“If you have the guts to keep making mistakes, your wisdom and intelligence leap forward with huge momentum.” – Holly Near
The pandemic has got schools struggling to increase and maintain student enrollment, this is because of the numerous numbers of competitors out there, and the fact that parents are changing their childrens’ school. Increasing enrollment in schools requires all the efforts and application of the best marketing strategy, hence schools are working harder than usual to attract and maintain students.
We have had changes in the approach to how enrollment is handled, but some schools are still making that mistake of thinking they can still handle it in old ways. We will discuss four (4) mistakes that schools make – and how they can correct them.
1. School-Centric
A school-centric school is described as one that focuses on the school in bringing in parents rather than the parents coming into the school to enroll their children. They look to develop the environment of the school itself, displaying more of the features that they have, rather than preaching the benefits and how it will meet the needs of the parents and their children.
This mistake is prevalent among schools, as they are always about their school and what they possess. That should not be, the school be more of ‘Parent-centric’, where the benefits and how it will meet the needs of the parents & students will be preached.
An example is a school that is always talking about their facilities, rather they should focus on how the facilities will improve their children when they enroll in their school.
2. Outbound Marketing Strategy
It is crucial to additionally utilize the right marketing strategy in reaching out to parents. Schools are still in the act of running after enormous audiences and sharing a bunch of fliers to those who do not need it. This method is known as outbound marketing, and it is incorrect.
Inbound marketing is the right way of attracting the right parents with relevant and helpful content to enroll their children with you. It additionally applies to being parent-centric, whereby different channels can be used to create contents that tend to provide answers to the questions parents might be inquiring.
Some methods under the inbound marketing strategy include the use of school blogs, social media accounts, opt-in emails, search, and third-party school marketing platforms. E.g. SchoolsCompass. Visit here to learn more about Outbound and Inbound Marketing Strategy.
3. Incompetent Marketing Team
Another common mistake schools make is to believe that anybody can take up the occupation of a marketer. The marketing team is the driving force for any institution, and getting the right set of minds will help increase the rate at which enrollment is in your school. A marketing team that can effectively combine the last two points will get to observe greater results at the rate of enrollment.
4. Price before Value
The last common mistake that schools make is promoting the school fee first before showing what the school has to offer. When a parent calls to make inquires and maybe ask for the ‘price’, try to convince them in a diplomatic way to visit your school first.
Some parents get turned off immediately they hear the price they are to pay, but you can show them the value they stand to get by inviting them to your school for a tour. This will give them a better understanding of the benefits they and their children will be getting for their money, and simultaneously boosting enrollment in your school.
The good news is that there are solutions to these mistakes. All you are required is to dedicate the needed resources to ensure they are corrected. Getting back on track for your enrollment allows your school to focus more on the most important objective of your school; providing the best outstanding academic experience for your students.
