The digital journey for schools – we begin with the end (alumni) in mind….
Significant events bring a shift in attitude and ultimately change
The cycle of the school’s digital journey suddenly became the focus of attention in late March 2020, clouded by the immediacy of a global situation that called for schools to quickly adapt and implement their digital/e-learning tools.
The COVID-19 situation caused the nationwide closure of schools, with marketing plans being paused, business plans being adjusted and e-learning becoming essential. TES published an article, commenting that schools that had already embraced e-learning coped better with the closures.
Such an unprecedented event calls for digital marketing communication to reach out to the school community to seek their support.
When we start with the ‘begin with the end in mind’ philosophy, as a way of steering a digital journey, we work back from the desired end goals and objectives. In most cases it will be to ultimately increase the school’s pupil in-take, the very life blood for private schools, but in pandemic times it can even mean school survival. (It was reported in May by TES that 20-30% of private schools could go bust).
However, ‘the end‘ can also refer to how pupil’s reach the end of their school days to become part of the schools Alumni and with considered (and on-going) communication will hopefully be great ambassadors, or even saviours, for the school.
For secondary school’s could the past pupils (Alumni) offer key support in times of need? Let’s explore this idea together as we continue (see below – Engaging the past pupils (Alumni).
The digital marketing journey
What do we mean by a digital journey? In broad terms we are referring to the use of digital communication methods to create a series of coordinated and on-going activities that your prospects can be taken through. The activity might include direct database mailings, social media activity (see our MA social media tips), the use of blogs, video (distributed via email & social media), online Ads and Google and/or Search paid strategies for additional reach (for example).
This activity should take both the Alumni and prospective parents (existing parents with an adjusted plan) through an on-going journey. Sharing real and compelling stories, news, results, the active campaigns and of course always linking this content back to the school’s core values and brand pillars.
Assess your brand values
In the midst of a pandemic the order of the day will be to steady the ship, for private schools to ensure that as a business they can cross these choppy waters. Once stabilised, and some normality returns, the school can continue on with their quest to be the best they can be. Assessing brand, core pillars and ethos of what they stand for and strive to achieve will be at the very heart, before embarking on a marketing-digital journey. The schools brand may well require some refinements or even an over-haul to make it more relevant and understood in today’s world.
Key questions to consider here are, what school values resonate with your past pupils that they will continue to talk highly of and also why would today’s parents [Gen X and Millennial Gen Y] want to send their child to your school? Does the school brand express its offering with clarity?
MA Advice: Within the MA team we have creative advisers with significant experience in brand creation and development, who can review existing brand guidelines, branded templates, logo identity and print collateral. Following feedback and research, recommendations can be made. Contact us to chat over.
Unwavering focus on the goal
Digital Marketer Ciaran Roger, on behalf of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), talked in April, during a CIM webinar, about having ‘unwavering focus’ when it comes to the set-up and implementation of digital marketing. The analogy is like a ‘Puma staking its prey’, you stay focused on the job, adjust where necessary, to get the desired outcome.
The website is central to the digital journey outcome
Firstly, think of your school website as the hub for digital communication, the journey that your audience are taken through might well start and then end on the school website. It may well be that a dedicated Alumni website is required to help manage the activities and communication. Many Independent schools will already have an Alumni website and so the need might be to review what you already have?
We should bear in mind that the website and supporting digital channels are ultimately only as good as the content it shares. Professionally written, relevant, helpful, linked and tagged (in the website back-end) content will be rewarded – not only by Google, who advocates and promotes such content, but by the intended readers. Some of whom will be your prospects (parents) and of course your Alumni that you are seeking to engage and keep loyal.
Plan out the marketing journey
Plan out the particular journey and the stages you would like to take your audiences through.
MA Tip: In simple terms you should aim to take your marketing journey through the following steps:
See > Inspire and Connect
Think > Inform, Educate and Influence
Do > Drive action
Care > Reward for loyalty
From a digital marketing perspective, the funnel stages are commonly described as:
Awareness > Engage > Subscribe [or sign-up] > Convert > Excite > Ascend > Advocate
Every Independent school is unique, and this calls for action and content that will be relevant to your audience and the desired end goal.
Engaging the past pupils (secondary school Alumni)
Past pupils (Alumni) need a bespoke creative communication plan to be kept engaged through their journey. There will be those that have just left the school, through to the senior Alumni that left 50+ years ago and all those in between.
Just like targeting prospects and reviewing ‘people personas’, these past pupils will have differing priorities, interests, disposable income and differing level of allegiance to the school.
MA Guide: See our 1-page PDF guide for how to describe your ‘personas’ to help the targeting process – click here
For these very reasons they need to be grouped with the communication tailored, to curate the required marketing journey. Ideally ‘engaging’ the pupil from the very beginning, when they leave school, to ensure they start and remain loyal ‘advocates’ for the school.
The use of Personalised video has been proven to increase the engagement and interest of the Alumni within High Education. Schools can now achieve similar results through this personalised reach-out for on-going communication, arranging reunions and making them feel part of the school community. Such feelings of personal engagement can lead to ex-pupils wanting to help, support and even donate time and/or money in times of need.
If you need support to help engage your Alumni with personalisation techniques or seek an effective digital marketing plan or specific campaign. Contact us for support.
Please do talk to us, the Marketing Advisers, now or at some point in the future to see how we can help with advice and marketing guidance for your school.
Why are the advice based Marketing Advisers for schools different?
We see our relationship with schools, our customers, as consultative and offering on-going helpful advice to support.
Read about us and our mission.