The school year is back in full swing but this year, things look a whole lot different. With COVID-19 still prevalent, the education system is forced to upheaval the systems and processes of a normal school year and make the switch to virtual learning. Mixed feelings about the virus’s impact on student education and the transition to a hybrid (part in-person, part online) learning plan has schools working around the clock to keep students and their families informed and happy to the best of their abilities.
As your school goes through these big changes, your marketing strategy should make the same transformation to keep both current families satisfied and make prospective students feel more comfortable than ever. Consider adopting these insightful marketing strategies for schools during COVID-19 to become a leader in your educational community during these difficult times and for the future:
Presenting Your Brand in a New Light to Inquiring Families
Whether families have young students just starting their academic journeys or are making the decision to transfer to a different institution, the brand growth opportunities for education during COVID-19 are important to take advantage of with the virtual learning transition. Having a balance between showing compassion to the situations that families are currently facing while upholding the mission of your institution will set your school apart from the rest. This can all be achieved through:
- Keeping In Touch Often – simply checking in with families and asking how they are doing during this time shows your concern and care right off the bat that is guaranteed to leave them with a lasting impression on your institution’s values. By doing so, you give off the impression that your compassion extends not only to the students but also to the families as a whole.
- Host Virtual Tours – Some families may not be happy with their student’s current schooling, maybe because of how schools are handling this situation. If they cannot come to your school, host a virtual tour to show them around the area to get a better idea of what the school is like typically. Film virtual meet and greets so parents can also get an idea of the staff.
- Change Your Marketing Strategy to Fit Current Needs – Instead of halting your advertising plans, change your strategy to meet current needs. Take this time to use your ads as helpful information for your community or prospective students, such as:
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- tips for learning at home
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- at home physical activities to unplug from technology
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- ways parents can talk to students about social distancing and wearing masks
Hand-in-hand with our strategic education marketing services, you’ll be able to adapt your marketing plans to best suit the requirements that prospective students and their families are looking for.
Maintain Your Strong Brand For Current Families
No one could have ever anticipated that COVID-19 would directly impact our lives so much, especially for our students, teachers, and staff members. In order to maintain the quality and strong brand of your school, it’s critical to adjust your marketing strategy that keeps families in the loop with all the changes while making the school day still enjoyable— even from home. Great marketing strategies for schools during COVID-19 include the following:
- Design a FAQ Page – People will want answers to questions that we are all unsure of. Allow your students and their parent’s questions to be heard by compiling a handful of frequently asked questions that can be accessed by all online. Talk about plans moving forward, where your school currently stands, etc.
- Maintain Open Communication – Make sure you have people checking in with them to see if everyone is doing okay, handling the workload fine, or having any technical issues. Appointing a leadership team that families can turn to with any problems or questions is a great way to reduce stress and build great relationships within the school.
- Inspire Your Teaching Staff – Similar to how our students are going through this change in a challenging way, our teachers and staff are forced to go from teaching inside the classroom during the week to teaching online. Now is the time to inspire your teachers to get creative in their teaching strategies and to check in to make sure they are doing okay too!
By taking the initiative to step up your brand growth opportunities for education during COVID-19, you will stand as a leader in the community. If you require assistance for enhancing your school’s current marketing strategy, call on beMarketing today for our stellar education marketing services that will ensure your school and community will be well informed and taken care of during this time and beyond!
