From The Marketing Side
2014 , from 3.4 million to 3.6 million . The projection for total elementary and secondary school teachers from 2014 to 2026 is an increase of 6 % to 3.8 million , also spread over 12 years . If you are forecasting an increase in sales , you cannot accrue much of it to an increase in student enrollment or the size of the teacher work force .
Your Fiscal Year vs School Fiscal Years
Most districts and schools have a fiscal year that runs from July 1 to June 30 but most school marketing companies have a fiscal year that runs from January 1 to December 31 . This difference in fiscal years complicates the forecasting process .
Data gathered by School Market Research Institute ( SMRI ) over the years suggests that many school marketers receive the largest portion of their revenues in their second and third quarters ( from April 1 to September 30 ). Translate this into the school fiscal year and schools are making their greatest purchases in those quarters that mark the beginning and end of their fiscal year . This makes sense as school administrators are spending the most when they have a new budget or when they need to bring their budgets to zero at the end of their fiscal year .
This phenomenon is evident from SMRI ’ s quarterly survey of school supply companies . Consider the chart shown here , illustrating the change in sales experienced by school supply
companies over their last three fiscal years . The change in sales was identical for each quarter of 2015 and 2017 . In 2016 , the changes in sales were within 2 % in the first quarter , 1 % in the second and third quarters and equal to 2015 and 2017 in the fourth quarter .
Marketing Genius
Now consider your position as a school marketer in making your forecast . Your most impressive sales growth is most likely to come in your second and third quarters . Your first and fourth quarters are most likely to be the least impressive . It is tough to look like a marketing genius given these conditions .
In making your sales forecast , these are some of the factors to reconcile . There are also new opportunities in the form of new products and existing products translated to a new media .
Identify the key factors that drive your sales . Then build your sales forecast piece by piece . Adjust your forecast quarterly instead of weekly . While sales history is an important indicator of how the year will unfold , it is not in and of itself a predictor of future sales .
You can participate in SMRI ’ s Quarterly Survey of School Marketers . Only participants receive the results of the survey . Simply go to http :// www . smriinc . com / survey . html to sign up .
3D
RENDERINGS
Design Matters .
Like students , every learning or childcare space is unique . Jonti-Craft can help you create a learning environment to accommodate curriculum , activities , age range , and a host of other factors that impact room layout and design . www . jonti-craft . com / roomdesign 800.543.4149
BOB STIMOLO , EDmarket ’ s Official School Market Consultant , is President of School Market Research Institute a full service marketing and research firm . SMRI provides direct mail and email lists and services exclusively to school marketers . To learn more go to www . smriinc . com or contact
Kathleen Bill at 800-838-3444 x201 .
8 essentials | fall 2018