mtmconsulting has this week distributed our January 2010 School Matters newsletter to all school heads, bursars and marketing managers on our database.
This issue provides a great range of content and debate related to school business strategies, school marketing and promotion, the future of the independent schools sector and our forthcoming education conferences.
Content includes:
Nigel Richardson, former Headmaster of the Perse School asking “Guarding the gold-standard, or cutting coats to our cloth: Does it have to be a choice?” Nigel explores the range of options faced by school business leaders in the current environment, suggesting “our schools have to be seen to offer a real and better alternative to the maintained sector, without reinforcing an image of elitism and social exclusiveness”. His article includes a ‘toolkit’ for a school wanting to control its own future rather being subject to external events.
Melanie Tucker, Principal mtmconsulting sticks her neck out and makes some bold predictions about the independent schools’ market place over the coming decade. Melanie makes 7 core suggestions, including the idea that our traditional notion of a ‘school’ will change dramatically: “the next decade”, she writes, “may see the start of schools maximising their income by diversifying their services: their pupils may include young people attending a whole variety of top-up courses and activities as well as their full-time roll. Holiday and weekend courses could become a commonplace as the supply dries up elsewhere.”
Joe Faulkner, mtm Schools Marketing Consultant returns to practical educational marketing advice, with five tips to help schools draw parents in to visit from the very first phone call. “Even modest school fees”, suggests Joe, “could easily relieve a parent of £150,000 over the course of a child’s school career. Your telephone technique should show how much your school recognises the scale of this potential investment. The respect you show for prospective parents will reap its own rewards”.
Other items include our favourite quotes selection (with our favourite soundbites from all sources including Steve Jobs of Apple alongside Andrew Grant, Head of St Albans School and HMC Chairman), details of mtm’s strategic away-day planning services, and two forthcoming mtm events: our annual strategy conference on Tuesday 14th September and a schools’ marketing event with Wellington College on Thursday 29th April.
All newsletters should have been delivered by Monday 1st February. To request additional or back copies, or discuss our schools marketing and educational consultancy services please contact us.
