Let’s consider three questions for schools: 1. Why and how has marketing become important for schools? 2. Where should schools start to build an enhanced market perspective? 3. How does an understanding of parent choice and decision making, guide marketing in schools? The Emergence of a Market Perspective in Schools For many decades, it could be argued that schools were under little pressure to change. Most schools operated within a stable environment and status that allowed many things to pass unquestioned. A lack of meaningful planning (that included a market perspective) resulted in few perceived differences between schools – they remained largely homogeneous apart from internal systems. All that has now changed and schools are now susceptible to external forces. The forefront of objectives for school leaders and planners now include a need for: . . Stronger self-definition of the school. . . Increasing alignment and delivery of defined mission/vision. . . Creating a forward thinking and ‘open’ (responsive) internal culture. . . Establishing a network of valuable partnerships and alliances to support ambitions and reputation. For example, one of my client schools recently launched an alliance with a high profile name- Chelsea Football Club- https://www.nist.ac.th/nist-officially-launches-partnership- with-chelsea-fc/ Two relevant trends redefining our landscape over the past decades are: First, parent ‘choice’ has become one of the watch words of education over the past three decades. It increasingly underpins the existence and success of schools and school systems and has become a central tenet of planning. Second, the ‘marketisation’ of education has changed the operating environment forschools. Successful schools now pay close attention to marketing. Effective school marketing involves making it easier to pick your school – giving parents a compelling reason to select you. Ideally your school should be aiming to ‘own’ a word or concept as a core identity! Key marketing challenges include: . . How to compete (on what attribute basis)? . . Where to compete – which audiences? . . Finding high value messages to specific audiences. . . Staff, parent and student engagement and internal communications so that all align. . . Internally supportive practices and behaviours matching the rhetoric of the school. Parent Choice So where do we start? Increased competition between schools has significantly enhanced the importance of understanding school choice. There is no longer a homogeneous parent (or student) in motivation and expectation. Parent Choice in Schools A Marketing Communications Perspective FACE 2 FACE MAGAZINE 4 6