This Marketing Mistake Is Losing You Students

Hi Inner Circle member,

It is a busy time of year for most schools. You’re simultaneously getting ready to wind up the year yet you’re also rushing to complete all of your year-end exams and closing ceremonies.

I’ve noted a rise in demand for our firm’s school performance evaluation services. Many boards recognize that their school is not functioning at optimal levels and need an improvement plan for the coming school. At present, we’re booked until the end of June, but I would recommend that if you’re interested, you contact our firm ASAP to make arrangements for next fall; our dates book quickly. Why not allow our firm to complete an in-depth review of your school strengths and weaknesses, key issues that need to be resolved, and our action plan for improvement. If it’s completed prior to your AGM and your new board joining, your school’s executive committee will be able to prioritize your schools goals for 2009-10, determine what board committees you need, and separate the goals within the committee’s responsibilities.

Our firm spends a considerable amount of time working for groups that want to start new K-12 private schools as well as improving existing private schools. One area that we’re approached on constantly is private school marketing and admissions. When I work with corporations that want to start a school in a new city or land development, they tell our firm that they don’t need help in this area because they do marketing every day in their corporation. I chuckle at this remark and ask them if they’ve any experience with marketing and admissions for private schools – NO. Then I ask if they’ve ever attended a private school – NO. Finally, I ask them if they’re own children attend a private school – NO. When I ask them what qualifies them to develop the highly unique marketing strategies, documentation, systems, and work plan for a K-12 private school, they’re response is simple, we’re good at branding.

YIKES!!! This is the most important element of the school aside from good teachers; attracting and retaining students, yet they want to risk it all over the cost of one student tuition. I shake my head at this naivety and overconfidence.

Today I’m going to talk about a common private school marketing mistake and how to avoid it.

To your success,

Doug Halladay

President
Halladay Education Group Inc.
www.HalladayEducationGroup.com

>> TWITTER: Get my updates by signing in @ www.twitter.com/halladay

P.S. Don’t forget to check out our secure Online Store for ways to invest in improving or starting your own school. Here is the link: http://www.halladayeducationgroup.com/products/products.php

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. In The News

2. Useful Services

3. This Marketing Mistake Is Losing You Students

4. Products At Our Online Store

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1. IN THE NEWS
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>> PRIVATE SCHOOLS TAKE DIFFERENT APPROACHES
Indianapolis Star - United States: Here is a look at how a cross-section of metro-area private schools is dealing with a weak economy. According to the state's Department of Education.

>> PRIVATE SCHOOLS GET CREATIVE ON PAYMENTS
Indianapolis Star - United States: Families such as the Schafers are finding it harder to cover the costs of private school in the face of a sagging economy, so every little bit helps.

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2. USEFUL SERVICES
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(A) STARTING A SCHOOL

Starting a school can be challenging and you never have a second chance to make a first impression. This is why you need a firm that has experience starting schools in USA, Canada, and Internationally.

(B) STRATEGIC PLANNING

We can lead the development of your school’s comprehensive Strategic Plan, which will build consensus, motivate donors, and define critical priorities for your Board and Administration for continued school improvement.

(C) BOARD GOVERNANCE WORKSHOPS

Do you want your school to have the best board possible? Our full-day governance workshop (in combination with our interactive online survey) will fine-tune your board’s performance and focus priorities.

(D) SCHOOL EVALUATION

A school review is critical to knowing if you’re heading in the right direction. As a board member are you confident that you’re making the right decisions? Are you sure that your school is doing the best it can? Get the whole picture with our In-Depth School Performance Review and Action Plan for immediate improvement.

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3. THIS MARKETING MISTAKE IS LOSING YOU STUDENTS
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Today I'm going to talk about something that could be costing you revenues in your enrollment. It’s one the biggest marketing mistakes I see made, which has caused schools to lose the most revenue in tuition and lost students.

Why a school would spend thousands of dollars to get a parents to their web site or in the door and then let them walk out without getting their name and address and other vital information from them is beyond me.

I can't understand it, but 90% of the schools in America don't ever bother to keep track of their any prospects when they visit their web site or call their school.

Your parent database is your biggest source of lifetime profits. Here's why you should keep track of every parent and every prospect:

1. According to Fortune Magazine, it costs five times as much to generate a new customer than to resell to an existing customer. Existing customers are almost as good as money in the bank!

2. Your existing customers already know and trust you. They enrol their child at your school and (hopefully) had a positive experience with you.

3. They know you'll deliver on your promises, because you've done it before with energy and quality (haven't you?).

SOLUTION:

What you need to do is develop a systematic way of moving those web site and phone inquiries into your database (you do have one?) and keep track of them, and then reach out to them often using your online email newsletter (you do this also I hope). By establishing a long term relationship with your customers and prospects, you can maximize your admissions success.

Do you see how valuable this list can be? When I consult with a school on how to increase their enrollment, one of the first things I ask is if they have a customer list of inquiries. If they do, then I can practically guarantee that they can build their school’s enrollment successfully if they stay in contact via email newsletters. The quickest way to do this is to have an opt-in box on your web site to get them into your database while they’re interested. Do you do this? Why not?

To make this list beneficial, recent studies show that you should contact them once every 21 days. Here are some ideas for staying in touch:

1. Sponsor some kind of information-based event. A workshop, open house, seminar, luncheon with a guest speaker, etc. Anything that would be of interest to your parents and prospects.

2. Send out weekly eNewsletters celebrating past and future school events. This tool has viral power as it can be forwarded to other interested parents.

4. Send an email with problem-solving parenting tips in it for easy, quick reference.

By collecting the names, addresses, and phone numbers of your customers and prospects, you will be in a position to increase the revenues from each customer anywhere from
35 - 200%.

To find out more about our firm’s school marketing services, please email HEG at info@halladayeducationgroup.com to discuss your needs or click on the following link: http://bit.ly/lG92p

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4. PRODUCTS AT OUR ONLINE STORE
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Here are 2 popular Toolkits that will help you to start and/or lead your school more effectively.

(A). STRATEGIC PLANNING TOOLKIT (#1 BEST SELLER)

Learn how to develop your own Strategic Plan with step-by-step instructions contained in our detailed Workbook and Manual, along with $500 worth of bonus CD’s. It’s all there to help you develop your own plan.

(B). START-A-SCHOOL TOOLKIT (#2 BEST SELLER)

Are you still struggling with starting your school? Four experienced school leaders share with you how to start a school from the ground up. You’ll also receive our bonus CD on developing your own strategic plan.

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To your success,

Douglas Halladay
President and Founder

Halladay Education Group Inc.

P: 604.868.0002 / F: 868.472.8737 / Email: info@halladayeducationgroup.com
www.HalladayEducationGroup.com

P.S. Do not forget to check out our secure Online Store for ways to invest in improving or starting your own school or non-profit. Here is the link: