Enrollment Management Check List

Back-to-School Enrollment Management Check List for Independent Schools

September 17, 2015
, , , , , , Education, The Art of Research

School is back in session and as you count the number of students who come through the door, the results of your enrollment efforts are clear. But this is no time to rest on your laurels (or wring your hands) – you need to plant the seeds for next year’s enrollment success now!

Our back-to-school checklist is designed to keep your marketing efforts on track, and pave the way for an even stronger enrollment picture next year. To assess the strength of your marketing efforts, give your school 2 points for every item you’ve accomplished, and 1 point for every item that is “in process.”

Then check your score below.

  • You’ve recruited and trained your parent ambassadors
  • You’ve segmented your student body in a meaningful way, so that you know which students/families you attract and why, as well as where you are falling short and why
  • You’ve reviewed your website to make sure all information is current and that it is optimized for search engines
  • You’ve evaluated your logo to ensure it accurately reflects your school and sends the “right” message about who you are and what you stand for
  • You’ve earmarked money specifically for marketing and promotion purposes (no more begging funds from development and enrollment budgets, please)
  • You’ve prepared your strategic communication plan for the year
  • You’ve formally surveyed all families who considered your school last year (those who enrolled and those who did not), analyzed the results, and developed action plans to address the issues identified
  • You’ve included your school in key directories of schools – local and national, print and online –made sure your information is current, and that reviews are positive
  • You’ve cultivated strong relationships with local media/press personnel, and establishing yourself as the “go to” expert for educational issues
  • You’ve interviewed the families who have chosen not to re-enroll this year, and understand the real reasons behind their decision (not just the easy ones like cost)

Scoring:

17-20, Marketing guru!

10-16, A small additional investment in your marketing efforts will bring big rewards

5-9, You’ve made a good start, but there’s more to do to reap the benefits of marketing

0-4, Unless you have a big endowment, you need to put a marketing program in place

For over 30 years, Melior has specialized in conducting sensitive market research on behalf of independent schools and other educational institutions. For more information, please visit our education page or contact Susan J. Levine at [email protected] /215-545-0054 ext. 107 or Linda McAleer at [email protected] / 215-545-0054 ext 104.

The Secular/Cultural Jewish Segment: More Than Meets the Eye

June 5, 2015
, , , , , , , , , , Community Studies, The Melior Group Results

Ever since the publication of the Pew Study on American Jewry in late 2013, there has been a lot of hand wringing over findings that suggest a Jewish community in decline. Headlines blasted the dire news – “1 in 4 Jews are losing their religion!”  “Intermarriage rates continue to rise!”  “Major shift in Jewish identity noted as number of Secular/Cultural Jews grows!”  

For many community leaders, the last point is particularly troublesome.  When viewed on traditional measures of engagement – synagogue affiliation, raising their children as Jews, marrying other Jews, supporting Jewish causes and communal institutions – it is clear that Secular/Cultural Jews are less engaged in the community as a whole. And while that is all true… let’s not write off this growing segment just yet.

You Might Be Surprised To Learn…

Melior’s recent research reveals some surprising, if counter-intuitive, insights into the relationship this growing segment of American Jewry has with the established Jewish community.  In one community we studied, for example…

  • 35% donated to their local Jewish Federation in the past year
  • 30% belong to a religious institution (synagogue/temple/shul)
  • 22% send/sent a child to Jewish Day School

Strategies to Strengthen the Connection

And, in our experience, these results are not unique. Given this, what actions can community leaders take to strengthen the connection between Secular/Cultural Jews and the established Jewish community? Here are some strategies to consider:

Segment. Recognize that not all secular/cultural Jews are alike, and develop outreach strategies tailored to the sub-segments (i.e., those who are connected to traditional communal institutions vs. those who aren’t).

Simplify. Meet Secular/Cultural Jews ‘where they live’ – both figuratively and literally. Offer events/programs tailored to their interests (e.g., food, books, social causes, etc.) and bring these programs to more convenient locales.  Our research shows that secular/cultural Jews often live on the outskirts of a community so make it easy for them to participate.

Stay the course. Like many others within the Jewish community, the relationship of Secular/Cultural Jews to Jewish communal organizations and causes may wax and wane over time due to changes in personal circumstances, interests, and experiences. Keeping lines of communication open yields opportunities to deepen the connection when the opportunity presents itself.

For more information contact Susan J. Levine at [email protected] / 215-545-0054 ext 107 or Linda McAleer at [email protected] / 215-545-0054 ext 104.