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Presentation to language school prinicpals and directors at EAQUALS 2014 by Specialist Language Courses Managing Director Chris Moore. Chris is a former language school principal and is the Director of In-Company Language Training at International House.
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Selling Extensive and Part-time Courses to your Local Market
Chris Moore
The Challenge
1 or 2 evenings a week 10-15 students per class Course book led Some exams 3 terms, 1 level a year Native-speaker and local teachers Smiley receptionist Some e-learning, eg Campus
It all looks the same!
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Ultimately… this leads to
Language Course Commoditisation!
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So the big question..
What are you going to do?
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7 Questions
1. Do you understand the market?
2. How can you differentiate – vision, values, brand?
3. How can you deliver the difference – products and experiences?
4. How can you communicate the difference – sales and marketing?
5. Are the practicals in place?
6. How are you learning and improving what you do?
7. How do you create a sustaining, virtuous circle?
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Question 1: Do you understand the market?
1. How big is the market?2. What share do you have?3. Who is the market?4. What do people want?5. What’s important for them – Price? Quality? Location?6. Why are they learning?7. What’s the current price range?8. What are the trends?9. What’s on the horizon?10.Where will the market be in 3, 5 or 10 years’ time?
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Market Analysis – The 5 Forces
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What are the 5 Forces?
1. Suppliers: teachers, publishers/bookshops, IT systems, buildings owners/managers, professional services, stationery
2. Customers: students, parents, companies / existing & new3. New entrants: private language schools, public sector adult education,
freelancers, universities4. Substitutes: online, mobile, language exchanges, study abroad, private
lessons5. Competitors…
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Competitor Analysis
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Strategy• Vision• USPs• Competitive
advantages• New business• Retention
Market Position• Market share• Customer profile• Revenues, Margins• Growth or decline• Student numbers
Marketing• Brand, reputation• Online: website, SEO, social• Offline: brochures, flyers ,
events• Communications• Partnerships
Products• Formats• Accreditations • Prices• Start dates• Innovation
Resource & Capabilities • Leadership• Teachers, other staff• Knowledge, experience• Building, assets• Technology • Financial reserves
Question 2: Is your vision different to others?
• What courses and experiences do you sell?
• Who to?
• Why do they buy from you?
• What sets you apart?
• What are you or can you be best at?
Seek to create unique value for your customers.A vision creates and leads the school
No vision = no leadership
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There are only 2 ways to go
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What Steve Jobs says
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the 100 other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000 things.”
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Question 3: How can you deliver the difference?
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Product Differentation - A few ideas
Multiple start dates Short courses Fast track courses Multi-level conversation classes Multi-level functional classes, eg for business, travel Drop ins Weekend intensives Conversation classes with lesson credits Language clubs Blended courses, Flipped classrooms Remote learning with monthly meetups
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Brand Differentation - A few ideas
Accreditations Teacher Training centre Social / community centre Exam passing machine Reputation, longevity High tech Designer building / environment Community focus Partnerships with… businesses, the unemployment centre, university,
public sector, schools
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Fail to Plan…
A vision shows leadershipA plan shows commitment
1. Work on the medium to long term picture2. Prioritise focus products3. Align plans and activities 4. Like a lesson plan – ‘by the end of this year, we will have…’
By the end of this year, we will have launched…/ sold…. / employed…. / developed…’
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Align to your goals
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Sales & Marketing, Comms
Recruitment, Staff, CPD
Courses, Methodology
Resources, Systems, IT
Partnerships
Leadership &
VisionGoals
Do you have the right people?
“There are going to be times when we can't wait for somebody. Now, you're either on the bus or off the bus.” Ken Kesey
‘First Who.. Then What.’
The right people are:1. Flexible, they adapt to a dynamic environment2. Self-motivated, take responsibility“If you have the wrong people, you’ll never have a great company.” (Jim Collins)
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Question 4: How can you communicate the difference?
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“There are no magic wands, no hidden tricks, and no secret handshakes that can bring you immediate success, but with time, energy and determination, you can get there.”
Darren Rowse, Founder, Problogger
Touchpoints - Online
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Touchpoints - Off-line
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Marketing Campaigns should be..
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Clear :: Concise :: Consistent :: Connected
Question 5: Have you got the practicals right?
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1. Booking 2. Retention
3. Data 4. Feedback
Practicals 1: Booking - Make It Easy
Accessible, easy – finding, booking, paying
Short bookings-focused user journey
Push the USPs so people know what and why they’re booking
Use ‘sticky’ pages to promote booking courses, eg level tests
Have ‘at a glance’ key info
Use online tests (as opposed to school tests) and auto-allocate to classes
Ensure everyone at the school is a product and bookings expert
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Practicals 2: Retention - Keep your Students
“It costs 6–7 times more to acquire a new customer than retain an existing one.”– Bain & Company.
“A dissatisfied customer will tell between 9-15 people about their experience. Around 13% of dissatisfied customers tell more than 20 people.” – White House Office of Consumer Affairs.
“70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated.”– McKinsey.
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Student retention – what to do
Deliver great service and great experiences from the first point of contact. Listen. Respond. Engage.
Encourage on-going study Make re-booking easy Reward loyalty Interact socially Track the data Review, learn, improve
Referrals go up Reputation spreads New business increases
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Practicals 3: Track the Data
Bookings- Format- Language - Trends - Timings - New business- Enquiry to conversion rate- Retained students- Value per student
Attendance- Class occupancy - Drop out rates and timings- By language/ format / teacher / schedule
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Practicals 4: Get Meaningful Feedback
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1. Get quantitative and qualitative feedback- ‘10 / 100 questions from 100 / 10 students’
2. Make it measurable 3. Make it predictable4. Make sure everyone does it5. Include other stakeholders – companies, teachers, parents.6. Then act on it.
“Customers who get their issue resolved tell about 4-6 people about their experience.”- White House Office of Consumer Affairs
Question 6: Are you learning from what you do?
1. Reflect, review, ask questions, understand, confront brutal truths2. Think critically, learn from failure3. Instil a culture of reflection and collaboration
– involve teachers, staff, students, partners4. Commit to a culture of continuous improvement and innovation
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To quote..
“The thing is, continuity of strategic direction and continuous improvement in how you do things are absolutely consistent with each other. In fact, they’re mutually reinforcing.”
Michael Porter
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Question 7: Can you create a virtuous cycle?
1. Generate interest based on differentiation
2. Clear info, easy booking
3. Deliver with integrity
4. Track, feedback
5. Reflect, learn, improve
6. Loyal customers, attract and keep talent
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Vision, Values, Brand Products, Staff
Training
Systems
Communications
Technology
Not a vicious cycle
1. Generate interest based on low price
2. Cut costs
3. Demotivated teachers, poor
resources
4. Survival mentality
5. Customers switch easily
6. High staff & customer churn
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No vision Commoditised products
Little Staff Training
Ageing Systems
Undifferentiated Communications
Low Technology Investment
To Summarise
1. Understand the market 2. Create a vision and brand proposition that sets you apart3. Deliver products which express the difference4. Recruit, train and reward staff to support your vision5. Communicate the difference clearly and coherently6. Get the practicals right – processes, retention, data, feedback7. Review, learn, improve, innovate
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To continue the conversation
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Chris MooreSpecialist Language [email protected]