I remember the anxiety about filling seats very well, as though it were yesterday. Back in the 90s, my head of school, Dr. Elliston Rahming, had hired me to be the Deputy Director of a new private school he was starting from scratch in The Bahamas. And I do mean from scratch! The budget for our first year had to come entirely from tuition income. Period. Moreover, I was charged with ensuring the seats were filled when we opened for business in September 1995. Now, remember that back in the 90s, the Internet was in its infancy. There was no social media to trumpet the opening of our new school. We only had the local press and word of mouth.
Against that backdrop, let me pose some scenarios to heads of boarding schools, owners of boarding schools, and anybody interested in filling seats at their school.
1. My school's enrollment is declining. I can't afford to hire a marketing professional. What should I do?
Saying that you can't afford a marketing professional is like saying you can't afford insurance. It's a must-have. I understand that you are thinking that marketing is a major expense. Don't think of it that way. Think of marketing as a profit center. When the marketing professional does her job, you will see results. If your budget is really tight, I suggest that you interview a recent college marketing graduate. Your giving her a job where she can prove how good she is will benefit both of you. Her accomplishments will shine in her resume. Your seats will be filled.
Consider partnering with nearby schools or educational organizations to share marketing resources and expertise. Collaborating can reduce costs and increase your reach. Additionally, leverage alumni networks to spread the word about your school. Alums can be powerful advocates and may even volunteer their time to help with your marketing efforts.
Why are some schools winning the enrollment game while others are losing?
Large endowment? Convenient location? Great facilities? Perfect college acceptance rates? Star teachers? Sure, all these things are very important. Whether you are an independent school, charter school, faith-based parochial, public, or any other type of school, you know this.
However, some schools have only some (or even none) of those things and have seen an upsurge in enrollment. They aren't just surviving, they're doing even better than before. How is this possible?
Essentially, these schools have adjusted their strategies. They've invested in enrollment campaigns. Successful schools are investing between 2.5% and 10% of their annual budget in enrollment marketing, and it's paying off big time. Source: Alexis Marinopoulos in The Enrollment Blog
This video looks at the factors contributing to the decline in private school enrollment.
2. What resources can an enrollment professional bring to our school that we don't already have?
Where do I begin? An experienced enrollment professional can offer proven results and sound methodology in today's complicated market. These professionals know how to find students who will be a good match for your school and the students. They use various techniques to reach families who may have never heard of your school or, at best, know very little about your programs and philosophy, which may be what they are looking for.
In addition to showing your staff how to use traditional marketing methods, enrollment professionals can introduce digital marketing strategies, such as search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising, and targeted email campaigns. These techniques can significantly expand your school's visibility and attract a broader audience. Furthermore, they can provide data analytics to track the effectiveness of your marketing efforts, allowing for continuous improvement and adaptation.
Read Tom Ostapchuk's article The Secret to Increasing Private School Enrollment. It opens with this statement of fact:
"The school budget, the programs offered, and the teachers on staff all stem from the number of students that enroll at your school. It's your bottom line. Every private school struggles to continue increasing student enrollment, simply due to the number of education choices available to students. Focusing on increasing enrollment requires a fully coordinated effort and often new approaches to programs offered at the school. In this blog, we'll focus on how to leverage what makes your school unique – and how to tell everyone about it."
3. I have an admissions team that resists change and new ideas. How do I handle them to grow our enrollment?
Every institution has its dinosaurs. Mind you, digital dinosaurs are a challenge. Are you greeted with a chorus of "I don't use Facebook!" or "Our print catalog has been effective for the last 50 years; why do anything else?" when you mention using social media as part of your marketing strategy? This is why you need an enrollment professional working with your admissions team. As Jesus said centuries ago, "You are a prophet without honor in your own country."
So, engage an enrollment professional to spend a few days at your school. Magically, your admissions staff will discover this incredible new social media tool to help them reach their admissions goals. They will tell you in all candor that they think it will work. The enrollment professional will have them thinking that it is their idea. Manipulating? Of course! But that's what we teachers and parents do, after all.
Encourage professional development by offering workshops and training sessions on the latest marketing trends and tools. This can help your admissions team feel more comfortable with new strategies and technologies. A reward system should also be implemented to recognize and incentivize innovative ideas and successful enrollment initiatives. Creating a culture that values and rewards adaptability can motivate your team to embrace change.
Ralph Cochran's article Who Are Millennial Parents and How Do I Market My Private School To Them? will help you understand the kind of change that has to come about in your admissions team.
4. In recent years, we have had difficulty retaining students. I don't know whether the problem is our facilities, program, or a combination. Can an enrollment professional help us with this?
A sagging retention rate is another metric that can be fixed with the help of an enrollment professional. She's a professional who has helped other schools like yours identify the root causes of unsatisfactory retention rates. She will be able to do the same for you. Unfortunately, once she has determined what is causing students to leave, you will have to follow her suggestions for fixing the problem. I suspect you will probably have to involve your board of trustees if the retention issue stems from a lack of or poor facilities or problems with the curriculum and the teaching. Your enrollment professional will function as a consultant for you and your board. She will lay out a roadmap for future success. She also will show you how to implement that roadmap.
Beyond identifying issues, enrollment professionals can also assist in developing a strong school culture and community. You can enhance student satisfaction and retention by organizing events and activities that foster a sense of belonging among students and families. Furthermore, they can help implement feedback mechanisms, such as surveys and focus groups, to gather insights from students and parents about their experiences, allowing for timely adjustments and improvements.
You've heard about AI (Artificial Intelligence), but did you know you can leverage AI-powered solutions to enhance your enrollment and improve student retention? AI-powered tools can streamline your marketing efforts, handle inquiries efficiently, and provide data-driven insights. For example, AI chatbots can manage web and social media inquiries, offering instant responses and freeing staff time. Additionally, AI can help create personalized marketing campaigns and analyze data to predict enrollment trends. Explore some options here.
3 Reasons Families Leave Schools – and How to Retain Them on GradeLink addresses this issue, which vexes many schools.
This video offers ways to increase student retention.
5. We need to have every seat filled when school opens. However, I am concerned about how things will look in a year or two as a major employer is leaving our metro area next year. Can an enrollment professional help develop both short-term and long-term strategies for us?
An enrollment professional can assist in conducting a comprehensive market analysis to identify potential new student demographics and untapped markets. By understanding community trends and future developments, these professionals can help position your school as a desirable option for families moving into the area or seeking new educational opportunities.
Additionally, they can show you how to build strong relationships with local businesses and community leaders. That can lead to mutually beneficial partnerships and increased visibility. Belonging to a service club like Kiwanis or Rotary, asking a local contractor to install safety glass in your reception area, or inviting religious leaders and business people to speak to your students are just a few low-cost steps to promote your school.
While you may not have a full-time staff of marketing specialists, there's plenty you can do to market your school effectively.
Questions? Contact us on Facebook. @boardingschoolreview
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