Times have changed for the education industry. When it comes to how to advertise a school and utilize marketing strategies to achieve their goals, schools are now on a par with businesses of other industries. And it’s no surprise. The market itself has pushed toward this change —as parents now have a wider range of choices when it comes to selecting a school for their children.

As a response, some schools are using smarter techniques in their language school advertising to thrive in the increasingly competitive market. Schools that have failed to develop and implement strong marketing strategies continue to lag behind. The industry does not wait around.

That’s why we have created a marketing guide to help with your language school advertising and marketing. Let’s get your ESL school on the right track!

What does marketing look like in ESL schools and language courses?

In language schools and language courses, marketing means, “Defining, managing and enhancing the reputation of your school amongst pupils, parents, staff and the community to achieve recruitment, retention and generating income.” In other words, find and refine your school’s purpose, share it effectively with the community, and your school has the potential to benefit academically and financially.

Of course, it’s not always straightforward. For example, language school advertising and marketing may consist of the following features:

·Writing and distributing press releases

·Creating, maintaining and developing a website

·Sharing examination results with the press

·Organizing parents’ events or open houses for prospective pupils

·Setting a uniform policy

·Maintaining the grounds

·Running various alumni campaigns

Your school may already implement some, if not most, of these practices for language school advertising. The key behind marketing and advertising is not only checking off this or any other list, but in finding a defined purpose of each act.

How can marketing help my school or language courses?

·BRANDING YOUR SCHOOL

What image does your ESL school or course present to the community? Your brand is not merely a logo, but an entire experience of your school. As you carry out these marketing and advertising efforts, your brand and presence will get stronger.

·RECRUITMENT

Recruitment is a vital aspect of keeping your school competitive. What is an ESL school without qualified instructors and promising students? What about knowledgeable office staff and volunteers? Reaching a wide audience and attracting the best in the industry will make a real difference in your school’s future.