1. Promotion and Marketing for Schools and Colleges
Justin Smith
Director of Marketing and Development
Wymondham College

2. In this session
What is marketing? Why should we bother? What is the purpose of marketing our school? Key messages and branding Failure to plan… Let’s be different! Summing up

3. But what is Marketing?
How do we define marketing in the education sector?
A simple definition could be:
“The means by which the school actively communicates and promotes its purpose, values and products to the pupils, parents, staff and wider community.”
Davies & Ellison (1997) Strategic Marketing for Schools

4. But what is Marketing?
Remember, marketing operates internally as well as externally:
“One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who only have an interest”
John Stuart Mill

5. Why Bother? The flash, the fluff and the fakers
Do we really need to market our school?
“80% of marketing is wasted!”
Kimberly Davis
Sarsaparilla Marketing & ex-Apprentice.
“Marketing is an unregulated industry.”
“If we indulge in ineffective campaigns and are unable to evaluate our activity - we’re like lambs to the slaughter...”

6. ...like lambs to the slaughter...

7. Why Bother? The flash, the fluff and the fakers
"Schools are being put in the spotlight more and more because of the introduction of league tables.
If they don't come up with other ways of promoting themselves,
they will be judged simply on those,
or on their published exam results or Ofsted reports. “
“If schools want to be respected for the job they do they have to be proactive and promote themselves, or otherwise be judged simply by others' criteria.”
Alison Falconer, Education PR Strategist (The Guardian 2001)

8. The Purpose of Marketing
Defining Brand and Values - the importance of consistency
To manage Reputation – reinforcing or modifying?
For Communications/PR/Media/Crisis management – business continuity, press releases
To sustain or recruit more students – why your school? Key messages and USP
To attract and retain the best staff – talented staff help drive standards

9. The Purpose of Marketing
To attract funding and support – sponsors, funders, commercial engagement
To engage with alumni/ex students - £770m donated to UK Universities by alumni in 2014.
To promote your key messages - Kirkland Rowell national surveys (2013) - Teaching Quality, Discipline & Happiness ranked highest with parents. Prospect Magazine/Ipsos MORI (2009) – Discipline, Good staff & Communication ranked highest.
“Good Academic Results” scored 49%- 56% from parents.

10. What’s your pass-along message?
Your key message
What’s your pass-along message?
What message would you want a stranger to repeat
on your behalf, that promotes your school?

11. Have a Plan
Develop a coherent strategy – no more scattergun approaches!
Executive Summary – at a glance, the purpose of your strategy.
Situational Analysis - SWOT, GAP analysis, assess your situation
Planning - Operational (this year), Business (2-4 yrs), Strategic (4-5 yrs)

12. Have a Plan
Programme - Themes, Actions and Timescales. Focus on a limited number of issues = higher chances of success!
Resources and budget - we’re all in this together! Understand pupil value.
Measure and Reflect – what works and why

13. Be Different!
OMG Marketing by Geoff Ramm “Seams Perfect” flyer

14. Be Different!
Stand out from the crowd – The Purple Cow “Transform Your Business By Being Remarkable” by Seth Godin
In a society with too many choices and too little time our natural
inclination is to ignore most of it.

15. Be Different!
Define your Why – “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek Ted Talks
All of us know what we do.
Most of us know how we do it.
A few of us know why we do it.
Define your Why.
Student results are not the “Why”, they are the result of what you do.
People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.

16. Brand Mapping Relationship
Describe the ways in which the school behaves in relationships with staff, students, parents and the community.
Functional
The strengths of the school, the sports facilities, arts, expert language staff, etc.
Emotional
The qualities describing the school experience – such as “creative”, “engaging” etc.
Belief
The beliefs that the group share about the school, life at the school and its role within the local community.

17. Brand Mapping
Relationship
Functional
Emotional
Belief
The summary of the quadrant equals the Core Identity in your brand
Summarise the Core Identity to reach
the Brand Essence

18. Remember.. Do – define the “Why” and Be Different!
make use of collaboration opportunities
understand your conversion rates – does that radio advert really work?
ask for views from a “critical friend” – how does our school appear to strangers?

19. Remember.. just carry on as usual! keep it to yourself
Don’t –
just carry on as usual!
keep it to yourself
assume you should spend vast sums on print/radio/bus advertising
forget your staff and students are fantastic ambassadors – invest in them first!

20. Session Summary Just to recap:
Define your Why – what’s your pass-along message?
Be Different – be funky, creative and thought-provoking!
Develop a properly costed and structured Plan
Evaluate and revisit that Plan regularly
“It’s all about learning: learning about people’s perceptions and needs and then acting on that learning to communicate the school’s core purpose and values, both to the school community and to those outside.” Brent Davies (2003)

21. Some resources
You may like to explore this topic further:
School Leadership in the 21st Century (Davies & Ellison)
OMG Marketing (Geoff Ramm)
Strategic Marketing for Schools (Davies & Ellison)
Strategic Marketing for Educational Institutions (Kotler & Fox)
– for some inspirational talks

22. Justin Smith Director of Marketing and Development Wymondham College
Thank You
Justin Smith
Director of Marketing and Development
Wymondham College