School marketing: I don’t think I’m offending anyone when I say that “marketing” used to be a dirty word in schools. I’d be the first to agree that there’s a delicate balance to be achieved between maintaining educational integrity and promoting it as a commodity.
Now, however, marketing and communications specialists are on the staff in schools up and down the country, working hand-in-hand with registrars/admissions directors and heads to share the opportunities their school offers, and the good work it does.
I suspect most heads wonder what they would do without them, though, for some, making the most of their resident marketing expertise is still a learning process.
From everything we see and hear at AMCIS (Admissions, Marketing and Communications in Independent Schools), most school leaders are working more intelligently with their marketing teams. Of course, the corollary of that is that they are expecting more from them too.
“For some heads, making the most of their resident marketing expertise is still a learning process.”
With increased expectation, comes the potential for stress. Last year, MTM’s Confidence Index – intended as a barometer of leadership and marketing in independent schools – found that, while marketers enjoyed and felt they understood their roles, only a third of respondents did not feel stressed and over half felt short-staffed and undertrained. It will be interesting to see the results of the same survey this year, which will be revealed in a discussion panel at next week’s AMCIS Annual Conference.
Whether there is a link between those findings and the huge surge – as high as double – in admissions, marketing and communications jobs being advertised on the AMCIS vacancies platform since 2021, I can’t say with any certainty.
All sectors experienced “the great resignation”. Anecdotally, there has been a significant number of new-to-sector entrants over the last two years, as well as the usual “churn”. But I would say a reasonable chunk of those entrants are occupying brand new roles, as admissions and marketing/communications departments expand and take on expertise in, for example, digital marketing and content creation.
“We are meeting a far higher proportion of delegates who have no prior experience of independent schools.”
One of the most frequent questions our members have been asking each other in recent months is “How is your department structured?”
One thing’s for sure: we are meeting a far higher proportion of delegates at our seminars and conferences who have no prior experience of independent schools, to the extent that we have abandoned our traditional “new to conference” receptions as impractical.
All of which is largely good for the sector. New blood brings fresh perspectives and objectivity. However, not being able to hit the ground running can be a disadvantage if there’s little time for a decent induction. That’s one of the reasons AMCIS produces a “new to the sector” guide, available on request.
“There is a real thirst for input among newcomers.”
Perhaps that’s also why AMCIS membership is at its highest and next week’s annual conference was almost fully booked before we announced the programme. There is a real thirst for input among newcomers, and an equal desire for a “touchstone” to the daily reality of their peers from the most seasoned old-timers. We’re even seeing a smattering of heads, deputy heads and bursars sign up.
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at this year’s AMCIS Annual Conference. We’ll be providing tried-and-tested ideas that delegates can take straight back to school and put into practice, as well as inspirational “oomph” and state-of-the-nation overviews from keynote speakers from within and outside the sector.
What I also hope we manage to deliver is a sense of optimism and renewed enthusiasm. Schools can be amazing places to work, and we need all that marketing and admissions talent to be fired up in all that they do.
The AMCIS annual conference takes place from Monday May 15 to Tuesday May 16.