Education Expos – Necessary or Extinct?

An interview with Will Zhang, EduGlobal Marketing Manager – Events about the shifting but important role of education events.

Do you think education expos are important for international student recruitment?
Yes they are very important. They provide hands-on experience for institution representatives wanting to connect with their student market. It is also very important for students and parents as well. Even though lots more information is available online these days Chinese people still want to be able to talk to people face to face to discuss something as serious as overseas education. Education events offer them this inopportunity.

What are the biggest challenges - for both institutions and agents – in holding education roadshows in China?
For institutions the biggest challenges are in differentiating themselves from other institutions with similar programs also in attendance as well as managing their expectations. Too many institutions have unrealistic expectations about direct student recruitment numbers from events. The challenge is putting events into perspective. Realizing that it is about more than direct recruitment, its about face time with students, raising brand awareness and ensuring that they maintain a place in student mindset.

For agents the biggest challenge at the moment is intense competition among agents competing for student attendance and attention. All agents like to hold education events around peak recruitment seasons and therefore students have a variety of event choices making my job challenging. The aim is to differentiate EduGlobal’s events through unique value-added offerings.

Who really attends these education events?
We mainly see secondary school students attending because they at the critical point of thinking about their higher education options. However we are starting to see a lot of junior school students and their parents attending events to explore opportunities for overseas schooling prior to higher education. I have to point out that the majority of students attending education events in China come with their parents (even sometimes the parents attend without the student). This is because sending their child overseas to study is the most important decision (both financially and socially) for their family so they actively participate in all stages of the decision making process.

What role do you think education events play in the broader international marketing scope for an institution?
I think events play a “face to face” role in the marketing strategy for an institution. It is important to get the essentials right like a Chinese language website and marketing materials, a strong agent network and training programs for counselors. But I think events allow institution representatives to gain invaluable contact with students and parents. It is also a good way to get first-hand market intelligence.

What advice would you give an institution who is taking part in an education roadshow for the first time?
First of all they need to be properly prepared. They should have a Marketing Banner and brochure in Chinese. They should always make sure they ask for a translator to help when talking to Chinese parents who often don’t speak English.

The critical point I want to stress is to be mentally prepared. That is, events allow institutions to gain brand awareness in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Institution who expect instant rises in recruitment numbers directly from events will be disappointed. It takes time to build up reputation and interest from Chinese students. However it is important to still attend events as part of a bigger and long-term marketing agenda.