Independent Schools Newsletter

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Independent Schools Newsletter
Issue 3
Boosting pupil numbers through effective usage of
databases and ICT
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Beyond sloppy advertising using databases
properly A theme of these newsletters is that
commercial and business practices are
increasingly coming to determine the success of
independent schools and that if schools do not
adopt these practices, they will gradually fall
further behind their peers. Nowhere is this gap
more evident than in the means by which schools
generate enquiries and show-rounds. Whilst many
continue to use traditional (and entirely
non-distinctive) advertising routes, the leading
lights are starting to use database analysis and
marketing to generate hugely cost-effective
results. These are not particularly complex
activities, nor are they costly but its an
established business practice that schools simply
must begin to adopt. The typical story The
pursuit of new enquiries and show-rounds follows
an all-too-familiar pattern. The main route to
parents is advertising generic advertising,
which does little to communicate the schools
unique strengths, and is simply crammed in next
to everybody elses advert, in the modern
equivalent of the moneylenders bazaar.
Meanwhile, the understaffed Admissions team have
no time to engage fully with enquiring parents,
to glean vital information from them, to update
the database on their desk and to use it
properly. And all this time the Head of ICT is
agitating for a new and better system, because
that will fix all the problems. Its the
modern-day version of Waiting For Godot waiting
for the new ICT system.
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Understanding the parent base by asking their
preferences Any database is only as good as the
quality of the data it holds, which is why it is
vital that you properly understand the views and
preferences of your own parent body. This means
that the role of Admissions and school office
is not simply to process parent queries. Their
job is to find out what makes these parents tick
what they like what their child is good at, and
prefers strengths, weaknesses, areas of
academic, sporting or artistic interest. Ask for
these a parent will never withhold this
information, and will always be impressed by the
concern shown and the fact that it is noted and
used in the future. This is simply good and
courteous business practice. But its also key
to successful marketing. Once you log these
responses onto your database, patterns will
emerge types of parent (or child) which you are
attracting, succeeding with, and crucially
can now identify clearly and find more of. This
is the sort of clarity that is so frequently
lacking in schools marketing efforts. Its
possible, of course, to gather this information
on a one-off basis from a research programme but
it is so much more effective to be engaged daily
in gathering and processing this information
yourself your ability to attract and satisfy
the parents you want depends on it. However the
value in databases only really emerges where you
can use them demonstrably to improve your
commercial performance. This is where using data
systems correctly separates successful businesses
from mere hard workers.
Direct mail your most cost-effective
route Nothing arouses quite the ire and the
misunderstanding of direct mail. This is not
junk mail. Junk companies produce junk mail.
You can do better clever, attractive and
relevant information sent straight to your target
customers. You will need to buy lists of names
people who share the same characteristics as the
key parents you have identified. And make the
mail pack, which is your opportunity to start
afresh with the positioning of your school.
Reducing your message to its essentials,
appealingly produced, is an art form. Its
about communication None of this is really
anything other than a new spin on the oldest
secret in selling listening to your customers
really listening and telling them what you can
offer. But do it you cant afford not to.
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• Summary key questions for your school
• How distinctive is your advertising? Does it say
  something different?
• Do you evaluate how much business it brings you?
• Are you making the best use of the ICT you have
  or are you hoping that a new system will fix the
  problems?
• Are you hoping that a better prospectus will
  increase admissions numbers?
• Do you take the time to ask parents and enquirers
  detailed questions?
• Are these logged onto the database? Have you
  analysed the findings?
• Do you need to boost pupil numbers? Have you
  tried direct mail?

• In Future Newsletters
• Fundraising efficient commercialism - without
  alienating the alumni
• Commercial projects professional project help
  for non-academic revenue activities
• Administrative efficiency running the school's
  processes on business lines

• In Previous Newsletters
• Admissions your critical bottleneck
• Research seeing yourself as parents do
• Ensuring your marketing spend is bringing you
  accepted places
• About Mungo Dunnett Associates
• We deliver four things that are vital for schools
  as well as many businesses, but are typically
  difficult to accomplish
• 1) A clear understanding of where your
  profit lies
• 2) The creation of lasting and
  profitable customer relationships
• 3) Clarity for your business
• 4) Efficiency for your business
• We are not career consultants we are experienced
  line managers, accustomed to delivering results
  under pressure across a range of specialist
  professional service sectors. Our focus is on
  ensuring that our clients activities are geared
  towards the areas that are most commercially
  valuable, and that they are getting the maximum
  benefit from the investments they have already
  made, across their operations, IT, servicing,
  sales and marketing. For further information
  visit our website at the address below.

Mungo Dunnett Associates 9 Ormidale Terrace,
Edinburgh EH12 6DY Tel [phone] Email
info_at_md-as.com Web www.md-as.com