The role of tactical marketing campaigns in schools

Tactical marketing campaigns play an integral part in a larger marketing strategy for schools. Unlike brand building or brand recognition campaigns, tactical campaigns have a very specific goal in mind and are usually run for a defined period. Tactical campaigns are critical at certain times of year for independent and international schools due to their ability to target large volumes of families during crucial decision-making timeframes.

These types of campaigns can also be overused and, as a consequence, lose their effectiveness. If, for example, a school runs a campaign where registration fees are waived if families submit their applications on a certain date and then continue to run that campaign multiple times in an academic year, families will potentially start to see the campaign as a standard negotiation tool when submitting their application. The goal of a tactical campaign should be to offer something so unique that they are enticed into taking immediate action - once the campaign is over, the offer is no longer available.

Some examples of tactical campaigns that could be run for international and independent schools:

• Digital campaign for 25% off registration fees if applications are received on or before the school's 25th anniversary.

• Social media campaign for a large charity event being held on-campus.

• Announcement of a defined number of scholarship opportunities available and by when applications need to be made.

• Announcement of a certain number of seats available for an early childhood program, after which families will need to be placed on a waitlist.

• Digital campaign for summer camp early registration promotion.

A common thread throughout these examples is that they all have a time by which families need to take action. Once the campaign has run its course, it is critically important to stop the advertising, thank all families who participated, and announce that the promotion or campaign is closed. Making exceptions, unless absolutely necessary, lends itself to unnecessary stress as news spreads fast and once the precedent is set, it's hard to go back.

Some tips and tricks to consider when running a tactical campaign for your school:

1. Choose your medium - All channels, digital and traditional, attract different types of consumers. Think about who you are targeting and choose the medium on which they are most active.

2. Don't start too early - giving people too much lead time tends to have a negative effect.

3. Create urgency - get people to take action by highlighting things such as the number of days left or seats available.

4. Be specific - make sure your campaign and the associated landing pages have detailed information about the timeframe, processes, and terms and conditions.

5. Use paid and unpaid channels - word-of-mouth can be just as effective as a Google Ad Campaign. Create something that your existing families can share with friends, and don't be afraid to ask for their support.

6. Imagery matters - make your campaign stand out with captivating imagery, a short video, or some form of animations. Using a tool like Canva is a good place to start.

7. Reflect - once your campaign has run its course, reflect on what was successful and what wasn't. This will help you to refine your strategy next time you run a campaign.

It's important to remember that tactical campaigns should always be in line with your larger strategic marketing goals. Of course, there will be exceptions, but aligning your tactical campaigns to your marketing strategy will go a long way towards achieving your goals.