helpful
- Be Strategic
- Be Different
- Be Referrable
Sound like smart marketing to you? (Learn more about the principles of this international marketing system for your private school, too!)
Click here to read the full article on the Duct Tape Marketing Consulting blog to learn more specifically about the 5 ways to be.
![The 3 Rs of School Marketing [FREE REPORT]](https://www.yourschoolmarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/school_marketing_blog_free_report_3rs.png "The 3 Rs of School Marketing [FREE REPORT]")
When consulting with Christian schools, private academies and independent preparatory schools, we consistently find the three most commons struggles schools have are in the areas of gaining new students, keeping the ones you have, and getting current families to lead you to their friends.
In this free download, we discuss specific examples in each of the 3 Rs of school marketing:
- RECRUITING
- RETENTION
- REFERRALS
I think you’ll find this book filled with practical ideas you can implement right away.
Click here to download your free copy of “The 3 Rs of School Marketing”!
NOTE: If you missed any of the posts in this 3-part series, click here.
In the 2nd of this 3-part series, I begin focusing on how your school can transform your retention efforts! In addition, we will explore in this 3rd post of this series how your referral strategy works together with your retention strategy to cultivate “LOYAL AMBASSADORS.”
The first word of that phrase reminds us all that loyalty helps ensure retention! This is a common consideration in small businesses, but something often overlooked in private schools. As one school administrator told me once, “when we retain even one family, it is our best fund raiser.” So if your school’s financial solvency rests on the keeping your ideal families coming back year-after-year, then what are you doing to intentional cultivate loyalty?
First of all, in the first part of this series, we focused on recruiting the idea family (unless you know what makes someone an ideal family, you’ll be fighting your own efforts at retention). Cultivating loyalty is made much easier when your ideal family is matched with your school’s excellent performance. When an ideal family finds a suitable solution to the academic, spiritual or moral challenges facing them, they are more likely to stay year after year. If at any time, this family feels taken advantage of, or taken for granted, their eyes may be lured elsewhere.
Here are 7 tips on ensuring your ideal families sign on year after year for your private school: (more…)
When it comes to announcing any list, you’re bound to leave off something. Nevertheless, I start a 3-part series talking about the importance of the 3 Rs of private school marketing.
I guess I could have included any of the following:
- Real-time search results
- Relationship building
- Reaching out
- Real results
Any others I missed?
But for me, every school must have a sound marketing strategy focused on the following Rs: (more…)
