Marketing Adventist Education

in a Competitive Marketplace

Marketing Adventist Education

in a Competitive Marketplace

Marketing 101

Marketing 101

Larry Blackmer,NAD Vice President of EducationLarry Blackmer,NAD Vice President of Education

Marketing 101Marketing 101

• What is Marketing– Theory– Practice

• Is Adventist Educational Marketing Different than Business Marketing?

• What and to whom do I market?

• Research on Adventist Schools

• What is Marketing– Theory– Practice

• Is Adventist Educational Marketing Different than Business Marketing?

• What and to whom do I market?

• Research on Adventist Schools

Marketing DefinitionsMarketing Definitions

• ““an an organizationalorganizational function and a set of function and a set of processes for processes for creating, communicating creating, communicating and delivering valueand delivering value to customers and to customers and for managing for managing customer relationshipscustomer relationships in in ways that ways that benefitbenefit the the organization and organization and its stakeholdersits stakeholders””

» American Marketing Association

• ““an an organizationalorganizational function and a set of function and a set of processes for processes for creating, communicating creating, communicating and delivering valueand delivering value to customers and to customers and for managing for managing customer relationshipscustomer relationships in in ways that ways that benefitbenefit the the organization and organization and its stakeholdersits stakeholders””

» American Marketing Association

Marketing DefinitionsMarketing Definitions

• My first definition of marketing is to find out what your customers want and then give it to them.

My second definition - "Marketing is the invisible hand that moves products from sellers to buyers."

Tim Cohn

• My first definition of marketing is to find out what your customers want and then give it to them.

My second definition - "Marketing is the invisible hand that moves products from sellers to buyers."

Tim Cohn

Marketing DefinitionsMarketing Definitions

• Taking actions to create, grow, maintain, defend, and own markets.

• Al Ries and Jack Trout define marketing as simply “war” between competitors.

• Building positive relationships and generating compelling experiences

• What does Marketing mean to Adventist Education?

• Taking actions to create, grow, maintain, defend, and own markets.

• Al Ries and Jack Trout define marketing as simply “war” between competitors.

• Building positive relationships and generating compelling experiences

• What does Marketing mean to Adventist Education?

Marketing Definition for Adventist Education

Marketing Definition for Adventist Education

• Accessing the needs of the target markets (potential customers), and deciding which needs can be met within the mission of the school, then finding methods to meet those needs.

• Can we be all things to all people?

• Can we please everyone?

• Accessing the needs of the target markets (potential customers), and deciding which needs can be met within the mission of the school, then finding methods to meet those needs.

• Can we be all things to all people?

• Can we please everyone?

Marketing TheoryMarketing Theory

• Two factors in marketing

– Recruitment of new customers – acquisition

– Retention and expansion of the relationship with existing customers – base management

• Two factors in marketing

– Recruitment of new customers – acquisition

– Retention and expansion of the relationship with existing customers – base management

Marketing TheoryMarketing Theory

• 4 Ps– Product– Pricing– Promotion– Place

• 7 ps - extended marketing mix for service organizations

– People– Process– Physical evidence

• 4 Ps– Product– Pricing– Promotion– Place

• 7 ps - extended marketing mix for service organizations

– People– Process– Physical evidence

Marketing MixMarketing Mix

ProductProduct

• What is the product that we are ‘selling’?– Curriculum?– Quality teachers?– Spiritual values?– Good students? – Safe environment?

• We need to know what we are selling and why!

• What is the product that we are ‘selling’?– Curriculum?– Quality teachers?– Spiritual values?– Good students? – Safe environment?

• We need to know what we are selling and why!

PricingPricing

• Is this the issue most affecting our enrollments?

• Tuition in schools around Washington.

• Target market vs price point

• Quality vs price

• Value vs price

• Discounts – budget driven scholarships

• Is this the issue most affecting our enrollments?

• Tuition in schools around Washington.

• Target market vs price point

• Quality vs price

• Value vs price

• Discounts – budget driven scholarships

Cost

Cost

Value

NO SALES!

PromotionPromotion

• Advertising, promoting the school, publicity, etc.

• Overt and natural promotion

• “A good product sells itself” is this true?

• Advertising, promoting the school, publicity, etc.

• Overt and natural promotion

• “A good product sells itself” is this true?

PlacePlace

• Where do you find your customers?

• The channel by which a product or service is sold.

• Where do you find your customers?

• The channel by which a product or service is sold.

PeoplePeople• Who is responsible for marketing your

school?– Principal – Teachers– Board– Pastor

• Any person coming into contact with customers can have an impact on overall satisfaction.

• In the customers eyes they are inseparable from total service.

• They must be trained, well-motivated, and the right type of person.

• Who is responsible for marketing your school?– Principal – Teachers– Board– Pastor

• Any person coming into contact with customers can have an impact on overall satisfaction.

• In the customers eyes they are inseparable from total service.

• They must be trained, well-motivated, and the right type of person.

ProcessProcess

• Process(es) involved in providing service

• Customer service– Answering the phone– Planting flowers– Registration– Conflict resolution– Availability to staff

• Process(es) involved in providing service

• Customer service– Answering the phone– Planting flowers– Registration– Conflict resolution– Availability to staff

Physical EvidencePhysical Evidence

• Unlike a product, a service cannot be experienced before it is delivered.

• Potential customers could perceive greater risk in using service

• Provide case studies, testimonies, samples

• Unlike a product, a service cannot be experienced before it is delivered.

• Potential customers could perceive greater risk in using service

• Provide case studies, testimonies, samples

Customer FocusCustomer Focus

• Which is more important-– Policy– People

• Is this the way in which we operate?

• In this approach the customer wants are the driving force.

• Starting point the customer, no sense selling what people don’t want

• Which is more important-– Policy– People

• Is this the way in which we operate?

• In this approach the customer wants are the driving force.

• Starting point the customer, no sense selling what people don’t want

Product Focus

• The product is king

• Innovation is key

• Niche marketing

• Product depends on market research

• Thomas Edison – if using this method would have invented larger candle rather than the light bulb.

• The product is king

• Innovation is key

• Niche marketing

• Product depends on market research

• Thomas Edison – if using this method would have invented larger candle rather than the light bulb.

Internal – External MarketingInternal – External Marketing• Internal marketing

– Adventists– Spiritual, Safety, Academics

• External Marketing– Community– Mission-appropriate– Academics, Safety, Spiritual (Character

Development)

• Difference in focus from internal and external marketing

• Internal marketing– Adventists– Spiritual, Safety, Academics

• External Marketing– Community– Mission-appropriate– Academics, Safety, Spiritual (Character

Development)

• Difference in focus from internal and external marketing

Who is our competition?Who is our competition?

• Other Adventist schools

• Public schools

• Charter schools

• Home schools

• Other private schools

• Yourself?

• Other Adventist schools

• Public schools

• Charter schools

• Home schools

• Other private schools

• Yourself?

The BehavioralThe BehavioralThe process of managing change and remaining flexible in its response to

changing market conditions, competition, and innovation.

Example:From ToBureaucratic CollaborativeBoss and critic Servant-leader and coachCovering content and moving on Teaching for masteryTeacher-centered Student-centeredOut of context and textbook driven Authentic, relevant, meaningfulPassive Learner Critical thinker and problem

solverAssembly line, one-size fits-all Differentiated, honoring

students individual uniqueness

The process of managing change and remaining flexible in its response to

changing market conditions, competition, and innovation.

Example:From ToBureaucratic CollaborativeBoss and critic Servant-leader and coachCovering content and moving on Teaching for masteryTeacher-centered Student-centeredOut of context and textbook driven Authentic, relevant, meaningfulPassive Learner Critical thinker and problem

solverAssembly line, one-size fits-all Differentiated, honoring

students individual uniqueness

Is Image Enough?Is Image Enough?

You need a product that matches the image you

project.

You need a product that matches the image you

project.

No!!!No!!!

Mission of Adventist EducationMission of Adventist Education

• Should we accept Non-Adventist Students

• Accept mission appropriate students

• Know your mission – why you do what you do.

• Dilution Dilemma

• Should we accept Non-Adventist Students

• Accept mission appropriate students

• Know your mission – why you do what you do.

• Dilution Dilemma

What God Wants

Values – Why we do what we do

Vision – What success looks like

Mission – Generally … how

Strategy – Specifically … how

What Your Parents

WantGod’sMasterpiece(Ephesians

2:10)

Realities / Demands of Your

Environment

Parent ResearchCommunity Research

Targeted SegmentsDefine Personas

Secularization / Paganism

PostmodernismLocal School Competition

Area Demographics

Right brain

activity – Inspired, Creative,Visionary

Left brain activity – Analytical

,Thoughtfu

l,Wise

Adventist Research FindingsAdventist Research Findings

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Top Strengths

SDA/ChristianBeliefs

Safe/CaringEnviron.

QualityAcademics

Teacher/Stud.Ratio

Cost vs. Value

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Top Strengths

SDA/ChristianBeliefs

Safe/CaringEnviron.

QualityAcademics

Teacher/Stud.Ratio

Cost vs. Value

N=243

Adventist Research FindingsAdventist Research Findings

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Top Fix-it Points

Leadership/Admin

Cost vs. Value

QualityAcademics

SDA/ChristianBeliefs

Extra/co-curr.Act

Identity/Image

SpecialEducation

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Top Fix-it Points

Leadership/Admin

Cost vs. Value

QualityAcademics

SDA/ChristianBeliefs

Extra/co-curr.Act

Identity/Image

SpecialEducation

N=464

19%

Church Growth

• Financial Analysis – five years – see www.larryblackmer.com

• Looked at tithe and membership as a function of school constituency

• Both tithe and membership increased in churches in a school constituency

• Both tithe and membership decreased in churches without.

Most Important!Most Important!

• Be authentic

• Be spiritual

• Be Adventist

• Be about quality

• Be authentic

• Be spiritual

• Be Adventist

• Be about quality

Future of Adventist EducationFuture of Adventist Education

• The World is Flat• Traditional cannot mean old• Innovative cannot mean risky• Instruction must be Christ-directed,

student-centered, and globally integrated.

• We must break out of our silos and begin to work as a system

• TDEC discussion- where do we go from here

• The World is Flat• Traditional cannot mean old• Innovative cannot mean risky• Instruction must be Christ-directed,

student-centered, and globally integrated.

• We must break out of our silos and begin to work as a system

• TDEC discussion- where do we go from here

ConclusionConclusion

• Schools need to be customer driven

• Teachers need to be student focused

• We all need to be about our Father’s business – every day, in everything we do.

• Jesus is coming!!!!!!

• Schools need to be customer driven

• Teachers need to be student focused

• We all need to be about our Father’s business – every day, in everything we do.

• Jesus is coming!!!!!!

Resources• Entrepreneur.com *Offers several articles with advice for creating

plans.• HowStuffWorks Tutorial *If you are looking for another site

offering a plan tutorial try this one. While not as in-depth as the one offered on KnowThis.com, it does provide good basic coverage.

• Sample Marketing Plans *While the company offering this site is primarily in the business of selling its planning software they do offer several marketing plan examples that may prove useful.

• Sample Software Plan *PDF file from a marketing textbook publisher site, shows a simple plan for a small software company. While a good guide for learning about plans, it is very basic and does not include much financial information.

• Knowthis.com – marketing resources on the web• New Product and Service Development *It will take the better part

of 10 minutes just to get acclimated to this busy site, but it is worth the effort for anyone seeking good product development information. Lots of good ideas, explanations of concepts, graphics and more.