Distinguishing Your School
in the Marketplace of
Donors,
Parents and Students
Kathleen Hanson
Senior Consultant and Principal
Leader – Schools Practice Group
Editor, The NAIS Handbook on Marketing Independent Schools
NESA Leadership Conference – October 2011
Copyright Marts & Lundy
Our focus
Two main and interwoven areas:
1. Distinguishing yourself in the marketplace
2. Adopting an “integrated” approach to
marketing
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“Distinguishing” means…
Mission and Core Values
Leading to
Points of Distinction
which are
Attributes and Benefits
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Distinguishing means…
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Resolving inexact terminology:
Image: A set of beliefs others have of you.
Competitive positioning: Developing and
communicating meaningful and powerful
differences between your offerings and those
of our competitors.
Brand: The brand is the essence or promise
of what will be delivered or experienced.
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Distinguishing language
It must be more than clear.
Your audience must understand and
value it.
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Obstacles to “Distinguishing”
• The desire to illustrate all we do
• Inability to gain consensus internally
• Fear of alienating a segment of your
current or potential community
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How do you accomplish it?
• Third-party
Branding and positioning program
• Internal
Needs a qualified leader (highly qualified)
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The process
Identify your passions
Understand your competitor’s passions
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Research based
• Is your mission unique?
• Are there unique elements to your
program?
• Is your school’s passion the way you
approach teaching and learning?
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Research based
• Why do students select your school
and stay?
• How do your alumni characterize
their experience?
• Why do parents sacrifice to send
their children to your school?
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Distinguishing factor
It must be relevant, authentic and
believable.
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Authentic
Who you are
vs.
Who you want to become
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Relevant
Important to the marketplace
• Families will pay for it
• Donors will support it
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Believable
Your audiences must believe that you
can execute on your promise.
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How Firm A Foundation
River Oaks Baptist School in Houston
distinguishes itself as the
elementary school that
provides the “firm foundation”
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The Foundation
Foundation in wisdom
Foundation in faith
Foundation in compassion
A solid bedrock of values and knowledge
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Key Messages – Central Messages
Once you have uncovered your distinct
competencies, you need to develop a set of
key messages which enhance and support
them.
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Distinguishing is the first step
• Success depends upon an integrated
marketing approach.
• Marketing is defined as “an exchange
of things valued.”
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Why integrate your marketing?
Marketing Goal: increase competitiveness
and effectiveness in:
• attracting and enrolling students
• attracting the support of donors
• creating pride of association in your
alumni
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Why integrate your marketing?
Strategic problems are rarely solved with
tactics.
• An integrated marketing approach
forces marketing issues to a
strategic level.
•
It stresses research, accountability
and ongoing evaluation.
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It requires an integrated effort
Unfortunately, for most schools, the
departments involved in achieving
marketing’s goal aren’t located in the same
division.
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Silos
Let’s collaborate!
HOS
Development
“Sure, the School’s
marketing messages
are ok, but not for
fundraising.”
Mkt./Comm
Admissions
But, fundraising is
not my only
objective!
You want me to talk
about philanthropy
to prospective
families?
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Breaking down the silos
Calling for collaboration…
Requires: Full endorsement of the Head
Some Internal Marketing
More on that later…
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Integrated marketing requires
a leader and a team
School leadership teams
They are changing…
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Tomorrow’s leadership teams
• Collaborative
• Strategic
• Understand marketing
• Value Research
• Deeply understand all audiences
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Regardless of your structure
Integrated Marketing Comes Together
around:
• Strategy
• Organization
• Message
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Strategy
Your strategy might be:
“Promote the school’s distinguishing features
in all areas of school life.”
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Organization
You need to organize around that strategy,
coordinating resources and sharing
responsibility.
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Message
When marketing is integrated, the messages
are consistent, well coordinated, and driven
by strategic decisions.
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Internal marketing
Marketing integration can only occur
when internal audiences are on board:
• Administrative Team
• Faculty
• Staff
• Influential Volunteers
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Final challenge
• Some schools are there
• Many are not
• Even some progress will make a
difference
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