smj podcast

When it comes to making decisions, we all feel like we can never have enough data. In this episode, we speak to Peter Buckingham, co-founder and Managing Director of Spectrum Analysis, about the data types that are most useful for school Heads. We talk through some examples of how we can use data to make better decisions and to guide our operations, enrolments, marketing and business planning.

What lessons can K-12 school Heads draw from trends in the higher education market? We’re joined by Bart Caylor, president of Caylor Solutions; a company with a mission of “advancing brands that advance education”. Caylor first explains what makes an effective brand and then delves into the five examples in his article Effective Higher Education Brands and Why They Work, sharing what he’s learnt working with universities across the United States.

What does it mean to have a strategy in place? On a broad level, a strategy is a plan to outperform your competitors (every school has them) and succeed in an area they may not. In this episode, we discuss how and why you should assert your school’s unique strengths in the marketplace.

How do you, as a Head, create distinction to attract and retain customers while standing out in a competitive marketplace?

Every school is looking for a competitive advantage … and if you aren’t, then you should be! There are many sources of competitive advantage, yet Heads often fall short of using their expertise to stand out. In this episode, we discuss how you can distinguish yourself as a visible expert.

Suzanne Willcock, our Senior Consultant at imageseven, joins us to breakdown the who, what and why of parent, student and alumni personas, revealing the purpose and intensive quantitative and qualitative data used in the creation of these semi-fictional characters.

Every aspect of a school tour – from the confirmation email to the inside of the classroom – is an opportunity to build trust with parents, as well as exemplify how much you care about families. Brad and Andrew are joined by imageseven team members Mikayla Coombes and Cassandra Kirkpatrick who share their tips and tricks for leading a successful school tour and Open Day.

Sue Ellson, an independent LinkedIn Specialist and author who helps businesses and individuals maximise their presence on LinkedIn, reveals why you should have a separate LinkedIn page for yourself, as a school Head, and for your school.

Every Head has fallen into the trap of biting off more than they can chew at one point or another. The reality is, Heads are faced with endless marketing and communication options in today’s landscape. But with limited budgets, how can you lead your school towards meeting marketing aspirations and effectively marketing your school brand? In this episode, we discuss some tactics and strategies that you can use to align your aspirations with your capabilities.

To provide the best experience for families at your school, you first need to understand the experiences they have with you. In this interview with David Willows and Suzette Parlevliet, from YellowCar, we discuss the questions they have developed to best measure families’ experiences within your school at every stage of their school lifecycle.