TOP TIPS FOR RUNNING CONSUMER RESEARCH

• Identify the imperatives for undertaking the exercise

• Gain consensus from the management team all the way through

• Work through appropriate research modules

• Gain a comprehensive and robust range of insights

• Ensure you gain responses to consistent questions so that you can analyse like for like across all the varying groups and respondents

• Inform respondents and the wider community of the outcome at your main competitor schools’ websites and using publicly available knowledge from which to compare their messaging and features to what stakeholders have said about them. This will allow you to build an overall comparison between them and your school.

• Finally, enjoy the process itself!

4.Analyse the research findings

When these research modules are complete, analyse the findings to see the themes and insights that emerge consistently and will form the basis of discussion and a hypothesis for your brand definition.

It may be that the way the participants in the different research modules define your brand confirms what you originally thought about your school, which provides useful reassurance. Alternatively, the feedback may be different to your original vision, in which case you will want to work through this to understand the rationale.

It is highly likely that you will find that the words the research participants use to describe your school will also apply to other schools. Due to the number of schools in the sector, this is inevitable! You only need to look through the various residential and county magazines to see the same school brand definition messages repeated time and again. However, do not despair.

This is the junction in the road – and the next stage is possibly the most important of all.

5.Find the ‘reasons to believe’

The task of the brand definition team is now to ensure that your school has enough evidence to support the brand perception that has emerged from the list of insights and to convert this into a brand definition which has integrity by virtue of the ‘reasons to believe’. The reasons to believe need to map over the tangible proof secured through the research exercise which renders the brand definition valid and has the power to bring it to life and make it memorable in the heads of parents.

If you believe you have that proof, then head straight down that well-lit road with confidence and at speed to deliver your brand. A well-supported brand definition will have the power to endure and weather adverse conditions. Conversely, if there isn’t enough supporting evidence, take to the next lay-by and reconsider your insights and find the brand truths that really can be supported with evidence before you continue on the journey to the ultimate definition.

Feedback

By involving the key members of the management team in this process you will have reached consensus and brought the school community with you, enlisting everyone’s views. You don’t have to take them all on board but in the case of the wider group of stakeholders, you must feedback shortly after undertaking the exercise.

Inform them of the essence of your findings and how this valuable input will help to shape the future of the school, creating an even stronger brand and a better education that they will be proud to be part of and willing to recommend to their friends and family, ensuring the school is fighting fit and future-facing. ●

CAROLYN REED is the founder of Reed Brand Communication, a marketing consultancy that advises schools on defining and communicating their brand. www.reedbc.co.uk