Let's face it, the world as we know it can still be divided into two types of people: Mac vs PC. And you don't have to do a lot of research to appreciate that, at the heart of this ongoing debate, is a series of conversations around five key elements: speed, security, reliability, cost, and user experience.
The more I speak to parents directly about their experience of choosing a school, the more I am convinced that their decision-making process is exactly the same as the way all of us tend to buy a new laptop.
Let me explain this process, in three relatively simple steps.
Step 1. Scanning for Value
If you walk into a media store, there are likely to be three types of laptops on show: high end, medium priced, and budget offerings, and we can't help but assume that, generally speaking, the most expensive will be the best and, conversely, the cheapest will be the worst. We will also be curious about those items that are out of stock because of high demand or part of a Limited Edition range.
The point is, we typically find value in things that are either expensive or exclusive.
And the same is true of schools. Parents will often explicitly say to us that they chose a particular school precisely because they wanted their child to attend the most expensive school in town. Equally, if a school provides barriers to entry through either an extensive waiting list or tough admission criteria, this will often increase the perceived value of its offering. The harder it is to attain, the more they want to attain it.
And just like the laptops in the store, parents will divide the list of available schools into three categories: high end, the ones that I will choose so long as I can afford it; medium priced, the ones that I assume will provide a quality education, even if some of the more luxury elements are missing; and the budget schools, that will normally be a last resort or a stepping stone towards a potential future upgrade.
Step 2. Selecting the Operating System
When I said above that the world can be split into those that buy Mac and those who are devotees to the PC, the reality is just a little more complicated than that. There are several operating systems that will run on a PC to choose from, even if Microsoft is by far the most convenient for the majority of consumers.
It's curious to look back and consider when we made this (often) lifelong commitment. For some, it was a decision we happened to make when we purchased our first computer. For others, there will have been a moment of "conversion", typically after something went badly wrong and we decided to make the transition to another operating system. The fact is, though, for 90% of laptop users, the requirements are pretty much the same: browse the internet, use email, play music, watch films, store photographs, and create useful documents.
All this is to say that, despite all of our messaging around the need for schools to articulate what makes them different, it is perhaps challenging to consider the possibility that (1) 90% of schools do pretty much the same thing; and (2) for many parents, it is simply a matter of choosing what they perceive to be the right Educational Operating System.
Let me explain. So many of the parents that I speak to these days, once they have decided (for the sake of argument) that they can afford one of the most expensive schools in town, will then frame their decision around a simple choice between the "American" vs "British" system. One will be categorised as more holistic with a greater focus on athletics and the arts. The other will be associated with uniforms, academic rigour, and examination preparation; and where the tendency to favour one over the other began will often be said to have been influenced by their own experience of school, where their child had been educated previously, or what matches the idea of "good' that happens to be in their heads.
Step 3. Adding Additional Features
Of course, the essentials of a laptop are one thing, but we know from experience that additional features also influence customer loyalty. There may be specific tasks that we need the computer to do (such as high-powered video editing) or nice-to-haves that we never knew we needed (such as seamless integration with our phone and headphones).
The same is true of schools. Once a parent has scanned for value and selected the Educational Operating System, they will then look to add more features to the overall experience: learning support, a swimming pool, after school activities, community events and so on. Normally, these features will be enjoyed, even if they were not deemed essential in the first place. That said, in some cases, their absence will sometimes be noted as a reason to revert to Step 2 and reconsider the Educational Operating System all over again.
So what's up with the title and suggestion that we might have got school marketing all wrong?
If what I am suggesting above is even half true, there are three questions we might want to start asking ourselves.
1. Even if I once argued that some parents these days are looking for low cost solutions, this does not mean that we should not take seriously the idea that value is generally perceived when the price is high. So the question is, as long as there are sufficient people in the market who can afford it, why wouldn't we desire to be the most expensive show in town?
2. Whenever we purchase anything, we simplify the range of available options by creating patterns. In the case of schools, these patterns are characterised by Educational Operating Systems that tend to have specific and tangible features associated with them. Rather than ignoring this pattern-seeking tendency, why are we not being more explicit about our Educational Operating System and focusing primarily on those who are keen to be our most loyal fans? Surely, we risk a lot if we try to be all things to all people.
3. Why don't we spend more time helping parents to understand that choosing a school is really as easy as 123? You certainly wouldn't know that from most of the websites out there.
And then, of course, once they have made their decision, the real work begins: continually reminding them that this was a good (even if somewhat arbitrary) choice and turning them into lifelong fans.
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