Blog by Melanie Tucker, mtm’s Managing Director
A large number of parents research independent schools but are not sufficiently convinced of the benefits. And the implications for school marketers?… Read more
Communications
Marketing independent schools: where do parents drop out?
While the UK’s independent schools sector is remarkably robust in the face of recession, challenges to charitable status, and national falling affordability, research from mtm suggests that there are a number of key opportunities for independent schools to better recruit from their target markets.
In this excerpt from the mtmconsulting Missing Million Report, 2008 (follow the link for details) we explore where potential buyers drop out of the decision making process… Read more
Proprietorial Schools Forum: September event
mtmconsulting Proprietorial Schools’ Forum
Monday 13th September, Cavalry and Guards Club, 127 Piccadilly, London W1
The date of the September Proprietorial Schools’ Forum event – the latest in our series of half day seminar and discussion events for owners and heads of proprietorial schools, is confirmed as 13th September. Read more
First school iPhone app for parents launched
The Herald Scotland websitetoday reports that Loretto School in Scotland is the first school in the UK to launch an iPhone application for parents to keep up with its activities and events. Read more
mtm / Veale Wasbrough Vizards independent schools strategy conference details released
The draft programme for the fifth mtmconsulting / Veale Wasbrough Vizards annual conference on independent schools’ strategy has been released. The conference, organised by the leading business and legal advisors in the independent education sector will take place at the Institute of Directors on Tuesday 14th September 2010. Read more
Gove strives for ‘free’ schools but what impact on independents?
Michael 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.
The value of professionally auditing your school’s marketing
In 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?
by 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
The future brings new independent school marketing tactics and higher parental demands, says mtm
In 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.
mtm on social media in independent schools marketing
by 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?
