Tips for preparing an effective marketing strategy

April 15, 2010

A marketing strategy is a map that gets you and your business where you want to go. It gives you a plan to promote your business, target the right clients and allocate your resources wisely. They say that trying to grow your business without having a plan is like going on a road trip without a map. You may get somewhere, but will it be where you wanted?

Marketing strategies are useful in any business or organization dedicated to generating revenue. This includes educational institutions trying to promote programs that make money.  Some people may tell you that you need a business degree or a marketing expert to prepare a strategy. While these things may help, you can outline a basic plan yourself, even if you don’t have a business background or the resources to hire a consultant. Common sense, a clear head and a vision of where you want your business to go can do wonders for helping you prepare a good, solid marketing strategy. In fact, the process of creating that vision can open marketing opportunities you would otherwise miss, simply because you are able to clearly describe your business anywhere, any time.

Here are the essential elements of a marketing strategy.

  • Define your product / service. What are you offering? Define it clear, simple, objective terms. Depending on what it is you are selling, your definition may be one line or several paragraphs. You want to be able to concisely answer the question, “So, what does your company do?” If you fumble for an answer – or don’t have one at all – your marketing efforts may never be sufficiently focussed to help prospective customers decide on you. Depending on what you’re selling, your definition may be one line or several paragraphs. If you offer more than one product or service, consider having  a broad, but concise definition for all of it, along with brief definitions of each individual product or service.
  • Highlight the benefits. How will your client benefit from this product or service? This can be tough to articulate. One way to do this is to ask yourself, “If I were a customer, what would I get out of this product or service? What good is it to me? Why would I want it?” Another way to think of it is, “For what problem does this product or service provide a solution ?” For example, if you own a coffee shop benefits to your customers might include a variety of regular and specialty drinks, delicious snacks, a friendly atmosphere, free reading material and an excellent meeting place for friends and business people. If you have snacks that are wheat-free, sugar free or dairy free, that is another benefit for clients with certain dietary restrictions.
  • Be clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the product / service. Let’s be clear. Every product or service has limitations. Trying to be all things to all people may hurt your business in the long run. We may like to think that the market for whatever we offer is limitless, but the reality is that the better we know exactly what we offer, the more likely we are to attract exactly the right client.

You will want to identify a few key strengths and limitations of your product or service. You may find that the strengths and weaknesses are closely related. For example, some strengths of my language program consulting services would be:

  • Strong niche market. Not many people offer services that help educational institutions promote their language programs. Most educators are not business people and so, promoting their programs is not generally their strong suit. I offer a unique service that helps them increase their enrollment.
  • Worldwide market. Language programs are offered in numerous countries and I can help them all improve the way they promote their language programs.
  • International experience. I have lived, studied and had business experiences in several countries. All of these things help me understand the international market better. I can pass that experience on to my customers.
  • Bilingual service. I’m a native English speaker with a Masters Degree in Spanish, and almost ten years of experience teaching that language. I can confidently offer clients service in either language.

Notice that the limitations facing this aspect of my business are closely related to its strengths:

  • Narrow market – Even though I am passionate about helping language schools promote their programs, and my potential market is global, there may not be enough demand for this to be the only service that I offer. I continue to offer other services related to languages, culture and marketing.
  • Services are only available in two languages. There are thousands of language schools out there that are managed by people who don’t speak English or Spanish. If I could help school administrators and language program managers who spoke only French, German or Japanese to promote their programs, my potential market would grow exponentially. My bilingualism is both a benefit and a limitation.

We have to be realistic about both our strengths and our weaknesses. It helps us focus on what we do well, so we can do even better.

  • Know your competition. Take the time to find out who else is offering similar products or services.  In today’s world, there are very few totally new ideas or products. It is in your best interest to know who else is offering something similar to you. Remember these tips to success: “First, best or different.” If you are the first one ever with a new idea, product or service, lucky you. If not, you want to either be the best at what you do, or offer something slightly different from your competition.
  • Determine who your market is for your product or service. This may seem self-evident, but all too often, business owners say, “Well, everyone is a potential client!” That’s not true. After you define your product or service and assess its strengths and weaknesses, then you are in a position to ask yourself, “OK, who needs this most?” Whoever needs it most is your best target market.
  • Develop a vision for the sales of the product / service. Where would you like it to be in 5 years? 3 years? 1 year? Next month? Although it may seem unreasonable to plan so far in advance, remember that a plan can change, but without a vision of where you are going,  you will never get there. This kind of vision may be developed by the owner or the executive team of a business. Rarely will this vision be the responsibility of a single employee.
  • Establish a budget for marketing, promoting and advertising. This is often the hardest part. Some people say that 20% of the gross annual earnings of a business should be funneled back into promoting it. Often, small businesses are reluctant to put a number on how much they want to spend on marketing. In this case, one of two things often happens: either you overspend or you miss excellent opportunities to promote your business.
  • Decide what to spend your marketing dollars on. If you have a vision that stretches a couple of years into the future, then you are better prepared to allocate your funds in certain areas such as web site development, printing brochures, attending networking events, etc. Be sure to include items such as postage, packaging, envelopes, stationery and business cards. If you mail out a brochure or coupon to 1000 prospective clients, then the money you spend on postage is a marketing expense.
  • Keep track of what you spend on promotions and the results. This takes time. The idea is to track what works for your business and what doesn’t. You can speculate all you want, but unless you have numbers in front of you, the idea that you have is just a hunch, not fact.

A final reminder: marketing and sales are not the same. Marketing takes place over a longer term and is related closely to public relations and promotions. You are building an image of your product or service, your business and yourself. This takes time.  Even if you don’t have huge dollars to invest in marketing your business, the time you spend developing a strong, effective marketing strategy is an investment in your business, your future and your success. Write your own road map to success and then enjoy the journey!

© 2003 Sarah Elaine Eaton

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Marketing Your ESL Program Successfully: Tips and Tricks

April 13, 2010

I came across this presentation I gave a few years ago at the TESL Canada / BC TEAL conference. Given the power of technology, I thought I’d try an experiment and share those slides with you here.

Marketing Your ESL Programs Successfully

View more presentations from Sarah Eaton.
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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Avoid these 5 marketing blunders

April 13, 2010

Some of marketing is trial and error. As our business evolves, we try different ways to sell more or diversify the kind of clients we have. Here are a few things that we overlook sometimes. They can mean the difference between successful marketing and the frustration that comes from not getting the results you want.

Blunder #1 – Having no idea about what’s happening in your business, from a marketing point of view.

Do you know how much money you’re spending on marketing? And what percentage of your total income is spent on marketing? How many customers do you have? How many magazines have you advertised in during the past year? If you don’t have the answers to these questions at your fingertips, then you may be unaware of what your business is actually doing, as far as marketing goes.

If this is you, then it is time to figure out what marketing ideas you have tried this past year and how much money you spent. Research means knowledge. And knowledge is power.

Blunder #2 – Having no clear or attainable goals.

Not having any goals, or having goals that are vague or simply unreachable is a common mistake.

Have you set your marketing and recruitment goals for this year yet? If not, what are you waiting for?  Writing down your goals and sharing them with your support staff and teachers can be an excellent motivation to help you reach them. To simply say, “We need more sales” won’t do it. You want to be clear and specific.

Saying, “We will increase sales by 1000% this fiscal year”  may put unreasonable expectations on you and your business. Or you may give up because it’s more of a dream than a goal.

If you say, “We intend to increase our sales by 10%, and that includes diversifying by having more customers from (insert the name of a city, country or industry here)”, then that’s an excellent goal, because it is both specific and attainable. Check out an earlier post I wrote on Setting Reasonable Goals.

Blunder #3 – Not tracking your marketing efforts.

It’s important to remember that marketing is a process and you need to monitor and track your results on a regular basis. If you advertise in a magazine, then it’s helpful to keep track of how many responses you get to your ad. This can include inquiries you get about your business. It is part of the tracking process.

It’s worth it to give a new marketing effort at least 6 months before you expect to see a return. In some cases, it may be more. But if you’ve been advertising in the same community newspaper for the past 8 years and you’ve never had a response to your ad, drop the ad and use that marketing money elsewhere.

Blunder #4 – Not tracking how your marketing efforts relate to your sales.

When you examine how your marketing efforts relate to your sales be sure to look at the whole picture. Ultimately, you want to see that your marketing activities impact your “bottom line” in a positive way. Marketing really involves a combination of activities that include advertising, networking, branding, etc. Together, they should impact your sales. If, when you examine your marketing efforts, you see something that doesn’t increase your sales and also doesn’t help you in developing professional relationships or branding your business, you may want to consider dropping it and trying something else.

Blunder #5 – Thinking that you have to do it alone.

Even if you are a one-person business, you are never alone in the business world. Call upon your network of graphic artists, web designers, and other professionals to help you. One of the most valuable activities you can undertake in marketing is to develop trusting relationships with people who can help you. Of course, you don’t want to give away all your secrets, but if you can have someone to talk to who also understands the industry and the challenges you face then you may be able to help each other succeed.

If you are lucky enough to have staff, they can also help you market your business. Ask for ideas and advice. More often than not, people feel important when you ask for their opinion. They’ll usually be happy to share their ideas and input with you.

I have met many marketers who feel isolated and alone in their jobs. Their frustration leads to decreased productivity and general unhappiness. If you think you have to do it alone, then you’re doomed to feel disempowered. Join a local business club or two. Go to networking events on a regular basis. Stay in touch with others who are like-minded and success-oriented. When you know you have support, you can focus on what needs to be done to get the results you want.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Collegiality wins over competition when marketing educational programs

April 9, 2010

Often, we think of other language schools as being our competition. People who work at other educational institutions are colleagues first, and competitors second, not the other way around. This is a call for professional compassion and relationship building to help one another success.

The gap of compassion and understanding widens into a chasm when educational leaders who run schools that receive government see themselves as having nothing in common with private schools and vice versa. It gets worse when leaders from one type of institution look down upon fellow administrators who work in another type of institution. I have heard university program administrators  speak about  private schools as being “poor quality” simply because they do not have the history of the academy. Private school managers sometimes think universities are outdated and don’t listen to the needs of the students. On and on the arguments go.

The bottom line is that the people who work at other institutions are our professional colleagues.  Not only would I call for compassion in the profession, among teachers and administrators alike, but also, I urge us to treat one another with respect. This is a topic that could be discussed at length, so for now I will simply suggest that treating each other with more than professional respect alone is not enough. Together we form a community of language teachers, school administrators and managers. We are very proud and protective of our individual schools and programs, which is admirable. I suggest that we take it one step further and become proud of our profession and (heaven forbid someone should use the term when referring to education) our “industry”.

Every language school can benefit from developing excellent relationships with other programs. In order for this to happen effectively, we each will need to stay informed about what programs are offered by other schools and how you can help each other succeed. This may mean simply having a directory of local language schools on hand or a Rolodex full of useful contacts at other schools.

Share information about other schools. Recommend students to your competitors if you can’t help them. For example, if a student comes to you looking for a program that you do not offer, why not refer him to a nearby school that does offer that type of program? Even better, give the student the name and phone number of a person there who can help him out. That way, you won’t be sending the student on a wild goose chase, but you will be giving him a solid lead. This is not only professional courtesy, it will help the students.

Moreover, you will be giving the other school an excellent referral. In return, you can ask that your colleagues send students to you, if they can’t help them.

But don’t stop there.

Use this tactic to build relationships with other schools. If you receive a student because someone at another school recommended your program, give that person a call to thank them. Here’s an example of what you could say:

“Hi, Joe. It’s Mary calling from XYZ language school. Thanks so much for referring María García to our program. It was exactly what she was looking for. I sure appreciate you letting her know about us. I look forward to returning the favour when I have a student who fits well into one of your programs. I hope you’re having a super semester over there at ABC language school. Talk to you soon….”

By following up and acknowledging your colleagues for helping you out, you will help to create a bond with them that, over time, could develop into a strong professional rapport.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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What Gandhi knew about marketing language programs

April 8, 2010

Language program administrators often struggle with how to promote their programs. They want to increase student enrollment and retention in the programs and yet, resources of time and money are often scarce. Moreover, many administrators lack training or interest in marketing and so, it gets pushed aside. Or half-hearted attempts are made through endeavours such as producing a brochure using a template from MS Word.

One question that must be asked is, do language programs have an inherent or intrinsic worth of their own or are they merely a means to an end, such as a way to get a job or to improve one’s chances of getting into a university program (extrinsic worth)?  Language learning and international education enriches a student’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them (and themselves) in ways that are difficult to evaluate and almost impossible to quantify. This personal and academic enrichment in the form of knowledge of language and culture is worthwhile in and of itself. In addition, the skills these programs provide in terms of foreign language communication and cross-cultural competence may lead to better opportunities in terms of education or employment, which are extrinsic to the program itself.

For Mohandas K. Gandhi learning languages was a way to better understand the world around him and ultimately, to change it for the better. Gandhi’s first language was Gujarati. His began to learn other languages in school, where English and Sanskrit were compulsory (Gandhi, 1948, p. 9).

It was during his time in law school that he became committed to learning other languages as a way to advance his work, noting that limited language skills for him meant that he would not work in his desired profession. He stated:

“My weak English was a perpetual worry to me. . . . A friend suggested that, if I really wanted to have the satisfaction of taking a difficult examination, I should pass the London Matriculation. It meant a good deal of labour and much addition to my stock of general knowledge, without any extra expense worth the name. I welcomed the suggestion. But the syllabus frightened me. Latin and a modern language were compulsory! How was I to manage Latin? But the friend entered a strong plea for it: ‘Latin is very valuable to lawyers. Knowledge of Latin is very useful in understanding law-books. And one paper in Roman Law is entirely in Latin. Besides a knowledge of Latin means greater command over the English language.’ It went home and I decided to learn Latin, no matter how difficult it might be. ” (Gandhi, 28)

In addition to learning, to varying degrees, Sanskrit, English, French and Latin, he also learned Hindi and Urdu, in order to communicate with others in his country, understand their situation better and work towards bettering their lives. In addition, while he was in jail he endeavoured to learn Tamil and Telugu (p. 176) and used his skills in these languages to communicate and work with illiterate soldiers in South Africa to help them fight for human rights (p. 88). Finally, he added Arabic and Persian to the list of languages he endeavoured to learn (p. 176-177) and did so through informal lessons with friends. That is a total of eleven languages, including his native tongue.

He saw learning languages as a way of communicating better with others and understanding the world more profoundly. Not surprisingly, he believed that everyone should learn more than one language, stating that, “It is now my opinion that in all Indian curricula of higher education there should be a place for Hindi, Samskrit, Persian, Arabic and English, besides of course the vernacular.” (Gandhi, 1948, p. 9). Gandhi not only understood the value of learning languages, he passed it on to his students. As with many who work with second and foreign languages, he was both a student and teacher of language.

The work of promoting a language program can be tricky. It is easier to focus on the skills that students will acquire that may increase their chances of meaningful employment when they graduate. Guidance counsellors and teachers can cite careers in the foreign service or international business as good reasons for taking courses in a foreign language. That’s because it is easier to talk about concrete outcomes and examples, than it is to talk about intangible concepts such as personal enrichment and knowledge.

While not everyone who learns another language may go on to have a profound effect on the world to the degree that Gandhi did, any person who learns a new language grows as a human being because they can communicate with others in new ways. This helps to develop a more profound curiosity about the world around us, which leads us to learn more about that world. Learning more about the world and those who live in it leads to deeper understandings of other cultures, other values and other ways of understanding life, love, politics, spirituality and all that is important to humans. Learning other languages opens up new possibilities for personal and professional growth, new opportunities to do meaningful work and ultimately, to value others more deeply because we can communicate with them better and understand them.

The best way to promote languages is to value them deeply, rather than simply focus on the skills that may be gained as a result of taking classes in them. When we learn a new language we change who we are, and we become better for it. That is the real reason we want our students to learn other languages. Focussing on that is in itself one of the best ways to promote our programs.

Reference

Gandhi, M. K. (1948). An autobiography or the story of my experiments with truth (M. Desai, Trans.). Bombay: Navajivan Publishing Centre.

(Originally published in the June 2009 issue of Zephyr, Newsletter of the Second Languages and Intercultural Council, Alberta Teachers Association. It is reprinted here with permission of the editor.)

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Related post: Leadership through Language Learning and Teaching: The Case of Gandhi

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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