It’s incredibly difficult for Bursars to approve marketing budgets.
Not because they don’t want to invest — but because, in their words:
“I don’t know what I don’t know. I’m not a marketer.”
So they’re left trying to judge:
- What should be in the budget
- What shouldn’t
- And how much is actually reasonable
All while being asked by Governors to run lean and make every penny count.
Worry not.
Here are 3 critical questions Bursars and marketing teams can explore together when reviewing a budget:
- Where are enquiries actually coming from?
Strong marketing teams are increasingly able to show:
- Which channels are generating enquiries
- Which sources bring the best-fit families
- Is there a clear strategy guiding this?
The strongest plans are simple and focused.
You should be able to see:
- A clear goal (e.g. pupil numbers, enquiry growth)
- Activity aligned to that goal
- Measures of success everyone understands
-
Are the enquiries turning into quality ‘right fit’ enrolments?
Together, teams can look at conversion data to highlight this:
- % of enquiries → visits
- % of visits → offers → enrolments
When this is in place, budget conversations become much easier.
All are crucial in ensuring effective Return On Investment (ROI).
Bottom line:
Marketing isn’t a discretionary extra.
It’s a key driver of future income and long-term stability.
The question isn’t:
“Can we afford to invest?”
It’s:
“How do we invest with confidence?”
Get in touch to discuss more ways you can improve your school’s marketing & admissions.