Six Steps To School Program Success: Step 5 Marketing To Schools

After creating great resources to share your key messages with the classroom, it is definitely not a case of build it and they will come! You need to let teachers know that your resources exist and exactly where they can find them. Marketing to teachers and schools is Step 5 in our 6 Steps to School Program Success series, and it is an important step to get right in order to cut through the noise and get a teacher’s attention.

There are multiple channels you can use to communicate to teachers, and they all have different merits. To extend your reach we always recommend creating a multi-channel campaign that is tailored to the interests of your target audience. These include:

• Electronic Direct Mail (eDM)
• Direct Mail
• Social Media
• Fax
• Telemarketing
• Display
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
• Content / Inbound

Think about what you want the core outcome of your campaign to be and make sure it is easy for that outcome to be achieved. On average it takes between 6 and 8 touch points to convince someone to try a new product or service. Choose your message to compliment the channels you are using, and think about what you want the core outcome of your marketing campaign to be.

When time and engagement are at a premium your audience are at a crossroads of ‘What’s-this-even-about?’ and ‘Why-should-I-care?’ Keep it snappy by conveying it visually. Teachers spend on average approximately 8 seconds reading your email, make sure you convey as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

It is very hard to fit everything you need to say about your resources, products or services in one email or direct mail flyer. A stronger approach is to engage with teachers over the course of the term, with a recommended 3 emails per campaign. This will enable you to tell your story, list your benefits and encourage action.

To generate a teacher’s interest you need to talk them in the everyday vernacular that they use. Teacher’s listen to teachers, so the more you can personalise your campaign the more they are likely to respond. Everyone also likes to hear from a friend so become that friend with personalised emails, know their preferred name and avoid sending the email out from the company and sign off as you.

Different days of the week and even different times of the day impact the success of your campaign! Ever wondered what days of the week teachers are engaged in their emails the most?

1. Monday-itis – We all get it!
2. Tuesday – I’m just scanning my emails today because I’m off to a staff meeting.
3. Wednesday – Mid-week madness. Makes sense doesn’t it?
4. Thursday – SWEET SPOT!
5. Friday – TGIF I’m outta here as soon as possible.

Our research shows that while open rates are highest on Tuesday, strong open rates and a spike in unique clicks combine to make Thursday’s the optimum day to email.

More top tips:

• Term dates (and therefore school holidays) differ from state to state – make sure you are aware of the term dates of the states you are targeting!
• Avoid the first and last week of terms – this is a no-go as it is one of the busiest times of term for teachers!
• Plan 2 terms in advance, run one term in advance – stay ahead and ensure you have the time you need!

Now we understand when the optimal day is, what about the optimal time? Our campaign research shows that eDMs have higher open rates at 11am and 4pm. Sending at the end of the teaching day and avoiding the early morning inbox rush can lead to higher open rates.

If you would like more hints and tips on developing a successful school marketing strategy, get in touch with one of our school marketing gurus at hello@kimberlineducation.com.au

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