Making the Most out of Agent Workshops About Working With Agents A - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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 •