Seven reasons you should build a sales culture in your school

Words like ‘sales’, ‘targets’, ‘deals’, and ‘solutions’ may feel utterly foreign in an educational context – here’s why they shouldn’t be

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Blue Apple Education

Current government projections suggest a projected decline of over 530,000 pupils in nursery and primary schools by 2028, increasing to over 1 million by 2032. Coupled with rising expenditures, staff salaries, and challenges in filling student spaces, the strain on school finances is substantial. As a result, intense competition for pupil enrolment and qualified personnel has arisen.

In the realm of effective school management, adopting a sales-focused approach has become an unavoidable requirement. Embracing strategies employed by successful businesses doesn’t entail compromising principles; instead, it involves promoting your school. It centres around marketing an idea, a cultural ethos, and an educational style that resonates with parents, students, and potential staff.

Think of it as enhancing your enrolment process with a potent sales strategy and a ethos that reflects offering exceptional customer service to parents initiating inquiries about your institution. This ensures that parents access all the necessary information for making an informed decision.

Set targets and evaluate progress

Determine the number of new admissions required and the number of enquiries needed to convert the right amount into admissions. Regularly assess your progress towards these targets.

Involve everyone in the team

While your marketing staff or bursar may lead your sales team, keep all staff informed about your proximity to targets and foster a sense of collaboration towards achieving them.

Prioritise customer satisfaction

Work diligently to ensure prompt responses to inquiries, comprehensive addressing of questions, and an atmosphere where potential parents, students, and staff feel valued and respected.

Stand out

No clever sales technique can replace genuine excellence in your field. The need to stand out, however, begins early. Contemplate how you can showcase your ‘remarkable’ qualities from the moment someone first becomes aware of your institution. Consider utilising online tools like Calendly or Vidyard to facilitate this process.

Follow up on promising leads

If you’ve ever left a store because no one offered assistance (let’s assume you were looking for pens that were tucked away in an odd spot), you understand how easily one can be discouraged. Determine which activities are generating these promising leads. Tracking your efforts helps identify the most effective strategies.

Employ solution-focused selling

While it might sound more like a therapy technique than a sales approach, this method is successful in business. Encourage parents to discuss their child’s needs, allowing you to demonstrate how your school’s offerings address those needs.

Secure the commitment

No one wants an aggressive salesperson peddling subpar products – unless you’re the drama teacher, avoid impersonating one. Nevertheless, exert enough effort to secure that commitment. If you’ve cultivated a relationship and collaborated with parents to demonstrate how your school aligns with their child’s needs, they might simply need you to pose the question.

You chose education over sales yet possess all the necessary skills and resources to ‘sell’ what you offer. These resources aren’t stored away; gather everyone together and proceed with confidence.