Every marketer needs, and is expected, to stay on top of the latest trends in consumer behaviour and marketing. I thoroughly enjoyed these articles from leading marketers as reported in Marketing Week and PR Week:

Marketers make their predictions for 2017 – Marketing Week

17 PR professionals’ 17-word predictions on what we’ll see in 2017 | PR Week

I expect to see the following trends coming through in independent schools marketing in 2017:

• An even greater focus on giving current and prospective parents the best possible customer experience
• Greater use of in-house video content, including live streaming
• Personalisation: from the very first digital experience through to admissions and new-joiner communications
• Insights: use of targeting insights, be it from Facebook campaigns or research, to inform marketing planning

As parents, we all worry about keeping our children safe online. News headlines include stories of internet trolling, cyber-bullying and horror stories about children posting damaging material online. Faced with such fast-changing technologies, the question of how to protect our children can seem rather overwhelming and its difficult to know where to go for information.

This is one to the reasons I am working with Bradfield College to deliver the second annual iPrep event on the 17th May 2016. The event is a key forum for encouraging discussion around all digital matters, from online safety to strategy and marketing. The event reflects Bradfield’s commitment to encourage safe and responsible internet use among young people, and to equip parents and teachers to do the same, a subject I am equally passionate about.

The event has been covered by Independent School Parent Magazine and you can read the complete article here: Click here

Last month I was very proud to partner with Bradfield College and Harriet House School (Headmistress, Harriet Hathaway pictured with me above) launching the inaugural iPrep event, an event that aims to support Prep Schools addressing common digital challenges. The event included leading digital speakers from the educational world, including Simon Noakes from Interactive Schools, Will Gardner CEO at Childnet and Ann Haydon, Principal at Surbiton High School.

Bradfield College stated: “We were delighted to be a part of this excellent event. It was a privilege to host the event and very valuable to have the opportunity to discuss the digital challenges and opportunities that face all schools.”

BSA wrote a great article about the event:

http://www.boarding.org.uk/media/news/article/2671/Berkshire-schools-discussing-common-digital-challenges-at-Bradfield-College.

Our brains love images. They seek them and process them far quicker than any other information (60,000 times faster, apparently) so it is no surprise images are a critical element of formulating an effective brand strategy.

I work with a number of Independent Schools to define their different, relevant and stand out position within their chosen market. Once the brand positioning is defined, and agreed, an effective image strategy is integral to successfully communicating it. Images are often relied upon to demonstrate the more tangible benefits of a brand however they can be just as powerful, if not more so, for showcasing the emotional benefits on offer.

Top tips for images

1. DO use clever composition: The rule of thirds is a guideline that applies to the composition of photographs. An image can be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines. If important compositional elements are placed along these lines or their intersections they appeal to the eye’s focal points and create more energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would. Wikipedia has a useful article on the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds
2.  DO use professional images: A crisp and clear image is as essential as a well composed one. An out of focus image looks amateurish and can invalidate an otherwise professional brand appearance. Sounds obvious, but its surprising how many brands use poor images in their communications.
3. DON’T be afraid of having an image style: An image style can be as much a part of a brand projection as a logo or colour and can be just as memorable. Use the best professional resource that you can afford and they can start to build a clear image style.
4. DO create impact: Attention grabbing images are key, especially if competing for media space with similar brands. Use images to reflect brand colours and reinforce the brand associations.
5. DON’T be afraid of repetition: Research shows viewers don’t tend to retain adverts until they have seen them 3 times. For this reason it is wise to reuse images to create a consistent visual representation of the brand across social, press, digital and web to create a “formula of representation” for the brand.
6. DO create an emotional connection: Images can reinforce an approachable, inclusive brand. They can also show a challenging approach, a diverse approach or a professional approach.  Close up images increase emotional engagement and subliminally increase intimacy with the subject. Distant images show perspective can also cleverly create a nostalgic appeal for a historical setting.

The power of images should not be underestimated. This is an excellent infographic about how the human brain processes information and the role of images in creating the right impression: https://dgdmarketing.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/12-secrets-of-the-human-brain-infographic-large-picture.jpg

If you would like to speak to Lucinda Grafton about how to make your marketing and advertising more powerful email: [email protected]

Life is all about the new. The shiny, enticing, exciting gadget or toy. Grown ups, children we are all the same, blinded by the new. It’s the same in business; we are all excited by new business and often forget the importance of our existing customers. Let’s not forget that repeat customers spend 33% more than new customers and that it costs six times more to sell something to a new customer than to sell that same thing to a customer. But good customer relationships are not just about the products, service or price – it is about maintaining open communication channels. In my opinion social media is the perfect tool for building better, deeper relationships with your customers and an ideal way to remind them about your range of services, even if its just the fantastic customer service you offer. So today’s tip is don’t be afraid to promote your business via social media its quick, easy and free and will pay business dividends in the long run.

The Guardian is always a good source for business guidance and they are very hot on how Social media is transforming the way business is carried out. They reported on a recent study by the Internet Advertising Bureau Uk that found that nearly 80% of consumers would be more inclined to buy more often in the future because of a brand’s presence on social media. Is it true? In my view if a customer has an existing interest it can certainly be stimulated and even accelerated by a well executed social media strategy. Images help, a clear understanding of why customers choose their brand and what they are looking for also helps. A current favourite example is Farrow and Ball on Facebook – www.facebook.com/farrowball. Stunning pictures, beautiful homes and real customer interaction – a joy to behold. However, the key to the success is that Farrow and Ball have recognised that using facebook is the right platform for their audience – the perfect alignment between the female, sociable types who love to see inside homes in interiors magazines and those who comment, like and share on facebook. A job very well done.