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Diane Weisz Young, Program Officer, Educational Advising, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
John Williamson, Executive Director-Boarding School Division, Linden Education Services
Diane and John drew on rich professional experience to
cover the basics of marketing to international families but also touched upon
recommendations valuable for the experienced admission road warrior. Do you
want to make your international marketing activities more effective and effi cient?
Here are some great pointers:
- Check the country database on www.educationusa.tv/countryfactsheets
(Username: EdUSA09 and Password: highered). The database includes
profi les of over 150 nations – including education systems, grading scales,
best times for visits, major college fairs, adviser/center contact information
and more. Although established for use in college admission programs, day
and boarding schools will also fi nd the site helpful.
- Utilize the 400 EducationUSA advising centers as resources for advice on
preparing for your fi rst visit to a country or to improve a second or third visit.
- Establish a specifi c marketing plan for international
families that recognizes their interests and needs. Is the
school web site clear that your school wants to
welcome international families? Do you show that you
are sensitive to their special needs? Is the site easy to
navigate for a visitor who has English as a second or
third language? Do you offer a translated message
for at least the introduction? How easy is it to contact
the admission offi ce? Do you give a personal
response, or a generic version that covers everyone
everywhere?
- Make all communications (web, email, phone
messages and print materials) as region-/countryspecifi
c as possible. For example, a “boarding school” in Brazil is a place
for poor children; in this case, using “residential school” might be more
appropriate. Also, hand-written notes are very powerful; use a “sticky note”
to identify something in a brochure that will be of special interest to the
international family.
- For a family who visits from a great distance, don’t forget that you owe them
a very carefully planned appointment!
 
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