Intelligent Market IntelligenceMaking a difference in the effectiveness of an
international student recruitment and global marketing
initiative.
Pamela Barrett
CEO & Director, Barton Carlyle
©All material strictly copyright Barton Carlyle 2016
Market Intelligence: Fit
External Forces:Global Student Mobility
Education system dynamics
Economic conditions
Immigration/visa regulations
Student choice
Technology
Rankings
Competition
Internal Forces:Culture of Institution
Resources
Curriculum
Reputation & rankings
Technology Infrastructure
Internationalization goals
Staff capability/experience
International StrategyMarketing/branding
Partnerships
Recruitment Plan
Metrics
Communications
Purpose of Market Intelligence
Understanding…….. …Market choice
• New market entry, apportionment
…The markets we are in• Competitive space, opportunity, scalability
…Who our “customers” are • Segmentation
…Decision-making behaviour• Impact of recruitment channels
…Building market intelligence resources• Embed intelligence as a core deliverable of
your office
Purpose of Market Intelligence: Measurement
Using data and business intelligence Ensuring coherence of strategy Measuring retention: application,
enrollment through completion Understanding stakeholder
satisfaction and student outcomes Measuring impact of agent
networks and other channels Understanding cost of recruitment Understand student choice and
satisfaction
Pop Quiz: Ready, Willing and Able
Ready? Does your institution have…..
• An international strategy and recruitment plan
• Clarity around priority of recruitment markets
• Planning, target-setting cycles which include market research inputs
• Staff assigned to market intelligence function
• Resources/budget for market research
Pop Quiz: Ready, Willing and Able
Willing? Does your institution have……
• Commitment to forward-looking strategy?
• Leadership who agree that staff should spend time on market research?
• Ways of engaging agents/international representatives in understanding markets?
• Subscriptions/access to market research resources?
• Group/committee who review(s) market research, or involvement of institutional research in international team?
Pop Quiz: Ready, Willing and Able
Able? Does your institution have……
• Staff resources with training/experience in market research?
• Agreed metrics to measure success, track behavior in markets and systems to provide these?
• Annual or regular prospect and decliner studies?
• Research on brand footprint and competition in markets?
• A costed, funded market research plan?
RWA: Scorecard
Willing
1
2
3
4
5
Able 1
2
3
4
5
Your totals
Ready: /25 Willing: /25 Able: /25
Ready
1
2
3
4
5
Market Intelligence routines
When?
• Ongoing, regular commitment and special projects• Regular, consistent understanding to map
trends
• New market entry projectsHow?
• From your desk • (Secondary research)
• Out in the markets/with students & influencers• Using in-country resources
Market Intelligence practice
New Market Entry
Find Proxy indicators for:• Propensity to Afford
• Propensity to Choose
• Competition
• Accessibility/availability of channels
Market Intelligence practice
Primary research tools• Decision-making analysis
• Perception research
• Satisfaction measurement
• Decliner studies
• Sentiment analysis
• Agent Surveys
Market Intelligence: Student Surveys
• Whole population survey• Relevant questions• Surveying all aspects of the
student experience• Granular information to compare
and understand different groups• Opportunities to benchmark for
comparison• Analysis of key drivers
What we should be looking for: Example: The International Student Barometer (ISB)
Established in
2005Implemented by
1400institutions
Used in
30countries
Feedback from almost
2.3 millionstudents
www.i-graduate.org or www.bartoncarlyle.com
Market Intelligence practice
Secondary Research• Regular research routines
• Sources and Subscriptions
Market Intelligence practice
Asset Libraries
• Builds institutional knowledge
• Tangible evidence base
• Updateable
Market Intelligence: Market SummariesDate of Market Summary and revision number
Region/Country
Market Status:(eg priority market, developmentmarket)1 Country Background/Environment 1.1 Historical, legal, political, economic data relevant to international education
1.2 Education system and qualification equivalencies1.3 Recent events and key trends1.4 Summary of market insight for this country1.5 Summary of our objectives for and activity in this market
(most recent visits and link to visit reports)1.6 Admissions assessment of potential of this market, challenges, barriers and opportunities and rationale
2 Enrollments 2.1 Enrollment data for students from Country X to major host countries (UK, USA, Australia, other) popular institutions and courses for students from Country X
2.2 Enrollment data for students from Country X to our university and assessment of market share total numbers of international students from Country X at our university; recent trends in student numbers from country X at our university (3 years); Subjects and levels of study of students from Country X at our university.
3 Competitor Information 3.1 Information regarding our key competitors in country(eg Presence and information about use of agents, pricing, off-shore campuses, major links, agent tie-ups)
3.2 Insight from our agents and/or overseas offices4 Student Travel issues 4.1 Information regarding any specific travel issues for students from Country X and visa restrictions, special
immigration regulations5 Visit issues 5.1 Information regarding any specific travel issues eg visas for staff travelling to Country X (eg travel advice,
hotels, University policies, currency exchange sites)5.2 Sources of information for Suffolk staff visiting Country X (general information about Country X)
Market Intelligence: Scenario Planning
“Scenario planning is…..about understanding the…environment and the nature of the risks that environment can give rise to…..”
“Insights gained… should equip organisations to recognize and respond to significant emerging threats and opportunities, building enhanced…competitiveness, resilience and agility”
KPMG Australia https://www.kpmg.com/AU/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/Manage-the-future-through-scenario-planning-v3.pdf
Market Intellignce: Scenario Planning
1. Map basic trends and driving forces2. Find key uncertainties3. Describe critical and unpredictable driving forces4. Distill to two forces/factors5. Identify factor extremes and check for plausibility6. Map these onto an x/y axis7. Define scenarios
Be careful about how you develop scenarios:http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/strategy/the_use_and_abuse_of_scenarios
http://monitor.icef.com/2014/02/beyond-forecasting-how-to-use-scenario-planning-to-map-the-future/
Market Intelligence: Futurecasting
Possible TopicsDisruption to potential student flowsImpacts of technologyRise of market entrants and/or competitor disruptionPathway provision impacts on ESL market?
http://monitor.icef.com/2014/02/beyond-forecasting-how-to-use-scenario-planning-to-map-the-future/
Icef.com/beyondthehorizon
Pamela Barrett, Director Barton CarlyleE: [email protected]: (44) 7788 600 388www.bartoncarlyle.com
Follow me on Twitter (@bartoncarlyle), or connect on LinkedIn.
THANKS
For your participation!