A "Plan to Win" School Marketing Strategy During Uncertainty
Can the “Plan to Win” strategy inform school marketing strategies? Skinner said, “I told people, never, ever take the Plan to Win down and leave it down—do whatever it takes to replace it“. People might see that and think, ‘Oh, Plan to Win’s down. There must be a change strategically.’”
Who is Skinner and why does it matter? Do you recognize Big Mac? Or Quarter Pounder with Cheese? You guessed it – the golden arches brand of McDonald’s. As McDonald’s CEO, Skinner spearheaded McDonald’s growth through the recession. His “Plan to Win” marketing strategy was relentless – it kept the corporation focused despite global economic shifts. They incorporated the 5 P’s into the strategy to serve as guardrails from the top to the bottom of the organization – People, Products, Place, Price, and Promotion.
What Does McDonald’s Have to do With Schools?
Why is the McDonald’s story important? Many smaller organizations make the mistake of not formalizing their school marketing strategies. For other schools, if the marketing plan IS formalized, they give in to the temptation to cut the marketing budget when difficulties arise.
You might be saying to yourself – “Well, we are not McDonald’s, and our pockets are not deep. ” Guess what? McDonald’s was once a one location hamburger shack, a mom and pop store, until someone came along with a bigger vision and… a marketing strategy that they stuck to.
Whether you are a one school organization or a multi-school corporation, school marketing strategy matters. If you have the right plan, with the 5 P’s in place, the right messaging will motivate the right people to enroll at your schools.
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About Elevate Education Marketing: We are a full service education advertising and marketing agency located in Phoenix, AZ. For over 15 years, we have been helping educational organizations grow. Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more school marketing strategy insights. You can also stay connected on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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