The Australia New Zealand Agent (ANZA) Workshop 2009

SKYCITY Auckland, April 22 – 24

How to maximize your Workshop experience - for Educators and

Exhibitors

Agenda

ICEF Workshops

Pre-Workshop: Choosing Agents

Pre-Workshop: Preparation

During the Workshop: Parameters

During the Workshop: Maximising your Time

During the Workshop: Cultural Awareness

Meeting with Agents: Key Data

Meeting with Agents: Key Questions

Selling your Institution

Post-Workshop: Follow-Up

Post-Workshop: Agreement

How to Maximise your Working Relationship

ICEF Workshops

• The world’s premier networking forums with quality pre-

screened agents

• 2 days of one-to-one business appointments with relevant and

quality agents

• Appointments serve dual objectives of meeting with new

contacts or maintaining existing relationships

• Workshop meals, refreshment breaks and evening functions

offer further valuable networking opportunities

• ½ day of Market Intelligence Seminars providing latest

research on industry trends

ICEF Workshops cover the world

ICEF Workshops occur annually in nine locations around the world

Each Workshop focuses on a different market and attracts participants from various parts of the world

Which Workshop best suits your international student

enrolment goals?

Pre-Workshop: Choosing Agents

eSchedule PRO:

- Update your own eSchedule PRO profile to ensure correct company information to be viewed by agents

- Filter agents by country and programmes of interest

- Review agents profiles on eSchedule PRO to ensure compatibility with your offerings

- Request / re-request appointments and revisit site regularly to secure adequate meetings

- Request 2 or 3 x the appointments you want as 50 – 65% of all meeting requests are ignored or declined

Send promotional material in advance to “confirmed” agents

If possible, provide information in local language

Pre-Workshop: Preparation

Familiarise yourself with information applicable to agent countries: visa requirements, education system, admissions requirements, credit transfers

Design your own agent questionnaire

Print out “Meeting Report” version of your eSchedule PRO appointment schedule shortly prior to the event - agent profile, place for notes

Bring some sort of filing system

Bring stapler to fasten business cards to agency description

Bring digital camera to take photos of agents you meet

During the Workshop: Parameters

Badges & neck cords (educators blue / agents red)

Workshop catalogues, section index

20 min. business appointments

Additional appointments can be scheduled each morning

between 8:30 – 9:00 – be at your table / booth

Meeting hall layout

Agent message boxes

“No show” policy / Agent “no selling” rule

During the Workshop: Maximising your Time

Use Workshop catalogue as resource throughout event

Schedule additional appointments using the agent message

boxes

Make sure you are available at your table early in the morning

between 8:30 – 9:00 in case agents wish to schedule further

appointments

Notify ICEF staff if participants do not show for appointments –

ICEF No-Show policy

If required, schedule appointments during meals, refreshment

breaks, receptions (eSchedule PRO allows you to unblock

these timeslots)

Invite agents to join you for breakfast, lunch and / or dinner

During the Workshop: Cultural Awareness

Be aware of regional ways of behaviour (greeting, approaching)

Start & finish your appointments on time - some agents out of

consideration may not interrupt your appointment to let you

know they are waiting

Book additional appointments if you need extra time

(refreshment breaks, lunch, evening functions)

Look out for agents interested in having an appointment with

you - some agents may be timid and not approach you in a

direct manner

Meeting with Agents: Key Data

Meeting with Agents: Key Questions

What is your core business?

Do you have offices in other countries / regions?

How many student counselling staff do you employ and what are

their qualifications?

Is your agency already sending students to (my country) and if

yes, how many in the last 12 months?

What other institutions / programmes in my country do you

already represent?

Are you familiar with the education system in my country?

What other services do you currently provide for students

(counselling, travel, language training & testing,

immigration…)?

How do you promote your agency (website, brochure,

education events, advertising…)?

What marketing services* do you provide (arrange

advertising, coordinate visits, participate in recruitment

fairs)?

Other than student recruitment, what other business

activities does your organisation engage in?

* services might be at additional costs

Meeting with Agents: Key Questions

Selling your institution

• Unique selling proposition (USP)

• Range of programmes including strengths

• Teaching standards (teacher qualifications, student /

teacher ratio, max. class size, student mix)

• Curricular and extra curricular activities

• Student care & welfare (health, security, guardianship,

special needs)

• Accommodation options • Course / subject & general living expenses• Location features (climate, travel & recreational options,

social and cultural life…)

Post-Workshop: Follow-Up

Establish contact with agents asap after the Workshop

Remember you are competing with other educators for agent‘s

mind space, attention and loyalty

Keep in touch regularly (telephone, email, ICEF Online) and

always respond promptly to agent enquiries and questions

Upload all your marketing materials into your ICEF Online profile

- for agents to download and order

Invite agents to visit your institution (outside of workshop hours)

Participate in pre and post-workshop familiarization tours

Conduct agent training sessions (eg via Skype or Webex)

Post-Workshop: Agreement

Respective roles & responsibilities

Business plan (marketing strategy, budget)

Targets in terms of student numbers and quality

Compensation model, payment terms

Cost recovery of marketing and other expenses

Dispute settlement clause, legal jurisdiction

Duration of contract and termination clause

Cancellation Policy / Deposits

Ensure you have a written agreement, outlining:

How to Maximise your Working Relationship

Provide continuous training and constant communication in

order for the agent to accurately represent your institution

Encourage agents to visit your school / campus as they will

find it much easier to market an institution they have seen for

themselves

Ensure that the agent’s promotional materials are regularly

updated and, if possible, produced in the representative’s

language

Respond promptly to the agent’s enquiries

How to Maximise your Working Relationship (cont.)

Produce an agent manual containing: relevant contact information,

programme descriptions, accommodation options, details of student

services, financial aspects (fees, payment, cancellation procedures)

Keep your institution’s profile a priority in the agent’s mind by sending

regular updates or newsletters

Provide agents with financial and non-financial incentives

(i.e. free courses for agent staff, scholarships, organise

competitions)

Set up monitoring and review procedures

Thank You!

Please visit the registration and hospitality desk at any

time throughout the event with questions or requests.

We wish you a successful Workshop!