As the business of running successful schools becomes more and more competitive, the traditional tactic of promoting the features of our schools, the international events, the interactive play areas, and the academic successes of the schools, are making schools dangerously undifferentiated. This is why you need Employee Experience marketing.
One feature of this style of marketing is that it doesn’t need to rely too much on the staff of the school; because, although of course, exam results are intrinsically linked to how teachers manage and work with their students, for example, the focus was always on the end results of that process.
However, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that schools need to focus more on how students achieve these goals, and how students and families experience their journey through the school.
Enter Experience Marketing Strategy
By showcasing and celebrating the holistic and academic growth of our students, we are more able to get to the heart of who we are as schools. This is what families can identify with, and which consequently helps them make better choices about which school they choose for their children.
This is how we get much better alignment between the values and ethos of our schools, and what parents, families, and the wider community value.
Ultimately, it gives us what we call an“unassailable market advantage”; meaning something which is incredibly difficult to copy, and of more significant value to our target audiences than our competitors’ offerings.
However, there’s one small problem with this new type of schools marketing,…
Bring in the cavalry! Employee Experience
Like I said, traditional forms of marketing haven’t much needed to rely on their staff to trumpet the brand, or to live the vision, as we say.
But with Experience Marketing, the staff, the students, families, and the communities around the school really are that brand!
Experience Marketing is transforming the way businesses interact with their most crucial stakeholders: their employees. Gone are the days when marketing was solely an outward-facing function, targeting customers, and clients.
So, an essential element of schools marketing strategy today should include inward facing employee experience (EX) strategic goals, and a plan to achieve them; creating memorable experiences for employees that lead to a strong internal culture, high morale, and brand loyalty, and the foundation of the complete Experience Marketing Strategy.
Two reasons why EX is an important element of our marketing mix
- The realisation that in today’s more volatile and competitive markets employee behaviour, satisfaction and creativity have a significant impact on our businesses’ bottom line, which we can no longer ignore.
- The increasing trend towards a more holistic lifestyle, and healthy work-life balance valued by employees coupled with an increasing shortage in the number of teachers worldwide, means that staff are going to be more drawn to schools that have a reputation as an excellent place to work.
In the evolving educational landscape, the importance of staff engagement has never been more apparent.
An engaged, satisfied staff forms the backbone of a successful school environment.
It impacts not just their own performance but other important areas as well
- Educational Outcomes Of The Students They Work With
- School Retention Rates
- Our Net Promotion Scores
- Our Overall School Brand
- Our Balance Sheet
Understanding the Concept of Employee Experience Marketing
Experience marketing for employees involves creating and delivering meaningful interactions that foster a deeper, and hopefully, more loyal connection between the organisation and its staff.
Fostering positive experiences for employees has several benefits.
- It helps to build a strong internal culture that values every individual’s contribution and promotes team spirit.
- Experience marketing can boost employee morale and engagement, making employees feel valued and understood.
- This sense of belonging can increase employee loyalty and motivate them to become brand ambassadors, sharing positive experiences with others, and portraying the company in a good light.
Steps to Implement an Effective Experience Marketing Strategy for In-Company Employees
1. Identify Employee Personas
Just as marketers use customer personas to understand their outward facing audiences better, it’s crucial to identify our employee personas. What works with one group of staff might not be appropriate for another.
For example, newer staff might appreciate guidance and mentorship programmes. At the same time, a smaller, more ambitious group might value the opportunity to gain experiences that support future career progression.
2. Ensure staff understand how their efforts impact the vision and mission: AKA, Show staff they’re valued.
Frequently, despite our best efforts, staff members are simply unaware of the positive impact their efforts are making, contributing towards the vision and mission of the school.
Create activities around ensuring staff understand how valuable they are to the organisation.
It doesn’t have to be the old Employee of the Month Award, it can be as little as intentionally saying thank you, or taking a few minutes to explain why something they did was valuable.
Something like this shouldn’t be left to the individual whim of a kind manager. It should be part of the overall EX plan.
3. Develop a Consistent Communication Strategy
Regular, transparent communication helps build trust and makes employees feel valued and included.
This doesn’t necessarily mean a constant stream of memos and messages on Troop Messenger or Slack.
Often communication breaks down not because someone hasn’t been informed of something (although this is not uncommon), but because of a gap between what the sender meant and what the receiver understands.
So, a simple fix is to incorporate a question like, “What does done look like to you?”
This gives the receiver a chance to process what is being asked of them, to formulate a picture right there and then of the end result, and then for both parties to ensure they’re on the same page.
4. Measure, Analyze, and Refine Strategy
Regularly measure the effectiveness of your strategy, analyse results, and refine the approach to maximise impact.
In my experience, there’s nothing more guaranteed to create ill will in an organisation that good intentions gone bad. So, follow up on the initiatives taken, and ensure they’re regularly improved until you achieve the results you want.
Additionally, make sure what you’re doing is sustainable, and that it isn’t something that takes up too many resources and will be flagged up later as something to be withdrawn.
Potential Challenges in Implementing an Employee Experience Marketing Strategy
Schools often have limited resources when it comes to marketing.
Managers might be reluctant to let go of what they see as relatively successful results coming from more traditional forms of marketing, and even have the fear that if they stop their Google ads to focus on implementing an Employee Experience strategy, they’re going to lose the potential for leads and subsequent sales.
All quite possible.
However, the marketing department doesn’t need to exist in a vacuum, or in an ivory tower far from the guys in operations, admissions, or even from the academic staff.
Basically, ask yourselves this question:
“What can we do to make the working lives of our staff really great?”
(In order to achieve brand strength and a receive lot more attention from families who like what we’re doing)
Start small, have a few discussions with the relevant stakeholders, and choose a few initiatives that align with the overall mission and vision, and ensure that you work with the innovators around the school, so that the initiatives don’t fall flat at the first hurdle.
Once the early adopters notice what’s going on, they’ll jump on board, then after a while you’ll have the early majority on your side.
These initiatives don’t need to be led by the marketing department, but you do need to quietly keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t fizzle out.
Impact on School ROI, Profit, Families and Student Retention
ROI and Profit
Investing in the staff experience has a direct impact on a school’s Return on Investment (ROI) and bottom-line profits.
A motivated and satisfied staff deliver quality education, improving student outcomes and thereby increasing the perceived value of the education provided. The school’s reputation is enhanced, making it more attractive to potential students, and thereby increasing enrollment and revenue.
Experience marketing strategies can also enhance staff retention, reducing the costs associated with high turnover, including recruitment and training expenses.
Check out this article on The True Costs of Employee Turnover
In addition, a stable, engaged staff can maintain continuity in education delivery, further enhancing student outcomes and institutional reputation.
Impact on Families
The experience of the school staff also has a direct impact on families.
A motivated and satisfied teacher can provide better learning experiences, influencing student achievement and satisfaction. This can improve the school’s relationships with families, promoting a supportive and collaborative educational environment.
When staff are engaged and feel valued, they are more likely to participate in family engagement initiatives, facilitating communication between the school and families.
This not only increases parental satisfaction but also supports students’ learning at home, further enhancing student outcomes.
Student Retention
Investing in staff experience can also significantly impact student retention. Staff who are satisfied and engaged are likely to deliver quality education and provide a positive learning environment, promoting student satisfaction and retention.
Moreover, satisfied staff are more likely to remain with the school, providing the continuity and stability that students need to succeed.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, investing in staff experience is not just a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s a strategic imperative that can have significant implications for a school’s bottom line, relationships with families, and student retention rates.
An effective experience marketing strategy can transform a school’s staff experience, with far-reaching benefits for the entire school community.
