AEI Case Study

Teaching Seminar at North Fulton Chamber of CommerceB. Zachary Bennett was teaching a four hour class on how to utilize social media as a business at the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce for SCORE. After the lecture was completed, the president of Atlanta English Institute (AEI) approached and requested a meeting. With changes in the immigration landscape on the horizon, AEI (an ESL school) needed to find a professional marketing agency to help them prepare and perfect their student recruitment and admissions process. DISCOVERY

STAGE ONEIDENTIFY Stage One: IdentifyBeginning the first stage, we completed our Brand ID workshop and discovered the founder’s original visions for the school, their history, how they were different from other ESL training institutions, the personality of the school, and who their target audience(s) were, and more.

Consumer ResearchThe school has multiple target audiences including: prospective international students, prospective state-side students, teachers, and the accreditation boards. Focusing on enrollment first, we conducted a "Round Table" focus group session with previous and existing students. We then gained insight about the accreditation boards by interviewing those at the school that interacted with them each year and studying the accreditation requirements. Using these methods, we were able to build accurate and targeted consumer profiles. STAGE TWOLISTEN

Message DevelopmentAfter analyzing the data from Stages One and Two, we determined the company’s message should involve understanding and catering to the international student experience, being located in Atlanta, GA, the school's accreditations, and having dedicated, native speaking teachers. STAGE THREETHINK

STAGE THREETHINK Campaign DevelopmentWe then developed several campaign options to bring the company message to life. The company chose the look and feel that they preferred.

Strategic PlanningWe then developed a strategic marketing plan with several communication options that fell within the client budget and targeted towards the client audience. STAGE THREETHINK

CMO OutsourcingB. Zachary Bennett was hired to lead the school's marketing department. This would include on-going analysis of operations and results, reworking and developing new recruitment processes, real-time decision making, team management, executive representation of the school, and more. STAGE FOURSPEAK

STAGE FOURSPEAK PhotographyWe needed new, professional photography to go with the new campaign. Combined with video shoots, we developed photography of the city, classrooms, teachers, staff, students, and the campus for use in the campaign.

VideographyThe importance of video as a communication tool cannot be overstated. We developed several professional videos for use in web development and social media. STAGE FOURSPEAK

STAGE FOURSPEAK Web DevelopmentA major tool for communicating with their target audience(s) is their website. We redesigned the site using contemporary technology and strategic methods. Including a language translator, we developed the site to speak to what was important to all target audiences based on our previous research during the Straight Line Marketing process..

STAGE FOURSPEAK Social Media Profile Generation & ManagementSocial Media has quickly become an important business communication tool for viability, referrals, and reach. We created multiple social media profiles that were a good fit for the client's target audience. We also began targeted facebook groups for both Alumni and current students. We began creating content for the sites including interacting with industry relative groups.

Point Of Sale/RecruitmentWe redesigned and developed new recruitment collateral materials to be consistent with the new campaign. STAGE FOURSPEAK

Specialized ProgramsWe developed programs and support materials for the following:• Workplace English - a program to provide customer training to international employees at companies around Atlanta• College & University Partnerships - a program to exchange referrals with other schools• Agents - a program to embrace the traditional practice of having commissioned representatives in other countries around the world STAGE FOURSPEAK

Street TeamIn order to take advantage of Atlanta's diverse population and communities, we developed a street team program and support materials to target specific areas of the city. STAGE FOURSPEAK

4 Digital MarketingWith a majority of the world living online, we began to utilize the internet to drive traffic. Elements include:• Google Adwords• Facebook Advertising• SEO/M• HTML EMail Campaigns STAGE FOURSPEAK

2 Tracking, Celebration, and ExpansionWe noted the benchmark information from prior to beginning the Straight Line Marketing process including # of web visitors, # of inquiries, and # of students enrolled. We will use this data to celebrate our successes and course correct any areas that may need tweaking in the future. It will also let us know the areas that we may need to expand after the current sales cycle. STAGE FIVEMEASURE