The DriveSales™ | Proven and highly recommended sales strategies for educational institutions!
Knowledge is a great virtue and this is imparted by education.
Why do educational institutes need marketing for sales?
In the age of the internet, everything seems to be available online including education with the introduction of distance learning people prefer in the comfort of their own houses and gain knowledge about any subject or topic they want. With the introduction of multiple educational platforms, it becomes very important for an institution to market themselves as these online educational platforms of stiff competition.
Why is marketing important for sales?
As we know we are not just witnessing the evolution of education but are also a part of it. Classes have become sitting in front of a laptop instead of sitting in front of a blackboard. In these times if one has to survive they need to step up their game. For education institutions, it becomes very important to market themselves and to attract their target audience.
Now the question arises who the target audience is and what is an effective way to reach out to them.
The target audiences are future students. These are the main audience to whom one has to reach to make sure their message is delivered and their institution has better representation. “Change is the only constant” one main aspect to keep in mind is that the psychology and needs of students are forever dynamic. Meaning the need a student has today may not be the same as the need of a student merely 5–6 years ago. Hence changing with times becomes very important to be able to sustain in the market.
10 Effective Strategies to reach out to the target audience.
1) The use of social networking — This is one of the finest and most efficient ways of reaching out to the younger generation. An average teen spends about 8 hours on their phone, and the majority of that is on social media. With the pandemic this would have increased as the screen time of students has increased to a great extent.
2) Joining hands with educational websites — the internet is a vast ocean of information. Before applying to any sort of institution students tend to cross-check and verify their options of the said institution. Therefore, partnering up with educational websites like Shiksha.com or Collegedunia.
3) Alumni Experiences — People relate more to stories than texts. A well said story of one’s college days is an excellent way of marketing. This does not only show how the storyteller’s experience was but also gives an intimate view of the institution and the experiences it has to offer.
4) Putting out original content — One can promote anything with the right kind of content. Though unorthodox, using internet platforms to share eye-catching and funny content can be of great help to an institution. This not only shows how up-to-date the institution is but also gives insight into its future wards.
5) Hosting events — A great way to promote an institution is to host easy access events. In the era, we live in today convenience is key. Hence having a tedious entrance process makes no sense. These sorts of events do not only help future students but also help alumni to get involved with their university.
6) Display programs — As and when a student visits the institution either physically or virtually displaying what the college has to offer and providing information about the majors the college has to offer. This is important because this shows the students the various options they can choose from and stresses on the versatility the college has to offer.
7) Invest in a website — A website reflects a lot of an institution’s achievements and this is also the first place anyone looks into while researching the institution. Hence having an eye-catchy yet professional website can have a great impact on the decision of the student.
8) Mobile friendly — Once the website is done make sure it is as mobile-friendly as possible. Mobiles are replacing desktops and laptops at a high speed. Hence being mobile-friendly helps a lot because students prefer accessing the internet through mobiles and it also provides the luxury of accessing anywhere at any time.
9) Using Chatbot — According to a study, about 60% of students expect a response right after the application is filled. Using Chatbots helps universities to address the concerns of their students at a faster rate. Platforms like ‘Drift’ work amazingly well, if implemented right this will speed up conversations with students to a high rate.
10) Live streaming — Live streaming is said to be an authentic way of connecting with people. Live steam can include question and answer sessions about the institutions or steaming events held at the institute. Social networking platforms are the best way to do so.
Now, as an effective SALESPERSON! We can do three things from here.
1. Not ignoring the opportunity and blaming the situation for revenue loss.
2. Taking important notes and going back to revisit your sales strategy with the growth mindset.
3. Reaching out to The DriveSales™ if you need any specialized help for sales.
To conclude, what you choose to think also provides some idea of your development as a consultative salesperson. Something like Benjamin Franklin’s quote “To invest in knowledge pays the best returns.”
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