19. Revealing Stealth Applicants through Inquiry Magnets, with Brendan Schneider

Our guest today is Brendan Schneider. He is the Director of Advancement at Sewickley Academy.  Brendan specializes in independent school admission with a strong focus on inbound marketing, social media, and lead nurturing for schools. He is a guest lecturer on marketing at Columbia University. 

In this episode, Brendan shares how using an inquiry or lead magnet can help to build trusting relationships with prospective parents so that they become direct contacts for the school rather than “stealth applicants” who are likely to be lost before the school’s message is effectively delivered. He gives specific strategies for schools to attract leads, connect with leads, and convert leads. Brendan talks about how the process of “filling the funnel” with potential applicants has changed, and how a school must understand their marketing strategy in order to correctly target their “right fit” prospects.

Listen and take note of how to build relationships with parents in order to move them toward the goal of a campus visit.

Quotes:

17:10 “Back in the day, schools tried to be all things to all people, and that just doesn't work in most markets.”

20:20 “Those emails (to prospective parents) have to include your core message, what you stand for, and what differentiates you.”

31:44 “We need to up our game so that we are consistent with what other brands are doing.”

Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion:

Brendan’s article: 11 Clever Ways to Repurpose Content and Boost Your School’s Reach - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/11-clever-ways-repurpose-content-boost-your-schools-reach-schneider/

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World, by Gary Vaynerchuk

Every Single One of you is a Media Company -https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/every-single-one-of-you-is-a-media-company/

Youtility: Why Smart Marketing is about Help, not Hype by Jay Baer

Pat Flynn - Smart Passive Income https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/

Chris C. Ducker - https://www.chrisducker.com/about/

Where to learn more about Brendan Schneider:

Email - [email protected]

Twitter - @schneiderb and @sewickley

Brendan on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanschneider

Sewickley Academy - sewickley.org

Schneider B Media - https://www.schneiderb.com/

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/