Inner beliefs

How does your school’s marketing activities square with the points of view of your stakeholders? It is likely that each will consider them differently. Kevin Fear reports on possibly the hardest part of the marketing role

Getting internal communications right is critical to a successful marketing implementation. Here is the range of points of view for a new marketing manager to encounter and manage:

From the head
A variety of reactions is possible: it may be that your appointment is the result of the school governors having concerns about the marketing of the school, which previously had been the head’s domain. S/he will have her/his own views on marketing and these may be some way behind your own, based on your previous experience. Of course, the appointment of a marketing person may well reflect the fact that the head has recognised this weakness.

From the governors
They are much more likely to be sympathetic. If you are lucky, you will have governors who understand marketing but, even if not, many of your governors are likely to work in environments where marketing is embedded. They thrive on good quality information and like to be kept in the picture.

From the other senior staff
This is an interesting group to consider. It may well consist of people such as the bursar, the deputy heads etc. They will probably see your work as having little to do with them. They are likely to see your role as having sole charge of marketing but they will need a good deal of convincing that they have a part to play.

Rest of teaching staff
The reality is that it may well take them time to know who you are. They are the most conservative group of all in school and rarely see themselves as a group which has anything to do with providing customer service, even though they are the key providers of the service.

Support staff
This group should be key allies for you as you will need their support for every event. They will not always see themselves as key parts of how the school is perceived in the outside community, but must understand that they play a huge part in people’s perceptions of the school.

Pupils
Pupils often think that the marketing person in school as the “school photographer”. However, it is worth talking to this group as they often best understand what the school does well and equally what it does not. If you can build a relationship with them, they will be so helpful to you.

Current parents
Generally, I find that they are the most sympathetic of all of these groups to marketing. Many of them work in places where there are well-established marketing departments and in one sense all of them have bought into the marketing of the school by having chosen your school in the first instance.

How do you win over these groups?

The head
In the role as Director of First Impressions, it is really important that the marketing department lives and breathes the qualities that is conveyed as a school – professionalism and an approachable, friendly smile are essential. Thus, the head must play her/his part in ensuring that the marketing department knows what the key messages are, by passing on the positive feedback that their work generates and by being prepared to listen to what they have to say about people’s perceptions of the school. I have a weekly meeting with our marketing manager. I leave time before each of these meetings to reflect on our marketing effort so that the meetings become an effective dialogue on it.

Governors
You need to build key alliances here. The way to do this is to raise your own profile. Thus, in our case, our marketing manager now attends the start of each of the governors’ committee meetings. She presents them with a report about our marketing and also sets out any research that has been undertaken. Also, scan in any press coverage you achieve and send the governors an email to update them on such news.

Other senior staff
This can be a difficult group to tackle. Start by adding value to the events that this group of people run. Over time, you will be able to offer suggestions to improve these events, not least because you will listen to what the parents and pupils are saying. Once the senior staff realise that you can be a helpful influence, they will start to trust you more.

Teaching staff
It is important that they get to know who you are and for you to understand what it is that they do. You also need to ensure that you are a regular contributor to any weekly briefing session and also to whole-staff meetings. Put up a noticeboard to display press coverage, give staff copies of items where they refer to them, play on their vanity.

Support staff
They appreciate that you are one of them, so treat them with genuine respect and they will become valuable allies. Thank them and ensure that they get as much credit or indeed more as those who just turn up at the event itself without playing a part in its planning.

Pupils
Talk to them as often as you can. Make sure that you know the senior pupils in your school and brief those who take tours around your school for you. Thank them afterwards too (chocolate always goes down well!). Showing your appreciation wins you friends. Talking to small groups of people is an important part of the research role.

Let pupils know that you welcome their news and over time you will have pupils approaching you with their news stories. Always ensure that they receive a copy of the final article and any photos you have taken.

Current parents
Here, the key is to be a visible presence. Relationships with all parents are built by attendance at school events such as sports’ days or coffee mornings; these provide opportunities to influence opinion and squash rumour. There is no substitute for plenty of talking.

Overall, then, there is a large number of people to impress, but remember that their jobs depend on how successful you are with the recruitment of pupils, so each one of them wants you to be a success.

Kevin Fear is headmaster of Nottingham High School. This article was originally given as a presentation at an event held by the Association for Marketing and Development in Independent Schools (AMDIS), which promotes best marketing and development practice in the sector (www.amdis.co.uk). 

Return to Marketing