With today’s economy in flux, independent schools must be incredibly strategic with their marketing and communications strategies. This means being equally strategic and nimble with their budgets.
Understandably, when schools face budget challenges and uncertainty, many choose to cut back on budget lines like marketing and communications. Getting your school’s message across, especially with digital ads, is not inexpensive. But cutting back on marketing and communications spending is the wrong move.
Consider Coca-Cola. Historically, when the economy goes south, this Fortune 500 company increases its marketing budget and doubles down on growing its market. During economic constriction, it’s critical for schools to emulate this and have a strong commitment to a strategic marketing plan and budget.
In almost every conversation I have with independent school leaders, I am asked what a strategic marketing investment looks like and what level of investment is needed to effectively fill the admissions funnel.
The answer to where a school focuses its marketing budget depends on each school’s particular challenge:
- Some schools have an awareness problem and lack a strong marketing presence, which calls for a stronger investment in raising the level of awareness through digital and social ads, landing pages, etc.
- Other schools may find themselves in a deep enrollment crisis, which is most likely, to be blunt, the result of a lack of strategic marketing focus and budget. These schools need to invest now in identifying and driving prospective families into the funnel.
- If a school has a funnel issue, it needs market research – real data, quantitative and qualitative, from its market, both current and prospective families. Anecdote alone is not a strategy. Data-driven decisions are the most successful decisions.
Download our free Market Research e-book.
At Kalix Marketing, we speak truth to power. Last spring, we shared what a real marketing and communications budget should look like. It’s timely to revisit these line items this spring.
Is your school investing where it really counts? If you’re not sure—or if you know there’s room to grow—we’re here to help. Let’s talk about what smart marketing can do for your school. Connect with us here.
