The Business Side of Private School Marketing

Jeff Shields, President and CEO of NBOA, takes a deep dive into the effect that the 2008 economic downturn had on virtually ever facet of operation of independent schools, especially the marketing office. Challenges are many: the effect rising tuition, ever-expanding facilities, increasing sophistication of both the business offices and the MarCom offices, and virtual schools. What you'll learn… The changes in the business side of independent school management over the last 10-15 years. The effect that the 2008 recession had on independent schools both as it regards the business side of schools and on how schools market themselves. How tuition levels, which have been hyperinflationary for 15-20 years, affects the ability of independent schools to attract students. How the economic downturn of 2008 set in motion a widespread effort to increase the sophistication and capabilities in of the business offices at independent schools, including increasing the understanding of the markets we operate in. How a renewed focus on building new facilities is affecting they way schools market themselves, talk about themselves, and compete with other schools. The critical and changing nature of how a school describes its value to the families in its market. How schools are adapting their focus and spending on MarCom departments in the face of an increasing number and sophistication of communications channels that need to be managed. How virtual schools compete with and enhance traditional bricks-and-mortar schools. The challenges that independent schools face in the next five+ years. For show notes and more brilliant ideas and brain food for school MarCom, go to http://www.inspiredsm.com/podcasts/. While there, sign up for our newsletter to make your job easier.