As families have been facing uncertainty about their child’s education and schooling options this year, your school’s marketing messages matter more than ever before. What your school says to current and prospective families must illustrate your strengths as an institution, your confidence in the future, and your mission as central to every decision that you make. Here are some marketing tips for the 2021 school year.
Market to the needs of today’s families
It is important to remember that families’ needs are always evolving. To explain, as millennial parents begin to comprise more of your school’s parent body, ensure your messages align with 21st-century school marketing concepts.
All families today expect open and honest communication and a positive return on investment for their tuition dollars. Additionally, they want to ensure their children are well cared for and that their expenditure on tuition results in their child being ready for the future. Therefore, continuous communication with parents should be part of your strategy, not an afterthought.
Try new things
It is no secret that we are all in uncharted territory. But instead of sticking to your routine, take this opportunity to innovate.
Mobilise your ambassadors
Find parents and students who can record a video or be available for virtual “meet and greets”. In detail, this type of communication provides great peer stories for prospective families who will not have a more traditional enrollment experience. Also, connect your ambassadors with families in your funnel to ask questions and become “friendly faces” in a distant world.
Create student-centered educational content
Position your school as the area’s expert in education by providing valuable information to your current and prospective families. This shows you support the community and demonstrates your mission at work. Some ideas include:
- a “how-to” blog post or video about something your program includes
- tips for creating an ideal home learning environment
- physical activity ideas for children and parents
- ways parents can talk with their children about Covid-19 and social distancing
Make classes available to the public
Expand your reach and introduce people to what you are doing through a “music and movement” or “physical activity” class on social media. Parents might want to hop on and see what you are all about. This will give them the opportunity to see the experience you provide to children every day.
Thanks for taking the time to read our blog post on marketing tips for the 2021 school year. At faethe.marketing we have been helping schools get more students. So if you are looking to recruit more students for your programmes with minimal cost and effort, feel free to reach out to us.