Making the Most out of Agent Workshops
About Working With Agents A consultancy that helps schools market more effectively to • agents 18 years in international student recruitment • Recruitment experience in all sectors - language, higher • education, summer camps, and high schools Co-founded, built, and sold an award-winning education agency •
Why Workshops? Buyers and Sellers marketplace • Selling hopes and dreams • Agent network building • New beginnings • Int'l ed's “water cooler” •
Workshop providers – by the numbers ICEF • ALPHE • BMI • Study World • WEBA • WYSTC •
ICEF Established in 1991 • First workshop in 1995 in Berlin with 184 agencies & 137 educators • 10 workshops in 2013 with 1662 agencies and 1335 educators • More diverse educators – from language schools to HE and HS • Differentiators – largest workshop provider, agent training courses, • 12 full-time agent screeners)
Canadian educators working with agents (ICEF customer base 2006-2013) Higher Education Secondary / Boarding Language
ALPHE - Established by Study Travel Magazine (formerly Language Travel Gazette) • - First workshop in 1998 in London (ALPHE UK) with 75 agents & 85 educators - 10 workshops in 2013 with 1000 agencies and 770 educators - Also seeing a move to greater diversity in educators - Established ALPHE Secondary due to agent demand - Differentiators – boutique workshop provider, 4 references per agent, 30-minute meetings
BMI Agent Workshop Brazil established in 2002 • Connected to Salao do Estudante student fairs • 1 workshop in Brazil in 2013 with 65 agents and 35 educators • Differentiators – Boutique, Brazil focus, connected to Salao •
Study World Established in 2007 but dates back to 1969 as ARELS • Operated in Brighton and then moved to London with name change • 1 workshop in London in 2013 with 850 organizations (split between • agents and schools) Exclusive to UK language schools then opened up to rest of the world • and then to more diverse educators Differentiators – well established workshop at beginning of the • marketing cycle (shortly after ALPHE UK in early Sept), organizations must be independently accredited, free massages!
WEBA Established in 1988 • First workshop also in 1988 (in Switzerland I believe) with 12 • agencies & 4 educators 27 workshops in 2013 with 1200 agencies and 450 educators • Focus only on HE and HS – several school districts attended last year • Differentiators – small, diverse locations, school presentations to all • agents (meetings arranged after presentations)
WYSTC Established in 1992 • First workshop in Rio de Janeiro 1995 with 400 organizations • Only 1 workshop (conference) per year – changes location every year. • Now has 700 organizations Focus is youth travel (not just educators) – may be appropriate for • summer group programs
Future growth 10-fold growth in 15-20 years • Room to grow further • ITB Berlin: 110,000 industry visitors, 11,000 organizations from 189 • countries
Workshop Objectives What does a successful workshop look like? • Have specific goals (eg. Meet 5-7 proven Russian agents who have • the potential to send me 6-8 students in the next 12-15 months) Remain open to opportunities •
“The Meeting” Limited time... avoid shovelling • Listen more, talk less • Ask the agent specific questions like: • - How long in business? - How many staff? - Your role? - How many years sending high school students to Canada? - Who are your current high school partners? - What makes a great relationship? - Main programs that you sell (AY, summer, short-term etc) - Main characteristics of your clients?
“The Meeting” Tailor your presentation • How many students would you want to aim for in first year? • Brochures – to give or not to give • Set follow up dates • Other techniques – photos •
Follow up Quick thank you - obviously • Timing of detailed follow up more important than speed • Agent contract – just a piece of paper • Intelligent persistence – don't be a stocker though • No responses... when do I give up? Never – but scale back the effort •
Communication • Product Knowledge (P) • Market Knowledge (M) • Empathy (E) Relationship
The 3 stages of an agent relationship Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Prospective Agent: Active Agent: Contracted Agent: “Just a Piece “The Courtship” “Student Arrival” of Paper”
Prospective agent: “the courtship” Prospective Agent “the courtship ” A professional agent will look for a demonstration of the following: Product knowledge – do you know your school and competitors inside out? Market knowledge – do you understand the agent’s market? Empathy – do you care about both?
Contracted agent: “Just a Piece of Paper” Prospective Agent “the courtship ” A signed contract is only a piece of paper: Are you planning to visit at least once per year? Have you actively invited them to the school? Are you setting up Skype training calls with their staff? Are they receiving regular updates (print and digital)?
Active agent: “Student arrival” Prospective Agent “the courtship ” Time to perform: Test student – if this goes well and others will follow No margin for error Keep agent heavily informed of student’s welfare during the first two weeks
Sign up for my newsletter and contact me to discuss your needs: E: charvey@workingwithagents.com • P: 519 830 2600 • Facebook: facebook.com/workingwithagents • Twitter: @WWAConsulting •
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