Like the international aid industry, (Australian) international education has spawned a massive parallel marketing empire and a huge offshore travel industry from institutional personnel…
As an agent and marketing person I have never been privy to marketing strategies nor discussion of marketing with Australian international personnel, except for travel plans...... carrying out ”direct communications marketing” for ”short term selling” offshore…
Feedback or questions from international personnel include:
When is the next fair in your region we can travel to?
Great news we have got approval to travel!
We would like to meet and go through our brochures with you....
If we used the internet we would not need to travel.....
Australian institutions could possibly spend in region of minimum AUD50 million annually on travel, fairs, seminars, events, Austrade consulting/advice, hotels and daily allowances.
Are the (generally public) funds used effectively? Has anyone within this industry ever analysed for effectiveness or is it just a given?
”I got 5 applications so I can return to Country x again next year..yippee…(did they turn into actual candidates?)
How many institutions and related international personnel actually ”market” in true sense of the word?
Has any institution a clear marketing (including virtual) strategy in writing including the following elements?
This includes:
Desk research, prospective, existing student (and alumni) satisfaction feedback surveys, research and analysis of prospective and existing students awareness of Oz ( state, city, region and institutuion), evaluation of offshore fair and seminar activity e.g. numbers of enquiries to apps to offers to CoE to starters (versus starters direct and via agents all year round), analysis of direct enquiries and web traffic, benefits and incentives available for students and agents, most effective channels for enquiries and applications that come through, diversity of student population from diverse markets, cooperation with onshore and offshore communities, joint marketing with state tourism, education, business and migration bodies, personnel trained in marketing and internet, etc.
Most international personnel (desperately) seek to insert themselves in process of offshore marketing and recruitment, while ignoring fact that most effetcive marketing occurs onshore from within their institution and local community.
Those involved in international recruitment and ”marketing” who do not take on good marketing practice, ignore internet and continue to travel will become redundant…..if not already....