Here at Cleverbox, improving marketing for schools in 2023 was one of our main priorities. We have done this through the use of virtual tours and downloadable brochures. And as we move further into 2023, our attention is turning towards marketing and how to embrace an enhanced online presence within the wider school community.
Our business lies in effectively and creatively showcasing your school through various marketing touchpoints. With that in mind here are the top four lessons on marketing for schools that we will be focussing on in 2023.
Lesson 1: Tell your brand story
Working with a diverse range of schools from private institutions to religious schools, multi-academy trusts and both primary and secondary education schools, we are well versed in the different challenges and messaging requirements that your branding needs to overcome and communicate.
2023 is set to be the year where all our online focus work meets the physical environment, with the easing of all Covid-19 rules giving organisations and schools the freedom to start hosting open days and events in person again. So, now is the time to tell your brand story, both online AND in person.
As an example, our work with multi-academy trusts draws on our expertise in creating cohesive marketing materials which bring the wider school community together with a common narrative. Through photography and online resources, the entire website is built around immersing users in the school experience.
Lesson 2: Align your marketing correspondence
With different marketing touchpoints comes a need to be cohesive and well-aligned. That means creating a brief for every marketing campaign which touches on all potential outreach opportunities. The pandemic has proved to schools that the more channels you can interact with your community through, the better your overall reach will be. Especially when the messages across those touchpoints are cohesive and aligned.
That’s why our marketing for schools focus on the importance of:
- Physical and Online prospectuses
- An immersive and high-performance website
- Visually stunning and engaging virtual tours
- Premium photography
- Promotion of school services via search engine optimisation, social media marketing and Google Ads.
Lesson 3: Invite constructive feedback on your brand
Rebranding your school is no small task. From signage to communications, every online touchpoint, and the various marketing materials you produce for the local community, changing your branding is a mammoth task – and you want to be sure you get it right.
Asking for and welcoming constructive feedback from different perspectives will help ensure your branding is communicating the right messages and showcasing the vision of the school in a positive way. This can be done through an internal focus group, and by inviting members from different groups of the school community to brainstorming sessions.
Ask questions like: what feelings does the branding evoke in different groups within the school community? Does the branding feel modern or traditional? Does this brand match the school ethos?
Lesson 4: Don’t be afraid of technology
We don’t just mean classroom tablets and interactive whiteboards. Technology is becoming a huge part of modern day marketing for schools, with various tools and resources now available to support your outreach to different members of the school community.
Our School Connect App is designed to improve communication between teachers, parents, and pupils – ensuring that the right messages are being seen and received by the right groups, in a timely manner.
We have already seen a growth in the presences of other online marketing assets on school websites – including a headteacher welcome video, case studies from students and teachers, and of course, virtual tours. Rather than shying away from these additional features and touch points, embracing them with the help of a dedicated marketing agency like Cleverbox can help to bolster your institution, and give your community more to share, engage, and connect with.
For more insight into how Cleverbox can support your school’s marketing activity in 2023, get in touch with our friendly team today!