ALTO

K-12 Schools

3 key challenges for K-12 Schools and how branding can help

Schools like yours have had 12 months to navigate to the ‘new normal’ and ensure they continue to provide excellent levels of education to their students.

3 key challenges for K-12 Schools

Covid-19 has required many teachers, parents and students to rapidly adjust to new modes of learning. Here are some key issues facing school leaders this year and how your brand can help you overcome them.

The digital revolution

In a matter of weeks, schools had to switch to online teaching and learning in early 2020, having to find and implement viable alternatives to the traditional model of teaching in a physical classroom.

EdTech got the starring role that digital education specialists and CIOs had been predicting for a long time. The challenge came when IT departments had to deliver a four-year digital strategy plan in six weeks.

Now the dust has settled, what happens? Did we leave the classroom, or did the classroom evolve? Well, school-led remote learning is not a new concept. After all, the homework that students regularly completed outside normal school hours is an example. However, the pandemic resulted in a very different form of school-led remote learning that comes with considerable challenges, including:

Restricted ability to monitor individual student progress.
Increased level of oversight required from parents and carers.*

Many schools have already adopted new processes to overcome these challenges. However, their brand and communications may not have evolved accordingly meaning that prospective students and parents are not necessarily aware of these changes.

The right brand and marketing plans are the best tool to seize this opportunity and gain a competitive edge.

Marketing during a pandemic

Over the past decade, many private and independent schools have been upping their marketing spend in a bid to attract new students.

While the pandemic may have put a temporary halt on several schools marketing activities in the short term, there is no doubt that the way K-12 approach their marketing and communication strategies have changed forever.

In the past, a school prospectus, a website and some local advertising about the upcoming Open Day may have been enough to lure new students. This is no longer the case. The competitive landscape for prospective students is shifting. No longer can schools rely solely on their long-standing histories, century-old traditions and outstanding academic reputations alone to get them by.

Today, many schools are relying on creative agencies and their strategic services to help them get ahead. Positioning their schools as the best option for parents and prospective students within their communities.

Some have been said to be investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising campaigns to stand out from their competitors in the hope to gain a competitive edge.

A significant risk for schools and potentially wasteful if their brand story, value proposition and the overall message isn’t hitting the mark.

Having the right branding and marketing partner helps not only in building the right brand but also in using marketing budgets in a much more smart and efficient way.

Increased focus on mental health and student wellbeing

The pandemic will have many lasting effects on our schools and students. It has exposed the increasing mental health issues at a K-12 school level with increased student isolation due to reduced one-to-one engagement with teachers and their peers.

This is concerning for all parents. Some schools have embraced the opportunity to open up the conversation around the importance of mental health and wellbeing by considering:

How will they support students’ mental health and wellbeing with increased self-isolation?
How will they support students with additional needs?
How will they bridge the gap of access to technology to support remote learning?

Schools are making it their responsibility to open up the conversation on where they stand—a very public display of brand positioning.

Some schools have developed online resources, platforms, discussion boards, trained internal staff in new communication methods and branded communications via social media that tackle the impact of wellbeing head-on.

These communication initiatives strengthen their overall brand values and send out a powerful message to the school community and beyond about what they stand for. Firmly positioning their brands’ values in the mind of prospective parents and students.

Students and their parents are now choosing where they study based on different criteria and it’s critical for the success of education centres to adjust their messaging to the new needs of students.

Now it’s time for schools to consider how will their brand align with the changes they’ve made in how they deliver education.

We can help

How Alto helps K-12 Schools

Alto have over 15 years of experience helping organisations in the education and knowledge sector transform their brand. Amongst others, we have helped K-12 schools, TAFE institutes, RTOs and Universities with:

Student Recruitment Campaigns

Position yourself as the best option for prospects

Brand Differentiation

Stand out in a hyper-competitive marketplace

Brand Awareness Campaigns

Build more recognion around your brand offering

Market Positioning

Own a unique place in the competitive landscape

Good friends of Alto

Find out more

We’d love to help!

Want to receive more information or a free consultation with the team at Alto?

Share your details below if you would like to receive more information about what Alto can do to help your school.

Want to chat with brand consultants Andrew or Mark about your brand? Add your phone number below and we’ll give you a buzz.

By submitting your details, you agree with our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

ALTO

Creative Brand, Marketing and Communications for education providers.

Creative Marketing Campaigns

Connect to your community. Build brand awareness.

There’s no lack of choice when it comes to great schools. Want to position your school as the best option for prospective students and parents? Alto has the expertise to create brands and marketing campaigns that have real impact.

Positioning and Differentiation

Stand out or stand down.

The competitive landscape for prospective students is shifting. No longer can schools rely solely on their long-standing histories, century-old traditions and outstanding academic reputations alone to get them by. If you’re ready to stand out from the crowd, we’d love to talk.

“You’ve hit the Fintona nail on the head. Really visually striking and it’s definitely a campaign that has legs. Gives us the best opportunity to succeed in the timeframe we’re working with.”

Cameron Arnold
Marketing & Communications Manager – Fintona Girls School

Find out more

We’d love to help!

Want to receive more information or a free consultation with the team at Alto?

Share your details below if you would like to receive more information about what Alto can do to help your school.

Want to chat with brand consultants Andrew or Mark about your brand? Add your phone number below and we’ll give you a buzz.

By submitting your details, you agree with our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

*Source PWC

ALTO

K-12 Schools

3 key challenges for K-12 Schools and how branding can help

Schools like yours have had 12 months to navigate to the ‘new normal’ and ensure they continue to provide excellent levels of education to their students.

3 key challenges for K-12 Schools

Covid-19 has required many teachers, parents and students to rapidly adjust to new modes of learning. Here are some key issues facing school leaders this year and how your brand can help you overcome them.

The digital revolution

Marketing during a pandemic

Increased focus on mental health and student wellbeing

Students and their parents are now choosing where they study based on different criteria and it’s critical for the success of education centres to adjust their messaging to the new needs of students.

Now it’s time for schools to consider how will their brand align with the changes they’ve made in how they deliver education.

We can help