The Concept of Inbound and Outbound Marketing Strategies for Schools

Marketing in this case will be tagged as the process of teaching parents and prospect applicants why they should pick your school over other competitors. The success of a marketing strategy is only possible when every needed criteria have been met – they include conducting research on the need of the parents and students and analysis of the education sector. The area you decide to focus your marketing on depends on where your applicants and potential applicants spend their time. Today, we have various places where one can conduct a marketing campaign. Some of the commonly used types of marketing include; internet marketing, video marketing, social media marketing, search engine marketing blog/content marketing etc. The two main types we will be talking about today are the Inbound and Outbound Marketing.

Outbound Marketing

Outbound Marketing refers to that type of marketing technique whereby a school sends out messages and advert to audience whether they want it or not. Outbound marketing is just another form of traditional marketing that uses methods like radio and television advert, banner and paper flyers, billboards and posters, magazine and newspaper adverts. Most parents find Outbound marketing methods intruding, this is because they most of the time are invading their space. An example is a radio or TV advert that just pops up while someone is enjoying a program that was airing at that time, or a pop-up ad that keeps interrupting an online user. This is the reason there has been a great decline in the effectiveness of Outbound – ‘traditional’ marketing methods.

Inbound Marketing

This is the opposite of outbound marketing. In the marketing type, the marketers who in this case are the schools aim to attract parents and potential applicants with the use of relevant and informative contents and the use of right channel of communication. The major component is ‘Content Marketing’, whereby the method of communication and the recipients (parents and prospect applicants) are important. Visit here to learn more about Inbound Marketing and how it can help your school.

Difference between Outbound and Inbound Marketing

Outbound marketing	Inbound Marketing
Pushes the school to the parents.	Focuses on gaining the interest of parents.
Uses a one-way type of communication where only the school reaches out to the parents.	Uses a two-way type of communication, where parents come to find out about the school.
Methods include the use of display ads, billboards and posters, newspaper and magazines, TV and radio ads.	Methods include the use of school blogs, social media accounts, opt-in emails, search, third-party school marketing platforms. e.g. SchoolsCompass

Pros and Cons of Outbound Marketing

Pros

1. It allows to reach large audience, even when they are not in need of the services you offer.

Cons

1. It is expensive with low yield.

2. You are unable to track your Return on Investment (ROI).

3. It is an interruptive method of marketing.

4. Due to its disruptive way, many parents have devised different blocking to prevent online adverts and block pop-up ads.

Pros and Cons of Inbound Marketing

Pros

1. Inbound Marketing is cost-effective with higher Return on Investment (ROI). Which means it converts prospective parents and applicants to students and clients.

2. With the help of relevant, educative and informative content, you are able to reach more audience.

3. It is non-invasive unlike outbound marketing.

4. With Inbound Marketing, you are able to form a long lasting relationship with parents of students in your school.

Cons

1. It can be time-consuming and appears as if it is not effective most time at the beginning of the exercise. .

As you can see in the write-up that Inbound Marketing has more pros than cons. Inbound Marketing is the new world of marketing, as it helps you to form a better relationship with parents and build a long-lasting relationship with them.