Copyright Marts & Lundy

Distinguishing Your School in the Marketplace of

Donors, Parents and Students

Kathleen Hanson

Senior Consultant and PrincipalLeader – Schools Practice Group

Editor, The NAIS Handbook on Marketing Independent SchoolsNESA Leadership Conference – October 2011

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Our focus

Two main and interwoven areas:

1. Distinguishing yourself in the marketplace

2. Adopting an “integrated” approach to marketing

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“Distinguishing” means…

Mission and Core Values

Leading to

Points of Distinction which are

Attributes and Benefits

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Distinguishing means…

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Resolving inexact terminology:

Image: A set of beliefs others have of you.

Competitive positioning: Developing and communicating meaningful and powerful differences between your offerings and those of our competitors.

Brand: The brand is the essence or promise of what will be delivered or experienced.

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Distinguishing language

It must be more than clear.

Your audience must understand and value it.

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Obstacles to “Distinguishing”

• The desire to illustrate all we do

• Inability to gain consensus internally

• Fear of alienating a segment of your current or potential community

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How do you accomplish it?

• Third-party

Branding and positioning program

• Internal Needs a qualified leader (highly qualified)

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The process

Identify your passions

Understand your competitor’s passions

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Research based

• Is your mission unique?

• Are there unique elements to your program? • Is your school’s passion the way you

approach teaching and learning?

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Research based

• Why do students select your school and stay?

• How do your alumni characterize their experience?

• Why do parents sacrifice to send their children to your school?

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Distinguishing factor

It must be relevant, authentic and believable.

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Authentic

Who you are

vs.

Who you want to become

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Relevant

Important to the marketplace

• Families will pay for it

• Donors will support it

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Believable

Your audiences must believe that you can execute on your promise.

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How Firm A Foundation

River Oaks Baptist School in Houston distinguishes itself as the elementary school that

provides the “firm foundation”

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The Foundation

Foundation in wisdom Foundation in faith Foundation in compassion A solid bedrock of values and knowledge

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Key Messages – Central Messages

Once you have uncovered your distinct competencies, you need to develop a set of key messages which enhance and support them.

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Distinguishing is the first step

• Success depends upon an integrated marketing approach.

• Marketing is defined as “an exchange of things valued.”

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Why integrate your marketing?

Marketing Goal: increase competitiveness and effectiveness in:

• attracting and enrolling students

• attracting the support of donors

• creating pride of association in your alumni

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Strategic problems are rarely solved with tactics.

• An integrated marketing approach forces marketing issues to a strategic level.

• It stresses research, accountability and ongoing evaluation.

Why integrate your marketing?

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It requires an integrated effort

Unfortunately, for most schools, the departments involved in achieving marketing’s goal aren’t located in the same division.

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Silos

Development Mkt./Comm AdmissionsHOS

You want me to talk about philanthropy to prospective families?

“Sure, the School’s marketing messages are ok, but not for fundraising.”

Let’s collaborate!

But,

fundraising is not my only objective!

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Breaking down the silos

Calling for collaboration…

Requires: Full endorsement of the Head Some Internal Marketing More on that later…

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Integrated marketing requires a leader and a team

School leadership teams

They are changing…

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Tomorrow’s leadership teams

• Collaborative

• Strategic

• Understand marketing

• Value Research

• Deeply understand all audiences

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Regardless of your structure Integrated Marketing Comes Together around:

• Strategy

• Organization

• Message

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Strategy

Your strategy might be:

“Promote the school’s distinguishing features in all areas of school life.”

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Organization

You need to organize around that strategy, coordinating resources and sharing responsibility.

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Message

When marketing is integrated, the messages are consistent, well coordinated, and driven by strategic decisions.

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Internal marketing Marketing integration can only occurwhen internal audiences are on board:

• Administrative Team• Faculty• Staff • Influential Volunteers

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Final challenge

• Some schools are there

• Many are not

• Even some progress will make a difference

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Q & A