Connor Associates - Objectivity, transparency and a collaborative spirit
Our goal is simple: We work towards the advancement and fulfillment of your mission.
What we do
    COMMUNICATE VALUE

  • Institutional brand identity and messaging
  • Constituent and community market research
  • Get the school into the community; community into the school
  • PR: Traditional and Social Media Setup and Maintenance
  • Everyone's role in outreach, enrollment, and retention
  • Demonstrating Value and Vision
  • Institutional and marketing strategic planning
    ADVANCE ENROLLMENT and DEVELOPMENT

  • Sophisticated Psycho-Demographic Research to develop new markets
  • Admisson funnel and process analysis to increase inquiries, conversions, and yields
  • Admission / Development / Communications Office Assessment
  • Admission and retention audits
  • Develop new income streams
  • International programs
  • Professional development and coaching
    GO BEYOND SUSTAINABILITY TO FINANCIAL RESILIENCE

  • Improve financial management and planning
  • Assess Business Office operations
  • Strategic financial goal-setting, including philanthropy and enrollment
  • Decrease debt and increase endowment
  • Financial modeling
  • Risk management and regulatory compliance
    



What clients are saying
You always do such a great job for our schools: glad to have you in the field!

Pat Bassett, President
National Association of Independent Schools
Washington, DC

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How we do it

Our comprehensive four-step process is designed to ensure that your school becomes and remains viable for the long haul. Able to adapt. Thrive. Become RESILIENT, not just sustainable, so you can capitalize on the unexpected.

 

 

But what if you just need a short-term objective point of view on your situation from an experienced administrative and advancement professional?

 

Step 0

Start with a presentation and hands on workshop at your school, Resilient Students, Resilient Schools, led by Mike Connor. This session for senior administrators and trustees at independent schools looks at external trends, examines internal environment, and engenders understanding and enthusiasm for everyone's role in outreach, retention, and creating relevance, visibility, and value.

The cost is minimal. The risk is non-existent. The value is immense.  Call it "Step 0." Some schools use this workshop to get a blueprint that will enable them to move ahead on their own. Most continue with Connor Associates as a collaborative ally, and for good reason.
 

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Step 1

Conduct Demographic/Psychographic Research to Increase Inquirers and Donors
GOAL: Identify and convert new allies and open new markets.

Establish a market profile by segmenting the geo-demographic, social, and lifestyle clusters of current and past families and alumni to insure that you re-create new sources of revenue. Increase diversity. Identify donors. Understand shifting markets. Rank potential matches in priority order that will provide the greatest return on your investment in marketing.
 

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Step 2

Conduct Assessment of Internal Stakeholders, Marketing, and School-wide Financial and Administrative Effectiveness
GOAL: Create a Resilient and Flexible School, and Channel the Power of Internal Marketing and Organizational Alignment.

Every employee of an organization and every Trustee has a critical stake in student and faculty recruitment, retention, philanthropy, and the success of the mission. Today, evidence of value and relevance is critical. The value proposition is based on return on investment, innovation, customer service, and cost-consciousness -- and this is what drives positive word of mouth. Understand how your internal community evaluates this. Understand what your administrative structure tells your internal and external communities about what you value.

Word of mouth is an organization’s most credible and consistently successful marketing tool. Word of mouth starts inside the organization. For schools, effective internal marketing is responsible for up to 80% of new enrollment.

Step 1 looks at financial and administrative operations, personnel, policies, procedures, budgeting, curriculum, communications, and more to ensure that compelling internal marketing is powering enrollment, retention, and fundraising.
 

 

 

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Step 3

Conduct Brand Identity (Image) Audit
GOAL: Listen confidentially to those you serve and seek to serve.

Listen independently. Objectively. Understand deeper factors that affect enrollment and reenrollment decisions. Understand what your current and potential customers and referrers value, how they see you, and what they need. There are over 20 potential constituent groups and you need to know what they are thinking. Understand the relationship among marketing, image, and your finances. Build and strengthen relationships. Discover community partnerships that will enhance curriculum. Build evidence of value. Bring the organization together using an objective external perspective.

 

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Step 4

Planning and Implementation
GOAL: Inspire action that measurably advances the mission.

Steps 1-3 generate synergy, energy, and momentum. Step 4 capitalizes on that momentum to clarify “Who we are, What we stand for, Why it matters, and Where we’re headed.” Clarify the relationship of financial condition to institutional goals for planning, fundraising, and resilience. Step 4 insures personal ownership of the mission, culminating in institutional strategic planning and implementation, and covering everyone's role in making it happen.

 

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