Tough Times need Marketing

"Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." A week before the Comprehensive Spending Review announcement makes clear the cuts that education and the rest of public services will suffer, John F Kennedy’s words remind us of the focus we will have to have.
Regardless of our individual political or philosophical stances, we will have to look for the best way to identify and maximise opportunities in the new financial and policy arena. Rightly or wrongly this is the future we have to work in. It is the future in which all those committed to public service must still explore ways of delivering the best possible outcomes for students or patients, and for colleagues and staff...
Is there anything that marketing or good communications can help with? Well, making best use of the resources that remain, and trying to garner new ones from different sources should be priorities. And marketing can certainly help here. In the last few weeks I’ve had calls from several schools who want to maintain or increase student numbers. They have recognised that unless they seek students their schools will shrink and that remaining students and staff will have fewer resources to work with. Some are actually worried about closure. Bringing together their “offer” to potential students, parents, and the wider community is marketing and, if it’s done well, their investment can help safeguard their schools.
Marketing also provides the insight and techniques to influence those that still have some resources. There remain businesses that will work closely with public services, some through giving cash, others by sharing expertise and services in kind. Making a case, promoting your relevance, targeting the right organisations are all marketing activities. When the times are tough, successful companies invest in marketing. Schools, colleges, museums, and many more should too – if they want to do well in the future that is now very nearly upon us.
P.S. If you’re a school that’s interested in making use of business expertise have a look at HTI’s “Take 5” initiative!

www.hti.org.uk/html/pr/pr201.php#

 

 

Posted on: 12th October 2010 in

Message Turns Into Reality

I’ve nearly changed my opinion about Milton Keynes. To be more accurate it was nearly changed for me. And how it happened is a lesson in communications.

Recently I’ve been working with the excellent Stantonbury Campus in the “town”. A school that is on a sharp upward curve, and much more than a school too with a big range of community facilities and activities.  Anyway, as many people will know, Milton Keynes can be challenging for visitors to get their bearings.  So, in talking about catchment areas and the like, it was interesting to hear talk of “north of the city” and “in the west of the city”.  Had I missed the announcement that it was now the City of Milton Keynes? I recalled that it had bid for city status but thought that it didn’t get the status.

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