A 10-Point Guide to Engaging Parents Through Personas

Parent personas can be a game-changer for schools looking to improve their marketing and connect with families on a deeper level. By figuring out what drives prospective parents—their needs, motivations, and behaviors—you can create messaging, content, and even website designs that really hit home. This checklist is packed with practical tips to help you build personas that work, whether you’re aiming to bring in new students or strengthen your school’s bond with the community. It’s all about making sure your efforts match what families are looking for!

10-Point Checklist for Creating a Parent Persona:

1. Name

Assign a specific name to the persona to make it relatable and easy to reference within your team.

Example: Emily

2. Label

Create a concise label summarising the persona’s key characteristics to contextualise their role.

Example: 'Involved Emily'

3. Demographic Characteristics

Capture key details such as age, marital status, and family structure to give the persona a clear identity.

Example: 38, married, working part-time, with two children aged 5 and 8

4. Goals or Motivations

Define the persona’s goals in selecting a school, using narratives where possible. Understand what drives them.

Example: Emily seeks a nurturing environment for her 5-year-old and diverse extracurricular options for her 8-year-old. She values schools that promote individual attention and holistic development.

5. Challenges and Pain Points

Summarise the potential barriers and concerns that might influence decision-making. Address these challenges with actionable insights and key messages.

Example: Emily finds it challenging to balance affordability, proximity, and high-quality education. She worries about ensuring her children’s differing needs are met.

6. Decision-Making Behaviors

Analyse how the persona approaches decisions, including their pace and preferred sources of information.

Example: Emily takes a methodical approach, relying heavily on peer recommendations, school reviews, and transparent communication from schools.

7. Information Needs

Identify the specific details the persona needs to make informed choices, tailoring content to meet those needs.

Example: Emily requires information on class sizes, teacher credentials, curriculum, extracurricular opportunities, and tuition costs.

8. Platform Usage

Understand how the persona interacts with digital platforms and devices to access school-related information.

Example: Emily uses her desktop computer for in-depth research but relies on her smartphone to browse social media pages and communicate directly with schools.

9. Customer Journey Maps

Map out the stages of the persona’s decision-making journey to guide content creation and engagement strategies.

Example: Emily starts by researching online, visits open house events, and compares shortlisted schools, focusing on curriculum and extracurricular offerings

10. Perceptions

Identify how the persona views your school, competitors, and the value of particular programs or services. Consider using perceptual maps to organise insights.

Example: Emily values schools that demonstrate strong academic results, clear communication, and active community involvement.

That wraps it up! I hope this checklist provides helpful inspiration for enhancing your personas and making them more impactful. While I haven’t covered how to research personas here, we will offer a separate guide on the topic.