News

Decisions, decisions: what prompts your customers to buy?

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013 | Blogs, Marketing, Strategy

Blog by Irina Yaacoub, Marketing Consultant

Understanding the decision making process your customers go through is fundamental in developing an effective communications strategy that delivers results. A typical five-stage model implies customers go through most, if not all of the following steps:

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No knock-off goods here: it’s the real thing.

Monday, December 17th, 2012 | Blogs, Marketing, Research, Strategy, Uncategorized

Blog by Dick Davison – Head of Strategic and Research Services

Somebody once told me that certain ‘knock-off’ goods – the allegedly Prada and Louis Vuitton bags you can buy from street traders on the Ponte Sant’ Angelo in Rome, for example – were not actually cheap imitations, but genuine goods stolen from the production line and sold through the black market. Probably not true, and certainly not true of the ‘Rolex’ watches with cheap quartz motions which a few dollars could purchase in the back streets of Taipei.

But musings on the real value of prestige consumer brands came to mind recently when I was approached by a third-party fixer to brief a very well-known international consulting firm on trends within the UK boarding market. It transpired, during the course of a very long telephone call (from Mumbai, where the consultant was based) that the well-known consulting firm’s ultimate client was a UK institution, interested in investment opportunities within the British independent education sector.

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Ending on a high note

Friday, November 23rd, 2012 | Blogs, Events

Blog by Irina Yaacoub, Marketing Consultant

The rather intimate Proprietorial Schools Autumn Forum 2012, which took place on 15th November 2012 in the prestigious Cavalry and Guards Club, Piccadilly, London, once again proved itself to be the only place for proprietors to meet, discuss and receive industry specific knowledge.

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mtm/vwv Autumn Conference Report 2012

Wednesday, November 21st, 2012 | Events, Insights, Uncategorized

Following the 7th annual Practical Strategies conference held at the IoD in London on 18 September, 2012, we are pleased to release the conference report which summarises the sessions.

We are already looking ahead to next year’s conference, which will be held on 17 September 2013 at the same venue. If you have not already done so, please let us have your feedback so we can make the next Practical Strategies conference even better.

Practical Strategies Conference Report

The 2012 mtm/ISC School Fees Survey

Wednesday, September 19th, 2012 | Blogs, Insights, Research

Article by Dick Davison, Head of Strategic Services

The biggest survey of independent school parents yet undertaken has shown an encouraging rise in their confidence about being able to continue to afford school fees for their children’s full school careers.

The survey records responses from nearly 6,200 parents whose children were in independent schools during summer term 2012. Undertaken by mtmconsulting, using its secure online survey technology, the survey was carried out with the full support and co-operation of the Independent Schools Council (ISC).

It supplements the results of the first ever such surveys, undertaken by mtmconsulting in 2010 and, on a much smaller scale, in 2007. Read more

Don’t let your awayday let you down

Thursday, August 30th, 2012 | Blogs

Blog by Dick Davison, Head of Strategic Services

We all know how useful a strategy awayday can be. An opportunity for governors or the leader-ship team to get right away from daily duties and cares and focus on the big picture, the strategic development of the school.
At least that’s how it’s supposed to be. Too often we hear that strategy days haven’t gone according to plan, that discussions lacked focus, that priorities weren’t established or considered, that decisions were fudged and the vision dissipated. Read more

Cookies 102 – Putting your website on a diet…

Thursday, August 16th, 2012 | Tags: , , , Blogs

Blog by Chris Smith, Head of Business Development

As discussed in the last article, much like subliminal messaging in the 1950s, cookies do have a dark side. The data sent to a website’s database may include anything you type on that website, from simple search terms, such as “Car” or “Laptop”, to bank details. Some sites will use search activity to inform search optimisation, to give you bespoke results, but there is the potential that more nefarious websites might feed-back sensitive information. Read more

mtmconsulting recognised by EducationInvestor awards

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012 | Blogs, In the News

mtmconsulting is shortlisted for the EducationInvestor Consultant of the Year award. Article by Chris Smith, Head of Business Development

mtmconsulting is delighted to have been recognised for its contribution to the education sector, in being shortlisted for the prestigious EducationInvestor awards which identify and reward organisations who have supplemented the provision of education through their skills and expertise.

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“The parents of your next Reception intake are now following you on Twitter”

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 | Blogs, Events, Marketing, Strategy

#Tweeting 101: Practical Introduction to Social Networks, Tuesday 12th June, Cavalry & Guards Club, London – round up by Nicky Adams, Marketing Consultant

So the first message sent by the power of the interweb was ‘LO’ – no, not the inaugural use of txt spk, but as far as the operator got with ‘LOGIN’ before the connection froze. Well thankfully the internet is usually a more reliable method of communication these days and one that schools can really take advantage of when it comes to staying in touch with prospective and current parents. mtm web+digital’s recent #tweeting101 seminar was a whistle-stop tour of social networking for schools and gave a practical insight into how the power of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and the like can be harnessed to help keep your classrooms full.

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Are your buses best?

Thursday, June 14th, 2012 | Blogs, Marketing, Research

Weekday mornings are usually pretty hectic in any family household so an alternative to the school run is often a very welcome offer – running buses through key residential areas can really boost your school’s recruitment, says mtmconsulting’s Head of Research James Leggett.

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