Three Essential Stages when Designing School Marketing Products

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For most people what first comes to mind when thinking of design is something along the lines of ‘you just make pretty pictures’ or ‘you simply get paid to play with glitter and glue’. Although the aesthetic is an integral part of a designer’s life, there is far more that goes into these creations, and often it involves an empathetic understanding of the client. In our case, it is schools and, most importantly, unearthing the remarkable! Below are the 3 stages a designer goes through in order to create a remarkable design for a school:

Two Graphic Designers working at their Macs

Stage 1: Understand the School

This stage is the most important for design, branding and overall marketing. Even before putting pen to paper it is essential to ensure a brief has been fully understood so that the requirements and objectives of the clients, i.e. the schools, are met precisely. Not everyone has an in-depth comprehension of how design and marketing works. However, in order to meet the requirements of the schools and educational institutions, the right questions must be asked. As there are many types of schools with different needs and wants there are many different questions to be asked. Usually though, these are the common queries that need answering:

  • What is the overall purpose of this project?
  • What are the key messages?
  • Who is the target audience?
  • What is the call to action?
  • What is the tone of voice you want to use?
  • What are the colours that are critical to their brand identity?
  • Who are their competitors?
  • What is the deadline for this project?
laptop with mockup of Bleasedale School website

Stage 2 Unearthing the ‘Remarkable’:

This the the exciting part. It is where we dig deep into the branding, culture and overall feel of the school, specifically what makes your school remarkable. This is how a unique concept for your school can be unearthed and the research process is key!

 

It is all about getting to the heart of the institution. Discovering  what parents and students love about the school they have invested in! There could be a hidden little gem within the school that nobody even knows about and it is this stage of the process where we find it out!

WANDSWORTH HOSPITAL SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY TEACHER WITH PUPIL

Stage 3 Creating the ‘Remarkable’:

So this is the ‘making things look pretty’ stage, but there’s more to it than that.  This part of the process can only happen once stage 1 and 2 have been completed and a strong concept is the pathway to the remarkable finished design. Concepts are the glue that hold everything together in a design. They are what defines every decision we make about how the design will look and feel.

Fundamentally, this stage is where the concept becomes reality; where understanding of the client and the unearthing of the heart of the school now transitions into amazing logos, prospectus, web, branding and marketing.

It is paramount that a concept is carried across every touch point a parent has with a school, whether it is visiting the school website, reading the school prospectus or receiving an email from the school. This will create a clear brand message for your school and will help you stand out from the competition.

A clear comprehension of ‘journey’ that the Schools, Parents and even Students take when viewing the Brand, Marketing and Design of your institutions will guide you through the design process and develop a more empathetic understanding of the schools you are ‘unearthing the remarkable’ for.

This is how great design can represent what is truly remarkable about your school.

High shot of desk with Upton upon Severn Prospectus, spectacles, keyboard and mobile phone

So, now you know, designing is not just about making things look pretty but it is about representing the client, in this case the school’s philosophy and identity.  It is about making sure your school’s values are clearly expressed. It is about making sure the your remarkable story is told!

Blue Apple Education are School Communication and Design Experts. We believe each and every school is remarkable and unique in some way. We see it as our duty to unearth the remarkable, and to convey the essence of this both beautifully and convincingly.   
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We are school communication & design experts

If you want to find out how Blue Apple Education can help you unearth the remarkable in your school you can call us on +44 (0) 330 223 0766 or email us [email protected]

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