Supporting a School Trust
Working with a Multi Academy School Trust - from strategy to tactical activity
Case study:
Putting a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) on a clearer path for their next steps
Based on a live school trust project completed by the MA for Schools & Trusts team.
Marketing Advisers (MA) prides itself on our ability to take a brief and truly deliver for the client. This means we research, communicate, advise, get creative, and work as a team to bring about results that are meaningful and make a difference. Making a difference is, after all, what we are all about.
Our recent brief was for a Multi Academy Trust (MAT), the Knowledge Schools Trust (KST). Our specialist marketing skills were required to rediscover their core values, then develop creative copy and digital content, to help particular schools reach both a wider audience and increase conversions in their Admissions cycle.
Join us now to take a closer look at the project requirements and how the MA team of 10 advisers tackled the challenge.
We start with feedback on the end goal...
10 steps to achieve the project:
- Client requirements outlined (Job specification)
- Discussion on the objectives and goals of the activity
- Comprehension of the project (to be able to offer a solution)
- Project start
- Plans and timing outlined
- Research and brand review (Stakeholder involvement)
- Creative and tactical work
- Implementation
- Results
- Feedback
1. Client Requirements
MA was contacted as a specialist marketing provider capable of deploying a team to complete this special project for a developing Multi Academy School Trust (MAT).
To summarise, our role was to empower the Trust’s vision with marketing support that was focused on bringing a strategic improvement to the two core elements of the Trust:
Future growth and development of the Trust
Growth of the focus schools and conversion of new pupils
The nature of the project required both a strategic view, offering advice on brand message and core values, through to tactical hands-on activity to influence a specific outcome. There was also an emphasis for the Trust to be left with practical tools and strategies which staff could put to use once our work was complete.
2. The objectives and goals of the activity
It’s hugely important for the MA team to understand the complexities of the organisation, to work alongside the client, to listen, and to offer solutions. Communication with the client was key for this project to be a success.
By understanding the client objectives and goals we were able to align our marketing project plan to these and show how the work we aimed to undertake would achieve tangible and measurable results.
An activity plan and timetable that works for everyone is key to this, and our team of specialists provided KST with a comprehensive plan to show what work would be undertaken, what the aim of each piece of work was, and what it would seek to achieve. Client buy-in is really important, and having the client on board every step of the way meant no surprises, and a clear route to success.
3. Comprehension of the project
Our team all have specialist areas, from strategic planning & consulting, to copywriting, to design, video, social media and digital creation. A flexible team brought together by the requirements of the client project, briefed and communicated through tech products like Miro and Slack. This provides an effective way to work, to ensure we all understand what we’re working on within the project and allows us to immediately connect together as required.
When we outline our work, we provide a solutions-based brief and a clear quote for each piece of work that we’re delivering. This helps our client know exactly what they’re going to receive from us and how it sets the tone for achieving their strategic vision.
4. Project start
Creativity and strategy go hand in hand in the MA team. To this end, mind maps were used to outline the set up and to explore and share ideas for how the activity would link. Visually this has real impact for the client, and offers them a chance to really see what the activity not only looks like, but what it will feel like in terms of essence and reality when the solutions are in place.
5. Plans and timing
Project planning is key, and we’re no strangers to an Excel spreadsheet to ensure everything’s lined up. For the Trust project an Excel master sheet held all the necessary details, from the Objectives, Measurable outcome, Actions, the Job owner, Challenges encountered and of course the budget.
Our Project plans highlight the level of detail required to ensure actions were successfully completed within the agreed time scales.
6. Research and brand review
We know how important it is to ‘deep dive’ and a thorough review of the Trust brand and core value is where the project started. Conversations with stakeholders are crucial, and we asked the client key questions about who they are, what they stand for, future ambitions and the short to long term goals.
Without this deeper knowledge, a project only touches the surface, so we became knowledgeable about their brand, vision, and messaging. Part of our role was to help develop these areas and we developed our creative vision for KST from our knowledge and understanding of them.
7. Creative and tactical work with training too!
The creative element of the project is always exciting – it’s where we can really explore options and opportunities. The creative output was split across the three parts of the organisation:
- The Trust development
- Primary school in Buckinghamshire
- 6th Form school in West London.
Both KST and our MA team were delighted with the creative impact that this work had, and how audiences responded to it.
Please do contact us to see the full report of the creative, tactical and presentation work completed.
The e-mailing communication platform Mail Chimp was implemented as a key piece of work, to help staff to be able to quickly communicate with large numbers of pupils in the Admissions cycle. Also, to help deliver embedded video to each individual, with content hosted on a new Vimeo page set-up.
A summary of the Open rates can be viewed below and within the results section.
8. Implementation
Arguably this is one of the most important elements to consider. Great content can be produced in abundance, but if there is not the time or know-how internally to effectively implement, then it can go to waste. It is wise to be mindful of this point from the outset.
To help support on implementation, we ran a series of training sessions, such as Social media best practice, reviewing the stages of the Admissions cycle and making the most of your LinkedIn profile. These received great feedback comments from staff.
"The LinkedIn session was great and informative, looking forward to learning more!"
To ensure the KST team were fully briefed and kept up to date weekly on activity, implementation and success, progress updates and campaign flow charts (via Miro platform) came into use. These are an important part of the project and we created visual reports that updated the client on the ‘completed actions and still to-implement’.
9. Results
Results arrive in many forms – the immediate result of activity, like contact mailing Delivered and Open rates telling a story, and then later, in the months after, the actual proof that the tactical activity made an impact on the outlined objectives. The available results and creative were shared with The Trust via a comprehensive Round-up report, giving them a complete overview of the activity and the impact made to date – from mailings completed, adverts placed, new collateral created, training delivered and positive feedback received.
Results to report.
The contact mailing activity to Admissions Yr 11 Offer Holders – Open Rates increased by 47% (against the industry average).
Admissions for Y12 (2021/22) as report by the department in October 2021:
Overall the new pupil number target was exceeded with a 17.5% increase compared to 2020/21 cycle and also the previous 3 years results. External pupils (from neighbouring schools) increased by 16% and Internal pupils (from the Secondary feeder school) increased by 19%.
It was a great team effort all round to receive reports in late 2021 of these strong results; increased numbers on-the-ground, exceeding the pupil in-take target.
Internal pupils (from the Secondary feeder school) increased by 19% compared to 2020/21.
External pupils (from neighbouring schools) increased by 16% compared to 2020/21.
These improved figures, increasing the number of pupils for 2021/22, were as a result of a number of actions and enhancement implemented by both the MA for Schools team and the internal school team.
Personalised video
This was introduced as a specific piece of tactical activity to help bring Year 11 Offer Holders over the line to join the 6th Form school.
This was an exceptionally creative piece of work, where 400 pupils were addressed in the video personally “by name” and given a 2 minute walk-through their future to-be school.
We believe that the KST organisation is the first such school in the UK to utilise this particular personalisation technology to support a specific objective. All the data, from the video opens to new pupil starts in September, helps to highlight the successful outcome.
This creative work aimed to make the prospective pupils feel a part of the school fabric even before they start.
Open Rates with the personalised element were recorded over 75%, which far exceeding expectations!
A real winning creative part of the campaign and a first for a UK school we believe!
To read more about the success of the personalised video work – click here.
10. Feedback: Summary
The Trust were looking to bring strategy to their marketing activity and to be left with tools to be able to continue on beyond the project. MA conducted an initial review of the brand and core values to support the Trusts future strategic aims. Useable tools for staff came in the form of a new communication platform set-up, new content, revised creative templates for newsletters, social media and for web use. The appreciated client feedback is testimony to the outcome of the project and a welcome reward for the team of 10 advisers involved.
"The objective was to help bring some strategy to our marketing activity within key areas, and leave us with tools to do it ourselves. We’re now on a clearer path and ready for our next steps."
"Thank you very much for sending the refreshed design through, which looks extremely clear. I look forward to using it next term."
"Overall the Y12 Admissions new start number increased by 18% (20 more pupils) compared to 2020/21."
MA were delighted to be part of this project, to see immediate results from the work we introduced, and share the platforms we have set up to support the longer-term success. The MA team thoroughly relished working on it too and look forward to hearing about the future impact from the work.
We want clients to achieve what they are seeking from such a communication project – we strive for this every time!
Marketing Advisers have a strong and capable team, with excellent project management skills that can deliver results. The KST project was an opportunity to display the breadth, detail, and quality of the capabilities.
See our Services page for the service options we can offer, all geared around improving, growing and strengthening your marketing and communication activity.
Please do contact us for a more information to see how we can support your organisation.
Our Professional Charter
To uphold our integrity as professionals within the marketing and creative industry, to best support schools, we apply and uphold a charter. For individual skills, knowledge and credibility, and to encourage life long learning, we call on a requirement for all of our team to hold a professional qualification in their practicing discipline, a minimum of 7 years experience on task and on-going, industry association led, continuing professional development. At a senior level, our lead adviser has over 25 years marketing experience and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
