Tough Times

Take the long-term view

Tough times – how should a school’s marketing respond?

There is no question that the squeeze will impact on us all in some way.

But the quality of child’s educational journey is a crucial factor in a their development. In spite of the squeeze, parents will be reluctant to compromise on doing their best. They will look hard for the school that can most effectively nurture their child. They will research the market, scrutinise the website and prospectus to make the right choice on values they see as important. Decisions on the most appropriate school are made on the assessment of positive information. How do schools compete in a culture of 5% inflation?

It is my opinion that there is a case for prioritizing and taking the long-term view. There are two approaches which both have currency. The first is not to compromise on quality because excellence will always resonate with discerning parents, the second is to exercise a conscious policy of prudence. Put simply, in two words: spend wisely!

Many years ago I was involved in the promotion of Milton Keynes New City. The vision for a City of that scale had to be long term and yes there were downturns in the economy, but the evolution of that City was in excess of 25 years. When a recession occurred the vision was not compromised because projected recessions were built into the original financial projection, on the assumption that the pendulum would swing. Today, in spite of a few cynics, Milton Keynes can claim to be one of Britain’s most successful New Towns, not least, because the stakeholders didn’t loose their nerve in lean times.

Similarly, a child’s education can take around 15 years before a student has completed his/her education. It would be a sad day if parents withdrew their children from an excellent school because of a financial squeeze.

Parents have only one chance to expose their children to the education system and most want the best for their children. Each school has its own unique skills and atmosphere. Inevitably there are schools which might not suit some children, whereas, others might be a perfect match for their child’s character and academic skills to grow.

In deciding on the right school is important for parents to discover what schools have to offer, and what makes each school special. For parents to have choice and make the right decision is vital that the prospectus has grasped the unique flavour of the school. It is the subtle differences that can make a school appropriate for one child. One school we were involved with had been perceived as being a ‘hot house’. But on further scrutiny, in fact, it was not only highly academic but offered students a generous choice of interesting opportunities, including overseas visits, exceptional music and arts facilities, furthermore the students had a great time. Other schools may have a bias towards sport or debating/drama. Some schools have majored on redeveloping their boarding houses and have special facilities to make boarding a home from home experience 

It is essential that prospectus/web designer tease out these qualities so the process of choice for both parents and children is made easier. It’s not ideal for children to change schools because the information given proved inadequate or misleading. A quality production does not mean lavish, but it needs to be informative, it needs to convey the spirit of care and a give a clear idea of the school’s objectives. Compelling text and well observed, engaging photography help to convey the unique character of a school. The information the prospectus and its information booklet provide should enable the reader to distinguish it from other schools. Yet, at a marketing conference I attended recently one head said to me, “Why do so many prospectuses look identical”?

It is a paradox that the very schools that advocate a culture of excellence continue to be persuaded by design groups who are prepared to offer free pitching. A practise where a “quick fix” solution is tabled as a serious proposal.’ It undermines the integrity of the design industry and treats design as a style business, relegating design to a magic wand. What I fail to understand is why perceptive stakeholders are driven by such an unprofessional practise. How can a superficial, pitch solution represent an in-depth understanding of a complex institution? Yet, contracts continue to be awarded to those companies who exercise free pitching. If parents are to make informed decisions they need high quality information and yet schools persist in underselling themselves.

In our experience, it is not until you have a good understanding of a school that you are in a position to make an informed proposal on how a design solution for branding or a prospectus might work. Our design solutions endeavour reflect the life and spirit of each school they promote, it’s because every school has its own distinct character that the different. 

Spend wisely; it costs no more to do things well than it does to do them badly.

In this period of tough times we owe it to the parents to make informed choices, we at JWA would like to be a part of that process. 

For more information please visit our website www.jwaltd.com