Blog by Gavin Humphries, mtm’s Head of Research
Over the last few years the marketing press has contained lots of articles about how consumers are getting savvier. The Internet has increased the dissemination of information -– be it prices, product reviews or examples of shocking customer service. And we now live in a consumer society where people are wise to marketing messages.
Independent schools have to contend with this trend more than most sectors.
Why? Because your parents are largely drawn from a pool of the brightest, most educated, most connected people out there. School fees are probably the single biggest outlay in their annual household expenditure (or the second biggest after their mortgage). These people are holding you to the highest of standards.
We notice this when we run focus groups of parents for schools. Over the years we have seen the language of marketing enter parents’ vocabularies.
They now openly talk about a school’s market positioning, its brand values, marketing tactics and communications strategy – using that exact terminology. They see through marketing flannel and unconvincing explanations: in marketing parlance anything that isn’t ‘authentic’.
This is a tough audience.
But it’s also a major opportunity. These people can help you. You don’t own your brand -– rather it is what your customers and potential customers think of you.
So what better place to start than with your existing customers? What do they perceive to be your strengths, as well as areas for improvement? What advice can they offer you? Get your communications right with this audience and they will amplify your message by word-of-mouth to your wider potential audience.
mtm helps schools and colleges to understand their customers through a range of research exercises, and offer consultancy on how strategic work should reflect this. To discuss how we may be able to help your school please contact mtm.
