How to Create a Winning Customer Journey

As a seasoned school marketer with over a decade of experience in senior roles recruiting international students to Australia, Bianca’s diverse background in corporate and government marketing has equipped her with a well-rounded skill set. She is known for her innovative approach to marketing, particularly in the digital realm, and has a track record of successful projects, including the viral "Queensland's Best Kept Secret" video for Concordia. Bianca is a strong advocate for collaborative and ethical work environments, and her passion lies in empowering school marketers to take a strategic role. Mapping the customer journey is critical to any school’s success when it comes to marketing and admissions. But are we mapping it correctly? Or perhaps the better question is: Are we mapping it entirely? You see, so often we talk about mapping the customer journey in the following terms: You will see a range of variances to the above but, at the end of the day, they all start with generating awareness and finish when the enrolment is ‘over the line’ and the student has commenced at the school. However, for our school to be truly successful as an international education provider, we need to be looking far beyond winning the enrolment and looking at the entire journey through to graduation and beyond. Let’s explore the important steps that come after enrolment.

Commencement

Speaking from experience, international departments are far superior to domestic admissions in this area, but it’s important to evaluate how you are supporting the student and their family through their period of adjustment at your school. This includes the lead-up to the student commencing their first day and however long it takes for them to settle in and feel comfortable at your school. For some students, this can take a few weeks (we are all familiar with homesickness setting in at the three-week mark), but for others, it can be much longer. Every school has its own unique processes, systems and rituals, so it’s important to provide guidance to help students and their families adjust to life at your school. When you are mapping this step in the enrolment journey, look for ways that you can enhance the following:

• What information do families need in the lead-up to starting?
• What can they expect in their first few days and weeks?
• Where do they go when they arrive?
• Who will be looking after them on their first day?
• What do they need to bring with them?

Often there will be a comprehensive handbook that maps out most of the information covered in the above list, but we cannot rely on this to help families acclimatise to the new school environment. By looking for opportunities to make both the lead-up to starting at your school and the first few weeks as seamless and supportive as possible, you’ll be instilling a great deal of confidence in both the student and their family.

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