Marketing plays a crucial role in the success of any school. However, each institution faces its own unique challenges and possesses distinct strengths when it comes to reaching prospective students and families.  The "Marketing Essentials for Schools" course is designed to guide you through the fundamentals of school marketing, encouraging you to reflect on your school's specific needs and actively develop strategies to enhance your outreach efforts.

Falling student numbers currently lead to reduced funding and increased competition among schools.  Effective school marketing offers many additional benefits, including:

• Establishing a clear identity that ensures consistent, on-message communication
• Easing staff recruitment by clearly articulating your school's value proposition
• Attracting families by promoting your school's unique features and values
• Enhancing fundraising efforts by engaging donors, sponsors, and funding bodies 

This course supports current and new school staff involved with marketing, communications, and income generation in developing strategies and activities tailored to their school's context. Learners are encouraged to reflect and engage actively with the Parallel Workbook and editable templates provided. 

By the end of this training, you will be able to:

• Present a strong business case along with a costed marketing plan
• Identify your school's key strengths and know how to effectively promote them
• Recognise and communicate with key stakeholder groups
• Embed a positive marketing culture within your school
• Understand how video, websites, and social media support your messaging
• Manage your school's reputation, including how to handle media relations

Course Content

The course includes 6 in-depth modules, with 4 hours of self-study time:

Module 1: Why Marketing Matters - Understanding the Business Case

• Have a clearer understanding of the issues facing your school
• Be able to assemble a 'case of support' for a marketing plan
• Understand our legal obligations when it comes to marketing activities

Module 2: What We Stand For - Brand Identity, Values, and Key Messages

• Have a clearer understanding of our school identity and branding
• Be able to conduct a brand mapping exercise with key stakeholders
• Understand the relationship between individual school level and MAT level branding

Module 3: Communicating Effectively with Stakeholder Groups

• Develop a clear understanding of school stakeholder groups and individuals
• Understand how to listen to their needs and map school communications accordingly
• Appreciate how focus groups and surveys can provide invaluable insights

Module 4: The Marketing Mix

• Understand a wide range of marketing activities that may be deployed for your school.
• Appreciate how online and offline marketing can play a role in helping deliver your plan.
• Become confident in selecting the best approach for any given scenario.

Module 5: Income Generation - Motivating Donors and How Marketing Helps

• Understand the diverse and creative ways schools can generate income
• Develop the most suitable approach to fund a project, from crowdfunding to sponsorship and grants.

Module 6: Tricky Challenges - Crisis Management and Dealing with the Media

• Anticipate and identify areas of risk to the schools' reputation and mitigate accordingly.
• Understand what the media may expect from the school and how to respond.
• Develop an effective crisis plan

Meet Your Facilitator

Justin Smith is a Fellow of the Institute of School Business Leadership and an experienced consultant, coach, and trainer.  Justin has over 25 years of experience working in education, initially as a senior leader within schools and more recently as Managing Director of Chameleon Consultancy & Training Ltd.

Justin regularly leads training courses for senior leaders in schools and multi-academy trusts, specialising in marketing, communications, income generation, and bid writing.  He is also an assessor for both the Diploma of School Business Management program and the School Business Professional Apprenticeship. 

How Does It Work?

• Make your booking at https://www.educationconferencesuk.co.uk/elearning/marketing-essentials-for-schools
• You'll be emailed log-in details and a link to our online platform
• Work through the course at your own pace
• Complete the interactive and dynamic course
• Download your certificate of completion upon passing the course
• With 12 months access, you can revisit the material as many times as you like 

For more information, please download the course leaflet.