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?…
Joe Faulkner, our brilliant Head of Marketing and Business Development sent all the mtm division directors a cunning little email a month ago asking us to write a regular blog (you can see the others at our blog bank). I asked what I should write about – something to do with marketing, he proffered.
Last week I was woken at 5.30a.m. in the middle of the City of London by the screeching of a peregrine falcon teaching its youngster to fly.
I watched as the parent tried to give the right messages to the fledgling huddled beside the nest on the top of a huge tower block.
Making the leap: Schools need to persuade parents of the real benefits.
“It’s easy really,” said the parent, “you just jump, open your wings, soar a bit without too much panicky flapping and you’ll be fine”.
“You have got to be joking” the youngster screeched. “This just isn’t for me. I’m much too comfortable where I am. I have a comfy bed, food, full waitress service and a lovely view.”
It was only after a huge amount of parental pressure that take-off was achieved, with the youngster just managing it to the next tower block and so on. But now there was no turning back, this was fun, it’s so much more dangerous and fulfilling when you can fly.
But what does this have to do with schools marketing, you are probably asking?
mtm has been working with a number of independent schools recently who are trying to ensure that they attract a broad range of families into their schools. The Missing Million schools research report published by mtmconsulting last year identified that there are a good number of families who can afford to pay fees. However, like the young peregrine, they are equipped to take the leap but don’t initially see the obvious advantage.
The evidence shows that large numbers of families research schools via the web but that this research does not culminate in a decision for change. So when designing a school website be sure that you are communicating effectively with visitors in the way that they want – be they prospective or current parents.
- Individually – because people want to feel that they matter
- Interactively – because people want to be able to select options and control their choices
- With immediacy – because parents are busy. They need to feel that your school has time for them and that they have easy access to information
- With intimacy – because if you make it easy for customers to communicate it enables you to get much closer to their requirements
- With imagination – because customers want you to empathise with them
If your school’s website is constructed with the above pointers in mind it will give you an advantage in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Some feel its only a matter of time before ‘free schools’ (or the new term – ‘choice schools’) recruit from the traditional independent schools market, so it pays to focus on improving communication. Now.
We live in interesting times.
The five ’ i’ points above are from Nigel May Barlow’s excellent book on customer care ‘Batteries Included’
mtm helps schools with marketing, strategy and research. Our services range from mergers consulting to website design and perception surveys. For details of how we can help your school please contact mtm.
