Leveraging the power of print in school marketing
Is your school producing high-quality print content as part of an omni-channel marketing strategy? If so, research shows you’re likely to have an engaged audience, enhanced brand recognition and a high incidence of converting readers to enrolments.
If your print media is looking uninspired, 2024 is the year to make your publications work for your school. Here’s what you need to know:
Surprised?
Australia’s most ubiquitous magazines are produced by corporate brands. Sure, part of their appeal is that they’re free to consumers but it’s in this “gifting” of useful collateral that brands reap the privilege of becoming part of the decor in households and steer the direction of the householder’s next purchase.
Tactility = Trust
The magic of print material is its tactility. There’s luxury in turning high-quality pages, joy in a harmonious design. When you get a publication’s sensory elements right, they contribute to your brand’s relationship with quality and authenticity.
A publication sent to a family home becomes a brand touch-point in their lounge room. On average, Australian households keep magazines within reach for a month, and 56% of people say they always share print material with other members of their household. Even more valuable are the publications people share with their wider networks. There’s nothing more impactful than receiving a book or magazine from someone you trust, who says, “I read this, enjoyed it and thought you would, too.”
What Schools Can Learn from Successful Brand Magazines
Frequency, Value
The monthly publication schedule provides consistently relevant content that is of practical use to its audience.
Implement It
How often does your audience want to hear from you in print? How can you align their preferences with your promotional needs, eg. around Open Days and school events.
High-Profile Contributors
Recipes from Australian culinary icons including Curtis Stone and Stephanie Alexander give the magazine gravitas, while features from Coles shoppers with a passion for food boost community connection.
Implement It
Consider the learned or inspirational people in your community who could contribute content that will resonate with readers.
Cross Promotion that Hits Differently
Products are tied to high-value educational or inspirational content. All items help solve a problem or achieve a goal and solutions are positioned as achievable for the layperson.
Implement It
Position programs and subject offerings within human interest pieces where they naturally fit. For example, craft articles that showcase student/staff achievements through the programs, rather than writing about the programs in isolation.
4. The Furrow
Cultivate Credibility
John Deere’s magazine has been covering farming for 120 years and currently has a readership of 2 million. Brand loyalty is part of what makes the magazine successful as is its positioning of John Deere as the go-to expert on all things agriculture.
Implement It
Consider how you can showcase your school’s educational heritage and establish yourself as a respected authority in specific areas. Collaborating with other institutions or organisations can amplify your impact, as can sharing your insights and expertise through your publications.
Know Thy Audience
Visitors to the famed Smithsonian are interested in history, science, art, culture and innovation and its magazine is a masterclass in taming that potentially chaotic array of subject matter. In any given edition, readers could encounter articles on art fraud, the sustainability of hiking trails or the inner workings of a dog’s brain. Such diversity of subject matter is tempered by an acute understanding of the magazine’s audience, who value academic research and have time to read long-form content.
Implement It
Get curious about your audience. What are their pain points? Where do they find joy? You might find this expands the scope of your magazine content as you seek interesting ways to pair your educational offerings with their interests. Understanding your audience’s preferences can help you tailor your content to better resonate with them, ultimately leading to increased engagement and readership.
References
University of Canberra News and Media Research Centre (2023) Digital News Report: Australia 2023 https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2023-06/apo-nid322606_1.pdf
Roy Morgan (2023) Readership of magazines is up 3.5% from a year ago with increases in readership for all magazine categories https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9397-australian-magazine-print-readership-and-cross-platform-audiences-september-2023
Australia Post, Accenture (2020) Mail’s Role in the Digital Age: Re-evaluating the role of mail in the multi-channel communications mix https://auspost.com.au/content/dam/auspost_corp/media/documents/mails-role-in-the-digital-age-research-report.pdf
