Background
Traditionally, education directors and managers relied on conventional media such as newspaper notices and Yellow Page listings; the sector as a whole is showing some measure of recalcitrance to adopting email marketing. Only 22 percent of education institutes presently promote their activities via email marketing, though 37 percent of all education entities claim they plan to use
online marketing and promotional activities in the future. Forty-one percent do not promote their institutes via email marketing at this time and state that they have no future plans to do so.
In cases where directors and managers of education facilities are able to successfully implement email marketing campaigns, email becomes their promotional method of choice. These education directors and managers discover that the number one priority is the task of collecting as many relevant email addresses as possible, always with firm permission to be placed on the subscription list. This collection is generally gathered through these varied vectors:
At educational events & exchanges
At musical & theatrical events
At sports & intercollegiate events
At the Educational institute itself
Email only promotional sales
From collaborative local businesses
On physical bulletin boards and event announcements
On local & education-focused online forums
Through contests, drawings and raffles
Through law enforcement associations
Through parades and other municipal & social events
Through parents associations
Via extracurricular & club activities
Via their website signup page
Word of mouth
Many participating education directors are realizing that widespread email and
social media marketing is not a one-to-many thousands communication as the more traditional and well-known forms of newspaper, magazine, radio, and television advertising. To engage the targeted prospect and reach maximum effectiveness, these online types of promotion should be loosely structured as one-on-one conversations. There are no limits to the Education sector applications of email marketing, and Education managers and directors regularly depend upon it to achieve these and many other promotional goals:
Constituent relationship management
Day care registrant solicitation
Direct student recruitment
Distribute education & information guides
Engage the community
Graduate recruitment
International recruitment
Lobby boards & legislators
Manage interest, application, decision & enrollment
Parent relationship management
Prepare K12 for college or careers
Provide educational & personal counseling
Publicize events, occurrences & achievements
Raise funds
Recruit for higher education
Retain & advance to graduation
Student qualification services
Undergraduate recruitment
Email and social media marketing is where the overall public and private sector market is heading at this time. The 22 percent of education entities active in email marketing at this time are gaining a significant competitive advantage over the education facilities who insist on using the familiar and traditional print forms of advertising and promotion through their access to a collection of prospects.
