How to get more students to come direct to your ELT business
January 3, 2024
Most ELT businesses in the UK and Ireland rely heavily on agents to send them students in return for some sort of reward, commission, or discount. This has proven to be an excellent source of students for many ELT schools, fostering highly successful and long-lasting contacts and friendships.
However, a common question arises: ‘How do I get more students to come direct to us?’ The answer lies in developing your skills in Direct and Digital Marketing. This approach was personally effective for me during my tenure at Pilgrims Language Courses of Canterbury. I embraced learning by attending practical courses in Direct Marketing, offered by The Institute of Data and Marketing (The IDM), focusing on Direct Mail and Direct Advertising. The result? A significant increase in Pilgrims' percentage of Direct Business by over 150% within 12 months, achieved without impacting our valuable agent relationships and at a much lower cost of recruitment. And yes, it still works today!
The IDM
The IDM has now joined forces with the Data & Marketing Association UK (DMA), serving as the accrediting body for the DMA's training and qualifications. DMA courses, accredited by the IDM, adhere to the DMA Code, promoting best practices and providing clear guidelines for businesses to follow.
DMA offers a range of practical one and two-day masterclasses in both Direct and Digital Marketing, covering topics such as:
- Successful email campaigns
- Increasing direct bookings from websites
- Direct press advertising
- Comprehensive guide to Google Analytics & SEO
For those unsure where to start, I recommend contacting Mark Colhoun at the IDM (Phone: 020 861 40227 or Email: mark.colhoun@theidm.com). Please mention my referral, as I have briefed Mark on the specifics of the ELT sector in the UK and Ireland and how the DMA can be a valuable resource.
Note: I have no commercial arrangement with either the DMA or the IDM.
For more information and course descriptions, visit The Institute of Data and Marketing.
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