Schools can benefit from the use of social networking sites being an integral part of their school marketing plan and its associated strategies.
It is best for this to be appropriate, and most times creative. Increasingly, this form of communication is becoming more obvious for schools. A special note is to be aware of all the privacy and legal issues!
The Challenge
We are challenged to meet our school community, and potential parents and students, where they are at, or might be, in the near future. The social networking tentacles are reaching further into the various demographics affecting our communities, often way beyond the awareness of school and systemic leaders. No longer is it just the teens and '20 something', it is now common for people in their 50s and 60s to have one or more social networking accounts.
The Misconception
The misconception is that this form of communication is just used for inane chat amongst 'dizzy lightweights'!
There is a considerably large and ever growing group of people who use this for much more than chat, even though legitimate chat does play an important part in many forms of communication.
These people are not only building and strengthening relationships amongst friends and newly formed acquaintances / friends through their engagement online with each other and often doing so simultaneously, they may also be adding depth to key aspects of their lives.
Assumptions Underlying Social Networking Websites?
There are a number of interesting assumptions an ever expanding group of people of the 21st century make, with representatives being in most age groups, :
• People like to build trusting relationships with others before doing 'business' (Schools need to be open to appreciating this belief and then adapting the way they communicate with such people.)
• The busyness of life often limits face-to-face opportunities
• The relationship does not need to be a face-to-face encounter, even though this is often preferred
• 'anonymity' allows for a less inhibited sharing of ideas and thoughts. (Easier for some people to make a comment when the contact person isn't actually in front of them. Similar for some people when using telephones or email.)
• The internet often provides the answers people are seeking (How often do you hear more and more, "Google / Yahoo / Bing / MSN it!")
• Digital communication is the easiest and quickest means of communication
• Digital communication allows for multiple conversations simultaneously
• People using these forms of communication eventually trust in the results due to their experiences of it.
Why Consider Social Networking Websites?
To reach this ever growing group of people in our communities we must meet them where they are at!
In many circumstances, this may not be your chosen form of communication. But you do have control over who sees and comments on your school / alumni social networking pages if you follow the security directions. You may limit membership to only the direct school community or past students and hence only these people will see what you say and show.
It is, however, a successful method of informing an ever growing group of your community of whatever it is you would like to inform them about.
Topics which could be included on a school social networking site:
• School and Contact Details
• News from the Principal, Parish Priest (if a religious school) and Responses from the school community
• News about and Responses
• Upcoming School Events
• School Photos telling of the recent events / successes / happenings, etc.
• Principal Recommended Websites for the school community
Social networking sites can be used effectively by schools. Once a number of challenges, misconceptions and assumptions underlying social networking sites are initially explored, each school will be able to make the decision whether to proceed with a social networking webpage.
The 'Schools Need Social Networking Websites' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, author of School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed), 2010 - a 369 A4 page e-book written in summarized point form containing an exceptional number of strategies and step-by-step guidance on how to market your school, with copyright remaining with SMAPL.
Showing posts with label school marketing digital age. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school marketing digital age. Show all posts
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Monday, August 16, 2010
4 Key Strategies to Make the School Marketing Budget a Necessary Aspect of a Successful School Marketing Plan
A most controversial aspect of any School Marketing Plan is the school marketing budget - there is often a reluctance to offer the necessary capital to allow this to be effective. Below are four key strategies to make this budget work - and work well!
1. Invest During Good Times - Financial and Otherwise
2. Invest During Difficult Financial Times and Other Difficult Situations
3. A Realistic Budget is Necessary
4. If Needed - a Shared Budget Across Schools or Regions
1. Invest During Good Times - Financial and Otherwise
Good times are the best times to invest. This enables the school's reputation to be enhanced considerably. Resting on the laurels of the past can become an expensive exercise when the reputation is forgotten or when a new challenge comes from other competing interests, including other schools and distractions within society.
2. Invest During Difficult Financial Times and Other Difficult Situations
However, all schools need to market themselves at whatever stage of the success cycle at which they find themselves. Do not give up in the tough times - all schools will experience these throughout their history. It is a most important time to market, fight for the dollars so you don not get left behind in the marketplace.
3. A Realistic Budget is Necessary
Various people within each school community have differing views on the amount which should be afforded to the marketing budget. School leaders need to be aware that the implementation of a good marketing plan would inevitably drive up community engagement and enrolment numbers!
In today's dollar values spending $20 000 - $40 000 for an average sized independent school (of between 600 and 900 students) would be a good investment. This would need to be proportionately reviewed according to overall School Budget, the number of enrolments and the overall need of the school to build and maintain enrolment numbers.
When the marketing plan is being developed for a specified year, key stakeholders, particularly the School Principal, School Manager and the School Marketing Manager, need to assess the budget requirements. The budget will have a significant impact on a plan for any year. The budget includes all areas of the plan which incur expenses.
4. If Needed - a Shared Budget Across Schools or Regions
Shared marketing budgets across a number of schools may be another way of efficiently budgeting.
This could be regionalized e.g.:
• a combined regional budget to be shared amongst schools or
• a RMM (Regional Marketing Manager) implementing the whole marketing plan for the region and individual schools, which are only required to develop their own essentials such as newsletters.
Or it may be a number of localized schools working together and sharing the budget.
A shared budget may see different schools marketing specific aspects for the cluster e.g.
• one may concentrate on Arts / Sport Education within the cluster
• another may market the varying sorts of key curriculum and extra-curricular areas on offer and differing times for each
• another may emphasize the pastoral, welfare and social justice aspects within the cluster.
For some schools this may be the only way to begin marketing or to maintain a budget in any form what-so-ever.
Caution - even though this may appear to save financially, it takes away from the individual uniqueness of each school. Marketing is often more successful when emphasizing a uniqueness.
A professionally run school will always allow for an appropriate marketing budget to assist with promoting the school - both in good and difficult times.
1. Invest During Good Times - Financial and Otherwise
2. Invest During Difficult Financial Times and Other Difficult Situations
3. A Realistic Budget is Necessary
4. If Needed - a Shared Budget Across Schools or Regions
1. Invest During Good Times - Financial and Otherwise
Good times are the best times to invest. This enables the school's reputation to be enhanced considerably. Resting on the laurels of the past can become an expensive exercise when the reputation is forgotten or when a new challenge comes from other competing interests, including other schools and distractions within society.
2. Invest During Difficult Financial Times and Other Difficult Situations
However, all schools need to market themselves at whatever stage of the success cycle at which they find themselves. Do not give up in the tough times - all schools will experience these throughout their history. It is a most important time to market, fight for the dollars so you don not get left behind in the marketplace.
3. A Realistic Budget is Necessary
Various people within each school community have differing views on the amount which should be afforded to the marketing budget. School leaders need to be aware that the implementation of a good marketing plan would inevitably drive up community engagement and enrolment numbers!
In today's dollar values spending $20 000 - $40 000 for an average sized independent school (of between 600 and 900 students) would be a good investment. This would need to be proportionately reviewed according to overall School Budget, the number of enrolments and the overall need of the school to build and maintain enrolment numbers.
When the marketing plan is being developed for a specified year, key stakeholders, particularly the School Principal, School Manager and the School Marketing Manager, need to assess the budget requirements. The budget will have a significant impact on a plan for any year. The budget includes all areas of the plan which incur expenses.
4. If Needed - a Shared Budget Across Schools or Regions
Shared marketing budgets across a number of schools may be another way of efficiently budgeting.
This could be regionalized e.g.:
• a combined regional budget to be shared amongst schools or
• a RMM (Regional Marketing Manager) implementing the whole marketing plan for the region and individual schools, which are only required to develop their own essentials such as newsletters.
Or it may be a number of localized schools working together and sharing the budget.
A shared budget may see different schools marketing specific aspects for the cluster e.g.
• one may concentrate on Arts / Sport Education within the cluster
• another may market the varying sorts of key curriculum and extra-curricular areas on offer and differing times for each
• another may emphasize the pastoral, welfare and social justice aspects within the cluster.
For some schools this may be the only way to begin marketing or to maintain a budget in any form what-so-ever.
Caution - even though this may appear to save financially, it takes away from the individual uniqueness of each school. Marketing is often more successful when emphasizing a uniqueness.
A professionally run school will always allow for an appropriate marketing budget to assist with promoting the school - both in good and difficult times.
This '4 Key Strategies to Make the School Marketing Budget a Necessary Aspect of a Successful School Marketing Plan' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, author of School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed) 2010, while SMAPL retains the copyright.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Photojournalists - Essential for School, Business and Organizational Success
Photojournalists are essential for school, business and organizational success. They get the 'every picture tells a thousand words' to the general population.
Photojournalists are responsible for getting the best photos they can for their particular media outlets. Photos, like pictures, tell a thousand words - hence you need the best photo possible for your circumstances. Photojournalists will most likely have good ideas to best represent the image you or they want covered.
Photo sessions are usually enjoyable times for all involved. It is not often that people appear in the media.
The photojournalist usually works with the journalist who is covering the story. Yet it is often the photojournalist who decides which photos will be used.
There will be times when the media outlet only wants a photo and just sends a photojournalist. At other times you will need to arrange for interviews and photos at the same or similar times. However, at other times, the interview may happen over the telephone and the photo taken at a separate time. Even though most stories require a photo, sometimes it is not required.
Own Professional or Business Photos
There may also be times when the media outlet is quite happy for you to send your own photos by email instead of having the photojournalist come out.
This usually happens after the outlet appreciates the quality and content of your professional or business photos and the professionalism of your photographers.
This is more common with the smaller publications, or for photos accompanying editorial in special features and for advertising.
Rest assured that the outlets will invariably send out a photographer if you feel you need one.
Marketing Manager and the Photojournalist
The Marketing Manager, or selected well informed staff member, needs to attend all photo sessions. The Marketing Manager should treat it as an enjoyable time and it most likely will end up being so.
You are free to offer suggestions, though the final decision does rest with the photojournalist. Their employer is their media outlet (and not your business) and hence the photo taken is what they want. However, in most cases, the photojournalist is working with you and for the profession or business to be seen in the best light.
It is in their best interests to work with you for many reasons, including the media outlet's need for a good standing in the community. They will also possibly want photos, reactions or stories from your profession, business or field down the track. However, if you are being unfairly obstructive, then follow-up photos for other stories at other times may be few and far between.
For specific details of the unique school situation for dealing with photojournalists see Photojournalists and Schools - A Special Case Senario
The 'Photojournalists - Essential for School, Business and Organizational Success' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, author of School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed) 2010, a 369 A4 page e-book, and Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed), 2010, with the copyright being retained by SMAPL.
Photojournalists and Schools - Special Case
Photojournalists in schools is a unique situation - particularly regarding duty of care for its students. The the following information may be applied to many differing professions and businesses also.
Stopping Inappropriate Photos and Follow-Up
You must make sure that the photos taken are appropriate for student, staff member and school.
Do not allow for anything raunchy or what might appear inappropriate.
It is strongly suggested that students and staff in the photo should not:
- hold any inappropriate prop e.g. cigarette
- appear before an inappropriate backdrop e.g. toilet or certain signage
- wear inappropriate clothing e.g. skimpy tops or short skirts
- be positioned in any inappropriate manner e.g. sitting inappropriately.
If you are not happy with the photojournalist's suggestions, then stop the photo shoot, negotiate a better outcome, or cancel it. You are responsible for trying to get the best most appropriate photo.
You have every right to do this - in fact you may have a responsibility to do this. Advise your School Principal of this situation and outcome.
Know your legal and ethical responsibilities. Seek these from qualified legal practitioners and ethicists.
If the photo session was cancelled, you or your School Principal would seriously consider contacting the media outlet's editor and advising of the inappropriateness of the photojournalist's expectations / demands. This should sort the problem out.
Further courses of action, if no success in the first instance was gained from the editor, would often be to contact the Communication and Marketing Manager within your educational system for guidance and support. Either your School Principal or the Communication and Marketing Manager would probably take the matter further e.g. journalists' association, members of parliament, etc, and even to police / court if there was any abuse. This would be a very rare indeed.
Properly and respectfully encouraging and managing the photojournalist to take the best and most appropriate photo for your story's angle is in the best interest of your profession and business. Be aware that their employer is the media outlet and not you. Often your best diplomatic skills are required.
The 'Photojournalists and Schools - Special Case' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, author or School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed), 2010, a 369 A4 page e-book, and Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed), 2010, with the copyright being retained by SMAPL.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
External Blog Sites for School Marketing
The external blog site plays an important role when marketing a school and could be used for three main reasons:
• these increase traffic to your School website through the links you include in the general blog template you create, and also in the blog posts you write, which are directed to your School’s website
• these assist with your website’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as each point (links, as per above) back to your School website assists the SEO
• in most cases these external blogs are free of charge. (Costs are optional depending on your usage and blog complexities and on the Blog provider. In most cases you can easily do this free of charge.)
A good example of these external blogs are provided by Blogger and WordPress.
See School Marketing Manual in the Digital Age (3rd ed) by Bryan Foster 2010 for detail about Blogs and Blogs Posts for Blogger. WordPress Blog examples are shown in ‘Website Creation, Hosting and Costs’ section of the school marketing manual also. There is also information to start the development of Blogger and WordPress blogs. Also included are domain listings for other popular external blog sites.
Blogger and How to Join
Blogger Homepage may be found at: http://www.blogger.com/start; An example of a Blogger Blog may be found at: http://marketschools.blogspot.com/
To create a Blogger Account you first of all need to create a Google Account as Blogger belongs to Google. You then follow the ‘Continue’ key to create the Blogger Account.
To create a Blogger Account go to: https://www.blogger.com/start . Initially click on ‘Create a Blog’.
Other External Blogs
• WordPress
The WordPress Homepage can be found at: http://wordpress.com/
To create a WordPress Account click on the ‘Sign up now’ button on the right hand side and go to: http://en.wordpress.com/signup/ From their just follow the instructions and form your own Blog.
• Squarespace
This is relatively new to the blogging scene with numerous outstanding features. Costs from $US8 to $US50 per month at time of writing. Worth a look. Very impressive reviews from the Wall Street Journal Online and CNET Webware. http://www.squarespace.com/
• TypePad
TypePad was launched in 2003 and has been used by major corporations such as BBC – quite a broad spread of users. Found at: http://www.typepad.com/pro/#2 Costs from $US8.95 to $US89.95 per month at time of writing.
• Other common blogs are available at:
http://www.joomla.org/
http://www.movabletype.org/
http://www.tumblr.com/
http://www.vox.com/
Numerous other examples of various blogs may also be found in the 'Inexpensive or Free Websites with Samples’ section earlier in the school marketing manual e-book.
The Blogger World is an exciting and often time consuming pastime or profession…
There are so many uses both from the school marketing perspective as well as a personal perspective.
Blogger and WordPress are easy to use and set up blogs which would help most schools with their school marketing plan.
This external blog sites for marketing schools blog post was written by Bryan Foster author of School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed) 2010.
• these increase traffic to your School website through the links you include in the general blog template you create, and also in the blog posts you write, which are directed to your School’s website
• these assist with your website’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as each point (links, as per above) back to your School website assists the SEO
• in most cases these external blogs are free of charge. (Costs are optional depending on your usage and blog complexities and on the Blog provider. In most cases you can easily do this free of charge.)
A good example of these external blogs are provided by Blogger and WordPress.
See School Marketing Manual in the Digital Age (3rd ed) by Bryan Foster 2010 for detail about Blogs and Blogs Posts for Blogger. WordPress Blog examples are shown in ‘Website Creation, Hosting and Costs’ section of the school marketing manual also. There is also information to start the development of Blogger and WordPress blogs. Also included are domain listings for other popular external blog sites.
Blogger and How to Join
Blogger Homepage may be found at: http://www.blogger.com/start; An example of a Blogger Blog may be found at: http://marketschools.blogspot.com/
To create a Blogger Account you first of all need to create a Google Account as Blogger belongs to Google. You then follow the ‘Continue’ key to create the Blogger Account.
To create a Blogger Account go to: https://www.blogger.com/start . Initially click on ‘Create a Blog’.
Other External Blogs
• WordPress
The WordPress Homepage can be found at: http://wordpress.com/
To create a WordPress Account click on the ‘Sign up now’ button on the right hand side and go to: http://en.wordpress.com/signup/ From their just follow the instructions and form your own Blog.
• Squarespace
This is relatively new to the blogging scene with numerous outstanding features. Costs from $US8 to $US50 per month at time of writing. Worth a look. Very impressive reviews from the Wall Street Journal Online and CNET Webware. http://www.squarespace.com/
• TypePad
TypePad was launched in 2003 and has been used by major corporations such as BBC – quite a broad spread of users. Found at: http://www.typepad.com/pro/#2 Costs from $US8.95 to $US89.95 per month at time of writing.
• Other common blogs are available at:
http://www.joomla.org/
http://www.movabletype.org/
http://www.tumblr.com/
http://www.vox.com/
Numerous other examples of various blogs may also be found in the 'Inexpensive or Free Websites with Samples’ section earlier in the school marketing manual e-book.
The Blogger World is an exciting and often time consuming pastime or profession…
There are so many uses both from the school marketing perspective as well as a personal perspective.
Blogger and WordPress are easy to use and set up blogs which would help most schools with their school marketing plan.
This external blog sites for marketing schools blog post was written by Bryan Foster author of School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed) 2010.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
SEO - School Websites
For School Websites to gain higher positioning at various search engines, various methods of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) are needed. A successful school marketing plan with carefully incorporate the necessary SEO strategies for this to occur.
Website Viewers
Many school communities may be interested in having their school and their website open worldwide. SEOs would likely suit these schools.
Some schools aren’t really interested in having their website visited from people all over the world. These school communities are more interested in their local communities. For these people SEOs are not needed.
Various school communities might like their website to be easily accessible to people from various parts of their particular country but not necessarily beyond their borders. This allows for people transferring to their school to preview what the school has to offer. A suggestion for these communities would be to select a domain name which ends in their countries code e.g. United Kingdom .uk, for Australia .au, New Zealand .nz etc.
Top Search Engine Page is the Aim
The aim with SEO is to achieve in the top three on the first page of any search engine.
Suggestions for Improvement
Some ways I have found which I believe help with Search Engine Optimization are:
• The Domain name includes the school name and suburb.
• Key Words such as the school name are regularly used throughout the site, particularly in titles / headings, first sentence and last sentence on each webpage.
• Each webpage within the website would highlight something different about the school and hence also include other key words associated both with the school name / suburb and that webpage’s emphasis.
These other Key Words may be: principal, school staff, curriculum, religious education, contact us, priests, open day, prospectus, sporting / arts / welfare etc groups within the school, etc.
The key would for impact could have the school name before it e.g. aquinas college principal. This links the purpose of the webpage specifically with the school.
• Each Blog Post’s title, along with the first and last sentences would include key words associated with that individual blog’s message and that it eventuated from your school.
• The more links coming to your website from other sources, particularly .gov, .edu and .org the better. Having other sites point to your website helps SEO i.e. having other sites have your Domain / URL linked live on their website.
However, it is best not to swap links with others of similar level e.g. .org. That is, if each site has the other’s site linked from their site, this usually causes it to neutralize the impact for both sites.
Yet swapping these links may improve traffic to your site, just not higher SEO.
• Include links within your own site to various other webpages on your site.
• Another way of achieving the links from other sites may be achieved by developing various Blogs elsewhere which include the link to your website. (More on this in Blogs later.)
• Be careful not to overdo all these links and key words as search engines may penalize you for being overambitious in gaining notice for your website.
• Age of the website. Older sites have more credibility. Develop your website as soon as possible.
• Update your site regularly. A fresh, updated site is appealing to both visitors and for SEO.
• Paid Ads will gain you high positioning in the ‘Sponsored’ columns, but at a cost, usually on a pay per click per view system. This may be quite expensive for a school’s needs.
School Websites invariably require high SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - these suggestions above come from the School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed), 2010, by Bryan Foster.
Website Viewers
Many school communities may be interested in having their school and their website open worldwide. SEOs would likely suit these schools.
Some schools aren’t really interested in having their website visited from people all over the world. These school communities are more interested in their local communities. For these people SEOs are not needed.
Various school communities might like their website to be easily accessible to people from various parts of their particular country but not necessarily beyond their borders. This allows for people transferring to their school to preview what the school has to offer. A suggestion for these communities would be to select a domain name which ends in their countries code e.g. United Kingdom .uk, for Australia .au, New Zealand .nz etc.
Top Search Engine Page is the Aim
The aim with SEO is to achieve in the top three on the first page of any search engine.
Suggestions for Improvement
Some ways I have found which I believe help with Search Engine Optimization are:
• The Domain name includes the school name and suburb.
• Key Words such as the school name are regularly used throughout the site, particularly in titles / headings, first sentence and last sentence on each webpage.
• Each webpage within the website would highlight something different about the school and hence also include other key words associated both with the school name / suburb and that webpage’s emphasis.
These other Key Words may be: principal, school staff, curriculum, religious education, contact us, priests, open day, prospectus, sporting / arts / welfare etc groups within the school, etc.
The key would for impact could have the school name before it e.g. aquinas college principal. This links the purpose of the webpage specifically with the school.
• Each Blog Post’s title, along with the first and last sentences would include key words associated with that individual blog’s message and that it eventuated from your school.
• The more links coming to your website from other sources, particularly .gov, .edu and .org the better. Having other sites point to your website helps SEO i.e. having other sites have your Domain / URL linked live on their website.
However, it is best not to swap links with others of similar level e.g. .org. That is, if each site has the other’s site linked from their site, this usually causes it to neutralize the impact for both sites.
Yet swapping these links may improve traffic to your site, just not higher SEO.
• Include links within your own site to various other webpages on your site.
• Another way of achieving the links from other sites may be achieved by developing various Blogs elsewhere which include the link to your website. (More on this in Blogs later.)
• Be careful not to overdo all these links and key words as search engines may penalize you for being overambitious in gaining notice for your website.
• Age of the website. Older sites have more credibility. Develop your website as soon as possible.
• Update your site regularly. A fresh, updated site is appealing to both visitors and for SEO.
• Paid Ads will gain you high positioning in the ‘Sponsored’ columns, but at a cost, usually on a pay per click per view system. This may be quite expensive for a school’s needs.
School Websites invariably require high SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - these suggestions above come from the School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed), 2010, by Bryan Foster.
School Marketing Plan
The School Marketing Plan (SMP) and associated School Marketing Strategies are the foundation for success in marketing your school. An example Overview of a SMP follows. Specific details for each step are found in the School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed), 2010, by Bryan Foster. An analysis of the plan follows the overview.
School Marketing Plan Overview
Define what you have to offer:
Define your target group:
Budget:
Personnel and Talents available - including School Marketing Manager:
Develop School Marketing Aims and Objectives – from previous information:
Select Marketing Strategies:
Evaluation:
Analysis of the School Marketing Plan
• The School Principal is ultimately responsible for the SMP.
• The School Marketing Plan is based on the School’s Vision and Mission Statement.
• A SMP is the plan used to market the school to the community. The community includes all people who know, or those who you want to know, about the school. These include the general public in your catchment region, parents, potential families, school staff, parish staff, other schools’ staff especially from feeder schools, present and past students, parents, etc.
• The SMP includes the strategies used within a defined budget.
• The plan is used to inform all stakeholders, and other targeted groups, of the benefits and successes of the school.
• It also informs about aspects which may be of interest.
• It also needs to plan for issues which may arise of a controversial nature.
• The plan should inform and emphasize the real nature of the school and the direction the school is planning or presently implementing.
• A realistic budget is part of the SMP.
• Marketing is relatively inexpensive when viewed in the terms of the potential gains made – reputation, new parents, supportive present parents, enrolments, etc.
• The SMP can benefit from the combination of views of staff and others
associated with the school community.
• In the initial stages of developing the school’s first real plan it is often best to include a variety of interest groups for gaining ideas and suggestions about how best to market your school. These thoughts may then be used as felt necessary.
• The School Principal needs input and has the overall responsibility to implement the plan.
The School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed), 2010, written by Bryan Foster details the essentials for a successful school marketing plan and associated strategies.
School Marketing Plan Overview
Define what you have to offer:
Define your target group:
Budget:
Personnel and Talents available - including School Marketing Manager:
Develop School Marketing Aims and Objectives – from previous information:
Select Marketing Strategies:
Evaluation:
Analysis of the School Marketing Plan
• The School Principal is ultimately responsible for the SMP.
• The School Marketing Plan is based on the School’s Vision and Mission Statement.
• A SMP is the plan used to market the school to the community. The community includes all people who know, or those who you want to know, about the school. These include the general public in your catchment region, parents, potential families, school staff, parish staff, other schools’ staff especially from feeder schools, present and past students, parents, etc.
• The SMP includes the strategies used within a defined budget.
• The plan is used to inform all stakeholders, and other targeted groups, of the benefits and successes of the school.
• It also informs about aspects which may be of interest.
• It also needs to plan for issues which may arise of a controversial nature.
• The plan should inform and emphasize the real nature of the school and the direction the school is planning or presently implementing.
• A realistic budget is part of the SMP.
• Marketing is relatively inexpensive when viewed in the terms of the potential gains made – reputation, new parents, supportive present parents, enrolments, etc.
• The SMP can benefit from the combination of views of staff and others
associated with the school community.
• In the initial stages of developing the school’s first real plan it is often best to include a variety of interest groups for gaining ideas and suggestions about how best to market your school. These thoughts may then be used as felt necessary.
• The School Principal needs input and has the overall responsibility to implement the plan.
The School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed), 2010, written by Bryan Foster details the essentials for a successful school marketing plan and associated strategies.
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