In
the Beginning In 1994, the National Association of Independent
Schools (NAIS) asked Kathleen Hanson and Jeff Wack to design
and lead an annual institute for school administrators on
the then novel (to schools) business discipline of marketing.
The Marketing Institute for Independent Schools was born.
In 2000 NAIS decided to discontinue its sponsorship of the
Institute but encouraged Jeff and Kathy to continue to produce
and teach the event. The term "advancement" was
recently added to the Institute title to reflect the fact
that many schools have adopted the term advancement in lieu
of integrated marketing. The fact is, wherever the school
touches a customer, it is engaged in marketing and advancing
the school. To date, about 800 independent school administrators
have attended the Institute, many of them more than once.
Enrollment is capped, and the Institute fills every year.
About
the Marketing and Advancement Institute The 14th Annual Marketing and Advancement Institute
is intended for school administrators interested in learning
how marketing can enhance the advancement of private schools.
“This
is an excellent conference for attendees to learn
methods and systems for integrating admissions
and development work into the fabric of the school
and out into the community.” Wendy Singley
Director of Development
San Francisco Day School
San Francisco, CA
The Institute is designed with three goals in mind:
To teach the discipline of marketing as it applies
to schools.
To encourage networking and shared learning among attendees.
To allow school administrators to break away from the
daily firefighting so that they can gain a bigger perspective
on school priorities.
This year the event will have an additional goal: To focus
on the implications for admissions, communications, and
fund-raising of the current economic environment.
Jeff
Wack and Kathy Hanson are the lead faculty of the Institute.
Jeff earned his doctorate, and was until recently adjunct
professor, at Yale; is on the board of NAIS; and has over
a 25-year career consulted to nearing 100 educational institutions.
Kathy was until last year Vice President for Advancement
at Baylor School (TN) and a member of the CASE board, and
currently is a senior consultant in the schools practice
group of Marts & Lundy, as well as serves on the board
of TABS. Guest speakers this year include Ken Mason, Director
of Communications at Westminster School, and Peter Baron,
president of AdmissionsQuest and partner in edSocialMedia.
Jeff and Kathy teach an Integrated
Marketing Model that defines marketing as everyone’s
job. Directors of admissions, communications, marketing,
and development — often two or three from each school
— comprise the majority of attendees; but each year,
several board members, heads of school, and division heads
also attend and add immeasurably to the discussions. The
Marketing and Advancement Institute is comprehensive, interactive,
and challenging, so brand new administrators may not find
the Institute basic enough for their needs.
“I
met amazing people from other schools —
and these are new colleagues that I can continue
to communicate with and learn from.” Darcy Gifford
Director of Marketing
Maumee Valley Country Day School
Toledo, OH
Jeff and Kathy cover an ambitious curriculum at a lively
pace, avoid over-scheduling, and hold the event at locations
attendees can enjoy. To optimize the learning experience
for all, the number of participants is capped at 65-75,
depending on the size of the conference facilities.
Special
Topics for a Recessionary Year
The Institute will be attuned to current economic realities
and their implications for marketing functions including:
Admissions: How to do
net tuition revenue management.
Communications: Focus
on the role of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media
(led by Ken Mason, Director of Communications, Westminster
School, and Peter Baron, President of AdmissionsQuest)
Fund-raising: What schools
should be emphasizing now.
Sample
Syllabus for the Marketing and Advancement Institute The Marketing and Advancement Institute’s curriculum
varies somewhat each year depending on how the independent
school marketing environment has changed, but the following
sample syllabus provides a basic outline of the topics typically
covered.
Day One
Morning:
Wednesday morning is for travel to New
York City. The hotel was chosen because of
its proximity to Penn Station and AMTRAK,
and to Newark International, where air fares
are typically lower than LaGuardia.
Why not walk over to the Empire State Building?
Or the newly traffic-free Times Square? Or
both?
Day Two
Morning:
Data-driven marketing decision-making
Principles of integrated marketing: Organizing,
planning, executing
Building internal support for marketing
Afternoon:
Strategic tuition discounting
The new realities of fund-raising
Marcomm planning (led by Ken Mason, Westminster
School)
Social media (led by Peter Baron, AdmissionsQuest
and eSocialMedia)
Evening:
How about sharing a cab with your new pals
and head to Chinatown for dinner? (And since
you will be nearby, perhaps deliver a message
from your school to Wall Street!)
Day Three
Morning:
Managing for quality, image and reputation
Case studies: Research to plan to execution
Afternoon:
The Institute ends at noon to allow for
return travel.
Register
for the 2009 Marketing and Advancement Institute
Mindful of schools’ budget challenges, this year
we have:
Chosen Midtown Manhattan because of its convenience
to AMTRAK and to the lower fares and non-stops of Newark
Airports
Changed the Institute schedule to require only 2 overnights
Negotiated an unheard of October rate for a top New
York hotel (so there is at least one benefit to a recession!)
Re-introduced an “early bird special” rate
for those registering before July 15
Where:
The conference hotel is The
New Yorker, located a block from Penn Station, and within
a short stroll of Macy’s, Times Square, the Empire
State Building, Madison Square Garden, and many other Midtown
sights.
When:
October 21 (Wednesday 1PM) to October 23 (Friday noon),
2009
Room rates:
An incredible (for a prime hotel in New York) room rate
of $269, for either single or double, is available Wednesday
and Thursday nights. A limited number of rooms is also available
Tuesday and/or Friday nights should you choose to stay for
fun or to meet with some of your NYC alumni.
Tuition:
$1,075
After September 15: $1,175
Additional attendees from same school:
$995
Cancellations are accepted
until September 15, 2009, but a 50% cancellation fee applies.
After September 15, 2009, tuition is transferable but not
refundable. Although the Marketing and Advancement Institute
has always sold out and a waiting list is the norm, Management
Institutes, LLC reserves the right to cancel the MAI in
the unlikely event of insufficient enrollment.
Click here
to register for the Marketing and Advancement Institute.
Please wait until your spot at the Marketing and Advancement
Institute has been confirmed before booking your hotel room.
Once your registration has been processed, you will receive
a confirmation email with hotel information. Click here
to visit The New Yorker website.
To request more information about
the Marketing and Advancement Institute, click here.
“Great insight,
ideas, and statistics. Your knowledge and professionalism
were first-class.” Chad McDaniel, Director
of Communications, Wesleyan School
“Society
views academia as innovative and cutting-edge, but
schools and colleges resist change inside their own
walls.”
