Sharpening the Case for Boys’ Schools – and My School: the Vital Partnership of Admissions, Marketing and Communication

Thursday, May 2 to Saturday, May 4, 2013
Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville, TN

We look forward to welcoming you at Sharpening the Case for Boys’ Schools – and My School: The Vital Partnership of Admissions, Marketing and Communication!

The conference will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 2, and will conclude by no later than 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 4. Registration is “live”, and preliminary information is posted here.

There has long been an interest in a conference aimed at directors of admission in IBSC schools. But, as the conference title suggests, we want to create a still higher level of value and synergy by combining with directors of marketing and/or communication who are so closely allied with the work of the admission office.

We very much hope, therefore, that each school will be able to send at least two people, representing both sides of this vital partnership. This is, we believe, a unique opportunity.

There are two objectives for Sharpening the Case for Boys’ Schools – and My School. First, the program will provide wonderful opportunities to share our best ideas now and to probe common concerns and barriers, all with a sharp focus on the way admissions, marketing and communication work together. Topics include: our smart practices in admission and marketing in boys’ schools; communicating a compelling narrative about the mission and value of boys’ schools; energizing those powerful conversations with parents and boys during the admission process; responding to the challenges of sometimes negative stereotypes about boys’ schools; using the “voice of boys” in the work of admissions and marketing; and building alliances and partnerships across the school community to leverage the message about boys’ schools – and our individual schools.

Our higher ambition for the conference is to embolden and advance the vital partnership of admissions, marketing and communication – to bring a still smarter strategic focus and discipline to the shared work of promoting our schools and building healthy enrolment. How can we map out and navigate a pathway that yields tangible results, using new as well as tried methods? How can we build a consistent philosophy and alignment of message that is lived and breathed from the front desk to the website, from the student guide to the Headmaster? How do we “tame the beast” but unleash the power of social media in reaching our potential markets? What would a disciplined plan or toolkit for the future look like?

To build this larger ambitious framework, we have asked Brad Entwistle, Managing Director of imageseven, to facilitate key sessions of the conference. A leading marketing and communications firm in Australia, imageseven is a global partner of the IBSC. Mr. Entwistle has presented at our annual and regional conferences, and knows our schools very well. We have great respect for his grounded professional expertise. Brad will provide the solid scaffolding and facilitation for these discussions. In preparation for the conference, he will also meet with delegates by webinar to ensure that our time in Nashville is powerfully valuable and fruitful.

Click here to view the flyer for the conference.

If you have any questions about the conference, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Greg Ferrell
Director of Admission
Montgomery Bell Academy
Greg.ferrell@montgomerybell.edu


Brad Adams
Executive Director
IBSC
adams@theibsc.org