Now that the majority of independent school registrars have made their offers for positions in September 2010, and have a good idea of the numbers of pupils likely to enrol this year, there is an excellent opportunity to carry out school research of parents who decided to go elsewhere.
News
Why now is the best time for parental research amongst non-buyers, says mtm
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 | Marketing, ResearchGove strives for ‘free’ schools but what impact on independents?
Friday, March 5th, 2010 | Communications, In the News, Marketing, Research, StrategyMichael Gove delivered a convincing and motivating keynote address at the Spectator’s event ‘The Schools Revolution’ in London yesterday in which he underlined his aims to allow parents to establish ‘free’ independent schools funded by the state.
However, the event gave little insight to the impact that such moves might have on the existing fee-charging independent education sector, so Senior Consultant Joe Faulkner looks to our own independent schools research to assess what this might be.
mtm is featured in the Eastern Daily Press
Thursday, February 25th, 2010 | In the Newsfrom Eastern Daily Press, 25th February 2010
An article within the EDP newspaper about how Gresham’s – “one of Norfolk’s top public schools” has remained full despite the recession has featured mtmconsulting’s views on independent school strategies to maintain high levels of pupils.
The article, which is not online, details how Greshams is currently enjoying its highest pupil numbers in ten years. It then turns to mtmconsulting’s Principal, Melanie Tucker, who says that average wage increases are an important factor in determining affordablity.
“We note that independent schools often feel the effect of a recession two or three years later”, says Melanie. Then, paraphrasing mtm’s Independent Education Sector Report she adds “public sector budget cuts, widely expected after the next election, often have a beneficial effect on demand for independent schooling”.
The sector report, published last year by mtm is widely seen as the most authoritative and complete overview of the independent schools sector. It is used by school marketing teams, business leaders and educational research groups to gain an overview of sector trends, scenarios and how the sector may change.
For more information on the report, or to discuss any of our school support services, please contact mtm.
The value of professionally auditing your school’s marketing
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 | Communications, Marketing, Research, StrategyIn the wake of the recession, with long-term concerns about the falling affordability in the independent education sector and repeated assertions about the value of effective school marketing and the importance of your school carrying out sound parental research, the need to assess the suitability and effectiveness of your independent school’s marketing provision has never been greater, writes Joe Faulkner, Senior Schools Consultant at mtm. Read more
Parents pick and switch between sectors: What can school business strategies do?
Friday, February 19th, 2010 | Communications, E-Marketing, In the News, Marketing, Researchby Joe Faulkner, Schools Marketing Consultant
An article in today’s Times Educational Supplement cites evidence that “middle-class parents are increasingly choosing to “swing” between private and state sectors when selecting schools for their children, treating the education system like “a box of chocolates”. The Good Schools Guide has suggested that around 60% of people calling its advice line say they are planning dip in and out of state and private sector education during their child’s education. Read more
“Numbers of foreign boarders are up, but for how much longer?” asks mtm
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 | Marketing, Research, StrategyTaken from the mtmconsulting Independent Education Sector Report, 2010
The most significant changes from 2000-2009 in the source of overseas boarders attracted by boarding schools marketing in the UK have been the rise of China and the decline of Hong Kong and the particular expansion of Germany, Spain and Russia. Sterling’s weakness against the Euro has made British schools more attractive and the number of European pupils has increased. Read more
The future brings new independent school marketing tactics and higher parental demands, says mtm
Friday, February 12th, 2010 | Communications, E-Marketing, Marketing, Research, StrategyIn this excerpt from mtm’s Independent Education Sector Report 2010, we look at a likely trend driving the future of independent school businesses, and how shrewd school marketing teams might be best placed to respond to this.
The following excerpt is taken from the ’Scenarios to 2030′ section of the report, which has been widely praised amongst independent school heads, bursars, marketing managers and observers alike.
Search Engine Optimisation: important points for successful school marketing
Monday, February 8th, 2010 | E-Marketing, Marketingby Joe Faulkner, mtm senior consultant
For many independent school marketing teams, search engine optimisation is considered something of a black art. We all know that the internet is being used more and more amongst the general public, and that being found on a Google results page is a masterful PR exercise.
However, mtm would argue that fewer school marketers are actually fully aware of how to achieve these results. In this guide we outline some key things to remember in helping your school’s website to boost its SEO. Read more
mtm on social media in independent schools marketing
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 | Communications, E-Marketing, Marketingby Joe Faulkner, Schools Marketing Specialist
It seems that a number of independent schools’ marketing teams are coming of age: school websites are beginning to reflect the quality and value of the offering, rigorous record keeping measures are being put in place, and new and innovative ways of reaching out to new parents and markets are being established. With this in mind, should schools be using social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Bebo, YouTube et al to a greater advantage? What opportunities might be grasped by the canny independent school marketing specialist?
