Part 1 — Marketing & Admissions mini-series ft Stickman Marketing

When pupil numbers start to feel “soft”, the risk is waiting until the next cycle confirms the problem. In part one of our two-part mini-series on marketing and admissions, we focus on the leading indicators schools often miss — and the practical routines that help marketing and admissions work as one team to improve conversion and protect retention. This episode is designed for bursars and business managers first, with clear operational takeaways for heads and governors. Part two is out next week and tackles the question: how to get the school’s key messages out clearly and consistently. What we coverThe leading indicators schools miss when numbers start to softenThe core funnel metrics: enquiries → visits → applications → offers/enrolmentsHow marketing and admissions align around one shared conversion goalA simple meeting rhythm to review data, assign owners, and act fastMystery shopping the admissions journey to see what families experienceWebsite as the digital shop front: where conversions are won or lostWhy retention belongs on the same dashboard as recruitment Practical takeaways Run recruitment as a monitored pipeline, not a seasonal effort.Agree one shared funnel view and review it routinely.Test the enquiry journey and fix friction quickly. LinksMore from Stickman: https://thestickmanconsultancy.co.uk/Free recruitment healthcheck: https://thestickmanconsultancy.co.uk/free-health-check/ Next weekPart two: Messaging — what to say, where to say it, and how to make it consistent across the school. DownloadsDownload the one-page action plan on the website: https://theeducationperiscope.com/ More supportIf you want focused consulting and support, John and Elise offer a range of services for the Independent Education Sector. Contact them via:John: john@johnsshed.co.ukElise: elise@lumineer.ukPodcast: ahoy@theeducationperiscope.comWebsite: https://theeducationperiscope.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.