Do Small Schools Need to Market During School Closures & the Coronavirus Crisis?

Hi friend, 

I'm here for you! My goal is to serve independent schools and help them survive and thrive during this time of school closures and the coronavirus health crisis.

Today, I'm discussing something I'm hearing small schools talking about.

Do we need to market while schools are closed?

(obviously my answer is YES!)

I'm going to tell you why.

Here's the situation. Schools are looking at their budgets and saying, "let's cut out ads and social media."

But here's why small schools need to market now more than ever. 

1. Expense vs. Revenue Generator

Marketing is a revenue generator when done properly. It brings in money. For example, getting people into an enrollment funnel and to take your virtual tours should lead to conversions to paying students. 

Also, there's the longterm revenue factor. Brand awareness is key. If you stop social media and actively promoting yourself to your target audience, when it comes time for them to select a school you're not going to be visible or known by them. 

That's revenue generation!

Then there's an expense, like dumpster removal. When schools are closed, this is the time to cut building expenses. Turn down your heat, stop internet or select a lower payment plan, use out-of-school landscaping companies less frequently.

That's how you keep expenses down - not by cutting your marketing!!! 

So remember, marketing is a revenue generator. You cut that you'll be feeling that in the months and perhaps year or two to come!

2. Be Greedy When Others are Fearful 

This is a time when fearful schools cut their marketing. They're not using social as much (or at all), they're not creating and promoting effective virtual tours, they're not thinking strategically about other revenue generation projects and launching them. 

And as a result, they're going to be hurting later. 

Now is the time to market. The opportunity is huge. With so many schools cutting back on marketing, this leaves a wide-open field for you to step in and be heard. 

In addition, more than ever people are online and social media is blowing up. People are in front of their computers - you have an active audience!

And finally, if that doesn't convince you to up your marketing game, Facebook ad prices have dropped since many people are pulling ads, etc. So you get more bang for your buck!

3. A Time for Innovation

This may be the new normal. We don't know how long this will last. So now is the time to think about how to think of new ideas to generate revenue, to market digital products, and more!

This is a time of strategy and massive action marketing. And if you're not doing it, you'll feel this in the months and years to come. 

Check out this video for more info!

I hope this helps! I'm here to serve during this time and beyond.

Let's connect via Linkedin.

Aubrey

Aubrey Bursch, Founder, Easy School Marketing

P.S. Dealing with information-overwhelm? We've got you covered. Join our FREE Small School Marketing Vault waitlist (launching in late May!!) and get all the marketing strategies - from retention to revenue generation - you need all in one place. No more searching around - everything is organized by topic! Hooray!