Intelligent Market IntelligenceMaking a difference in the effectiveness of an

international student recruitment and global marketing

initiative.

Pamela Barrett

CEO & Director, Barton Carlyle

©All material strictly copyright Barton Carlyle 2016

Market Intelligence: Fit

External Forces:Global Student Mobility

Education system dynamics

Economic conditions

Immigration/visa regulations

Student choice

Technology

Rankings

Competition

Internal Forces:Culture of Institution

Resources

Curriculum

Reputation & rankings

Technology Infrastructure

Internationalization goals

Staff capability/experience

International StrategyMarketing/branding

Partnerships

Recruitment Plan

Metrics

Communications

Purpose of Market Intelligence

Understanding…….. …Market choice

• New market entry, apportionment

…The markets we are in• Competitive space, opportunity, scalability

…Who our “customers” are • Segmentation

…Decision-making behaviour• Impact of recruitment channels

…Building market intelligence resources• Embed intelligence as a core deliverable of

your office

Purpose of Market Intelligence: Measurement

Using data and business intelligence Ensuring coherence of strategy Measuring retention: application,

enrollment through completion Understanding stakeholder

satisfaction and student outcomes Measuring impact of agent

networks and other channels Understanding cost of recruitment Understand student choice and

satisfaction

Pop Quiz: Ready, Willing and Able

Ready? Does your institution have…..

• An international strategy and recruitment plan

• Clarity around priority of recruitment markets

• Planning, target-setting cycles which include market research inputs

• Staff assigned to market intelligence function

• Resources/budget for market research

Pop Quiz: Ready, Willing and Able

Willing? Does your institution have……

• Commitment to forward-looking strategy?

• Leadership who agree that staff should spend time on market research?

• Ways of engaging agents/international representatives in understanding markets?

• Subscriptions/access to market research resources?

• Group/committee who review(s) market research, or involvement of institutional research in international team?

Pop Quiz: Ready, Willing and Able

Able? Does your institution have……

• Staff resources with training/experience in market research?

• Agreed metrics to measure success, track behavior in markets and systems to provide these?

• Annual or regular prospect and decliner studies?

• Research on brand footprint and competition in markets?

• A costed, funded market research plan?

RWA: Scorecard

Willing

1

2

3

4

5

Able 1

2

3

4

5

Your totals

Ready: /25 Willing: /25 Able: /25

Ready

1

2

3

4

5

Market Intelligence routines

When?

• Ongoing, regular commitment and special projects• Regular, consistent understanding to map

trends

• New market entry projectsHow?

• From your desk • (Secondary research)

• Out in the markets/with students & influencers• Using in-country resources

Market Intelligence practice

New Market Entry

Find Proxy indicators for:• Propensity to Afford

• Propensity to Choose

• Competition

• Accessibility/availability of channels

Market Intelligence practice

Primary research tools• Decision-making analysis

• Perception research

• Satisfaction measurement

• Decliner studies

• Sentiment analysis

• Agent Surveys

Market Intelligence: Student Surveys

• Whole population survey• Relevant questions• Surveying all aspects of the

student experience• Granular information to compare

and understand different groups• Opportunities to benchmark for

comparison• Analysis of key drivers

What we should be looking for: Example: The International Student Barometer (ISB)

Established in

2005Implemented by

1400institutions

Used in

30countries

Feedback from almost

2.3 millionstudents

www.i-graduate.org or www.bartoncarlyle.com

Market Intelligence practice

Secondary Research• Regular research routines

• Sources and Subscriptions

MARKET INTELLIGENCE

Ongoing Research Tools

Market Intelligence practice

Asset Libraries

• Builds institutional knowledge

• Tangible evidence base

• Updateable

Market Intelligence: Market SummariesDate of Market Summary and revision number

Region/Country

Market Status:(eg priority market, developmentmarket)1 Country Background/Environment 1.1 Historical, legal, political, economic data relevant to international education

1.2 Education system and qualification equivalencies1.3 Recent events and key trends1.4 Summary of market insight for this country1.5 Summary of our objectives for and activity in this market

(most recent visits and link to visit reports)1.6 Admissions assessment of potential of this market, challenges, barriers and opportunities and rationale

2 Enrollments 2.1 Enrollment data for students from Country X to major host countries (UK, USA, Australia, other) popular institutions and courses for students from Country X

2.2 Enrollment data for students from Country X to our university and assessment of market share total numbers of international students from Country X at our university; recent trends in student numbers from country X at our university (3 years); Subjects and levels of study of students from Country X at our university.

3 Competitor Information 3.1 Information regarding our key competitors in country(eg Presence and information about use of agents, pricing, off-shore campuses, major links, agent tie-ups)

3.2 Insight from our agents and/or overseas offices4 Student Travel issues 4.1 Information regarding any specific travel issues for students from Country X and visa restrictions, special

immigration regulations5 Visit issues 5.1 Information regarding any specific travel issues eg visas for staff travelling to Country X (eg travel advice,

hotels, University policies, currency exchange sites)5.2 Sources of information for Suffolk staff visiting Country X (general information about Country X)

Market Intelligence: Scenario Planning

“Scenario planning is…..about understanding the…environment and the nature of the risks that environment can give rise to…..”

“Insights gained… should equip organisations to recognize and respond to significant emerging threats and opportunities, building enhanced…competitiveness, resilience and agility”

KPMG Australia https://www.kpmg.com/AU/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/Manage-the-future-through-scenario-planning-v3.pdf

Market Intellignce: Scenario Planning

1. Map basic trends and driving forces2. Find key uncertainties3. Describe critical and unpredictable driving forces4. Distill to two forces/factors5. Identify factor extremes and check for plausibility6. Map these onto an x/y axis7. Define scenarios

Be careful about how you develop scenarios:http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/strategy/the_use_and_abuse_of_scenarios

http://monitor.icef.com/2014/02/beyond-forecasting-how-to-use-scenario-planning-to-map-the-future/

Market Intelligence: Futurecasting

Possible TopicsDisruption to potential student flowsImpacts of technologyRise of market entrants and/or competitor disruptionPathway provision impacts on ESL market?

http://monitor.icef.com/2014/02/beyond-forecasting-how-to-use-scenario-planning-to-map-the-future/

Icef.com/beyondthehorizon

Pamela Barrett, Director Barton CarlyleE: pamela@bartoncarlyle.comT: (44) 7788 600 388www.bartoncarlyle.com

Follow me on Twitter (@bartoncarlyle), or connect on LinkedIn.

THANKS

For your participation!