Engaging with Schools:Lessons from the Business World

Alison Holland

Projects and Partnerships

Brightkidz social enterprise

The Business World?

Or… Share lessons in success Collaborate with you

What’s Your Problem?

Survey: top issue was ‘engaging with schools’

– Too much ‘noise’

– Limited resources

– In business: engage or fail

Remember these?

How Can I Help?

Lesson 1: Know Your Customer

Who are your customers?

Understand them and their needs

What do they

read?

How do they communicate?

Who do they

network with?

How do they operate?

What’s important to

them?

What to do…Talk to them!

Lesson 2: What’s In It For Them?

For the group?

For individual schools?

You can: Research, talk and adapt

Lesson 3: Find Your Allies

‘Givers Gain’

Use Your Allies

What can you all bring to the table?

How can you support each others goals and campaigns?

Good Networks

You MAY Recognise Her!

Different kinds of allies

– Enlisting politicians

– Social media divides us

– Find common ground

– Car industry

You can: step outside your

comfort zone

Lesson 4: Get Good Ideas

If opportunity knocks, open the door.

What’s worked elsewhere?

Use your BRAIN

Benefits Nothing

Instinct

Alternatives

Risks

Lesson 5: Meet AIDA and H

Village TravelSurveyOr

Attention Interest Desire Action

…and Habit

Lesson 6: Expect to Make Seven Touches

• Why aren’t they listening?

• Try different ways:

– emails, snail mail, phone calls.

– Also social media, eg facebook ads, contacts, events, press, partners, coffee cups?!

Lesson 7: Test and Measure

How to Measure?

• Trial on small scale

• ST:EPS – pilot with 5 schools

• How to measure?

– Voucher codes

– Surveys

– Other data

• Not working? Quit!

Lesson 8: Show Your ValueBecause You’re Worth it

It’s never ‘free’ – tell them what it’s worth

Limit your offer – eg time limit, max number

Lesson 9: Communicate Your Success

• Your Comms team is an asset• Use ‘piggy-back’ PR• Be social on social• Improve your professional reputation and opportunities• You can: Send us your news!

Lesson 10: Forward to the Future

– Reward your champions

– Ask for referals

– If it works – do it again

Your Takeaway

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