Saturday, October 23, 2010
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.
Responding to a Difficult Media Question During an Interview
The difficult, challenging question posed by an interviewer will often occur at a media interview - it needs to be responded to during the interview or shortly afterwards.
The last resort is the, "No comment," response. If time is needed to gain an accurate response, then advise the interviewer that you will find the answer and get back in as reasonable time as possible.
In the church setting this can be quite a challenge, particularly when church personnel are not experienced to receive such requests or skilled with the necessary response techniques. There is also the inherent fear of damaging the school's hard earned reputation if the response is incorrect or not given in a credible way.
Below is a suggested response for the church marketing personnel. This includes:
• Being prepared for the interview and anticipating negative questions
• Interview techniques to assist.
Be Prepared - A Response Method
• Anticipate the sort of negative questions which might arise and prepare good responses.
• Have your key 3-4 positive points you would like to make.
It may also be necessary to make arrangements with the interviewee prior to the interview, and before the journalist arrives, that the Church Marketing Manager would interject respectfully if the interviewee was getting particularly stressed or confused during the interview. This is particularly necessary if the person being interviewed is a child / student. There is always a duty of care to assist the child firstly and respond to the interviewer only secondly.
Key techniques during the interview when asked a difficult question requiring a response are usually:
1. Acknowledge the weakness (apologize if needed)
2. Agree that plans are afoot to improve the situation
3. Continually revert back to the 3-4 key positive points you want to make
It is often best to do this in a light-hearted manner and preferably in a fun way.
The Serious or Controversial Issue - Interview
Dealing with a serious or controversial issue involves having staff well trained with important interview techniques. These techniques are usually coordinated by the church's authorities who have qualified staff to train urch personnel.
The techniques above would often form the basis for such difficult interviews. These interviews often result from alleged controversial or illegal incidents, involving staff or parishioners.
These days the difficult media question is a stock question of the journalist's profession. There is nothing better for a church's reputation when these questions are responded to well and those being informed through the interview see a professional approach being shown and implemented. Be informed, prepared and skilled with the various interview techniques.
The 'Responding to a Difficult Media Question During an Interview' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, author of Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed) 2010, with copyright being retained by SMAPL.
The last resort is the, "No comment," response. If time is needed to gain an accurate response, then advise the interviewer that you will find the answer and get back in as reasonable time as possible.
In the church setting this can be quite a challenge, particularly when church personnel are not experienced to receive such requests or skilled with the necessary response techniques. There is also the inherent fear of damaging the school's hard earned reputation if the response is incorrect or not given in a credible way.
Below is a suggested response for the church marketing personnel. This includes:
• Being prepared for the interview and anticipating negative questions
• Interview techniques to assist.
Be Prepared - A Response Method
• Anticipate the sort of negative questions which might arise and prepare good responses.
• Have your key 3-4 positive points you would like to make.
It may also be necessary to make arrangements with the interviewee prior to the interview, and before the journalist arrives, that the Church Marketing Manager would interject respectfully if the interviewee was getting particularly stressed or confused during the interview. This is particularly necessary if the person being interviewed is a child / student. There is always a duty of care to assist the child firstly and respond to the interviewer only secondly.
Key techniques during the interview when asked a difficult question requiring a response are usually:
1. Acknowledge the weakness (apologize if needed)
2. Agree that plans are afoot to improve the situation
3. Continually revert back to the 3-4 key positive points you want to make
It is often best to do this in a light-hearted manner and preferably in a fun way.
The Serious or Controversial Issue - Interview
Dealing with a serious or controversial issue involves having staff well trained with important interview techniques. These techniques are usually coordinated by the church's authorities who have qualified staff to train urch personnel.
The techniques above would often form the basis for such difficult interviews. These interviews often result from alleged controversial or illegal incidents, involving staff or parishioners.
These days the difficult media question is a stock question of the journalist's profession. There is nothing better for a church's reputation when these questions are responded to well and those being informed through the interview see a professional approach being shown and implemented. Be informed, prepared and skilled with the various interview techniques.
The 'Responding to a Difficult Media Question During an Interview' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, author of Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed) 2010, with copyright being retained by SMAPL.
Marketing e-Books by Bryan Foster now on Amazon.com and Soon as Google Editions
The marketing e-books by Bryan Foster have been uploaded to Amazon.com and when Google Editions is activated this year will be uploaded there also.
There is the option to download in virtually any format for whatever device you want to read the e-books on... whether PC, Mac, ipad, ipod, Blackberry etc,. All you need is the free reading app supplied by Amazon.com applicable to your device. You also have the option to use an Amazon Kindle reading device when purchasing e-books.
"Your purchase will be sent automatically to your iPhone, PC, Mac, iPad, or BlackBerry device." (Amazon.com)
These marketing e-books may be applied across numerous marketing situations in so many fields. The key areas for marketing the Church and schools are, however, the target niche for these books.
Amazon.com Bryan Foster is where you will find Bryan's 5 marketing e-books.
The author has 20 years experience marketing within the Church. He has held senior positions in both Church and schools at the local area, including deanery and parish pastoral council chair and school principal. This experience has proved to be extremely valuable for compiling these easy to read and use e-books written in summarized point format.
Bryan's latest e-books published this year and available on Amazon are:
Both these websites also have a raft of complimentary strategies and examples. There are over 150 blog posts and numerous Hints and Tips on everything from general marketing principles to specific church and school strategies and examples, along with general 'life' themed blog posts.
The Church Manual in normal pdf format is 329 A4 pages, while the School Manual in pdf format has 369 A4 pages.
The 'Marketing e-Books by Bryan Foster now on Amazon.com and Soon as Google Editions' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, with copyright remaining with SMAPL.
There is the option to download in virtually any format for whatever device you want to read the e-books on... whether PC, Mac, ipad, ipod, Blackberry etc,. All you need is the free reading app supplied by Amazon.com applicable to your device. You also have the option to use an Amazon Kindle reading device when purchasing e-books.
"Your purchase will be sent automatically to your iPhone, PC, Mac, iPad, or BlackBerry device." (Amazon.com)
These marketing e-books may be applied across numerous marketing situations in so many fields. The key areas for marketing the Church and schools are, however, the target niche for these books.
Amazon.com Bryan Foster is where you will find Bryan's 5 marketing e-books.
The author has 20 years experience marketing within the Church. He has held senior positions in both Church and schools at the local area, including deanery and parish pastoral council chair and school principal. This experience has proved to be extremely valuable for compiling these easy to read and use e-books written in summarized point format.
Bryan's latest e-books published this year and available on Amazon are:
- Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed)
- School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed)
- School and Church Marketing Blog Posts: My First 100+
Both these websites also have a raft of complimentary strategies and examples. There are over 150 blog posts and numerous Hints and Tips on everything from general marketing principles to specific church and school strategies and examples, along with general 'life' themed blog posts.
The Church Manual in normal pdf format is 329 A4 pages, while the School Manual in pdf format has 369 A4 pages.
The 'Marketing e-Books by Bryan Foster now on Amazon.com and Soon as Google Editions' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, with copyright remaining with SMAPL.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)