Brittany Kirby
HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR ICEF WORKSHOP
EXPERIENCE – FOR EDUCATORS AND
SERVICE PROVIDERS
The ICEF Latin America Workshop – Sao Paulo
September 22 – 24, 2016
Agenda
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● ICEF Workshops
● Pre-Workshop: Choosing Agents
● Pre-Workshop: Preparation
● During the Workshop: Parameters
● During the Workshop: Maximising your Time
● During the Workshop: Cultural Awareness
● Meeting with Agents: Key Data
● Meeting with Agents: Key Questions
● Selling your Institution
● Post-Workshop: Follow-Up
● Post-Workshop: Agreement
● How to Maximise your Working Relationship
ICEF Workshops
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● Premier networking forums with quality pre-screened agents
● 2 days of one-to-one business appointments with relevant and quality
agents
● Meetings serve dual objectives of meeting with new contacts or
maintaining existing relationships
● Workshop meals, refreshment breaks and evening functions offer
further valuable networking opportunities
● ½ day of seminars providing latest updates on industry trends
ICEF Workshops cover the world
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● Occur annually in sixteen locations
around the world
● 2 global workshops,
4 regional workshops,
4 destination focused workshops
2 agent roadshows, 1 agent focus
● Each event focuses on a different
market and attracts participants from
various parts of the world
● Choose the workshop that best suits
your international student
enrolment goals
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Other ICEF Services
● The ICEF Agency Recognition Programme
(IAS): Recognising ICEF-screened and vetted
recruitment agencies, providing quality
assurance for educators
● ICEF Agent Training: Practical, professional
training courses for agency-based
international student recruitment counsellors
● ICEF Monitor (www.icefmonitor.com): A
business development and market
intelligence resource delivering news,
research and commentary for international
student recruitment
● The ICEF Education Fund: Providing support
for selected causes, giving young people
around the world access to education
● CourseFinders for Languages: Website
enabling educators to promote their
institutions to international student visitors
Pre-Workshop: Choosing Agents
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Represent you on a year round basis
Provide you with reliable local market information
Distribute your promotional material regularly
Advertise in targeted local media
Represent you at local fairs and college days
● Marcom eSchedule PRO:
- Update your own eSchedule PRO profile to ensure correct company information can be viewed by agents
- Filter agents by country, programme and date of inclusion
- Review agents profiles on eSchedule PRO to ensure compatibility
- Request appointments and revisit site regularly to secure your meeting slots
- Request more appointments than possible as agents might decline some meeting requests
● Make promotional material available in advance to “confirmed” agents and upload documents to your eSchedule PRO profile
● If possible, provide information in local language
Pre-Workshop: Preparation
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Represent you on a year round basis
Provide you with reliable local market information
Distribute your promotional material regularly
Advertise in targeted local media
Represent you at local fairs and college days
● Familiarise yourself with information applicable to agent country: visa
requirements, education system, admissions requirements, credit transfers
● Design your own agent questionnaire
● Print out a “Meeting Report” version of your eSchedule PRO schedule
shortly prior to the event - agent profile, place for notes
● Bring some sort of filing system
● Bring stapler to fasten business cards to agency description
● Take photos of agents you meet – photos are also in the catalogue, in
Marcom eSchedule Pro and on Marcom Onsite
During the Workshop: Parameters
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Represent you on a year round basis
Provide you with reliable local market information
Distribute your promotional material regularly
Advertise in targeted local media
Represent you at local fairs and college days
● Badges & neck cords (educators blue / agents red / exhibitors purple)
● Workshop catalogues, section index
● 30 minutes business meetings, followed by 5 minutes transfer time
● 30 meetings available
● Meeting hall layout
● Agent message boxes / Messaging function on Marcom Onsite
● “No show” policy / Agent “no selling” rule
During the Workshop: Maximising your Time
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Represent you on a year round basis
Provide you with reliable local market information
Distribute your promotional material regularly
Advertise in targeted local media
Represent you at local fairs and college days
● Use workshop catalogue as resource throughout and after the event
● Schedule additional meetings with your mobile devices using Marcom
Onsite (opt-in required)
● Marcom Onsite also allows you to search for participants, message others,
take meeting notes, report no-shows and access general event information
● Introducing Marcom Onsite:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbAGSSIxPOw
● Any additional meetings booked on-site will automatically appear in your
Marcom eSchedule PRO account
During the Workshop: Maximising your Time
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Represent you on a year round basis
Provide you with reliable local market information
Distribute your promotional material regularly
Advertise in targeted local media
Represent you at local fairs and college days
● If you do not wish to use Marcom Onsite, make sure you are available at
your table early in the morning between 8:30 – 9:00 on both workshop days
in case agents wish to schedule further meetings in person
● Notify ICEF staff when a participant does not show for appointment – ICEF
No-Show policy
● If required, schedule meetings during meals, refreshment breaks, receptions
(eSchedule PRO/Marcom Onsite allows you to unblock these timeslots)
● Invite agents to join you for lunch
During the Workshop: Cultural Awareness
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Represent you on a year round basis
Provide you with reliable local market information
Distribute your promotional material regularly
Advertise in targeted local media
Represent you at local fairs and college days
● Be aware of regional ways of behaviour
● Start & finish your meetings on time - some agents out of consideration may
not interrupt your meeting to let you know they are waiting
● Book additional appointments if you need extra time or utilize refreshment
breaks, lunches, evening functions
● Look out for agents interested in having a meeting with you - some agents
might not approach you in a direct manner
Meeting with Agents: Key Data
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Meeting with Agents: Key Questions
● What is your core business/clientele?
● What geographical area do you cover? Do you have offices in one
location or in several cities / different regions?
● Company structure: How many student counselling staff do you
employ and what are their qualifications?
● Is your agency already sending students to my country / type of
programme and if yes, how many in the last 12 months?
● What other institutions / programmes in my country do you already
represent (#, type, location)?
● How familiar are you with the education system in my country?
● What other services do you currently provide for students (travel,
language training & testing, immigration services…)?
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Meeting with Agents: Key Questions
● How do you promote your agency (website, brochure, education
events, advertising…)?
● What marketing services* do you provide for your partners (arrange
advertising, coordinate visits, participate in recruitment fairs)?
● Other than student recruitment, what business activities does your
organisation engage in?
* services might be at additional costs
Selling your Institution
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● Unique selling points (USP)
● Range of programmes including strengths
● Teaching standards (teacher qualifications, student / teacher ratio,
max. class size, student mix)
● Curricular and extra curricular activities
● Student care & welfare (health, security, special needs)
● Accommodation options
● Location features (climate, travel & recreational options, social life and
cultural background …)
Post-Workshop: Follow-up
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Represent you on a year round basis
Provide you with reliable local market information
Distribute your promotional material regularly
Advertise in targeted local media
Represent you at local fairs and college days
● Establish contact with agents asap after the workshop – remember you are
competing with other educators for the agents’ time and attention
● Keep in touch regularly with updates on your institution and always respond
promptly to agent enquiries and questions
● Invite agents to see your institution
● Conduct agent training (briefings, videos, webinars)
● Create a special agent log-in area on your website
Post-Workshop: Agreement
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Represent you on a year round basis
Provide you with reliable local market information
Distribute your promotional material regularly
Advertise in targeted local media
Represent you at local fairs and college days
Ensure you have a written agreement, outlining:
● Respective roles & responsibilities
● Targets in terms of student numbers and quality
● Compensation model, payment terms
● Cost recovery of marketing and other expenses
● Cancellation Policy / Deposits
● Exclusivity if and when
● Dispute resolution guidelines, legal jurisdiction, limitation of liability
● Duration of contract including termination clauses
● Provide continuous training and constant communication in order for the
agent to accurately represent your institution
● Ensure your agents are part of an integrated marketing plan and leverage
them in your other marketing activities (internet, exhibitions, advertising)
● Encourage agents to visit your school / campus as they will find it much
easier to market an institution they have seen for themselves
● Ensure that the agent’s promotional materials are regularly updated and, if
possible, produced in the representative’s language
How to Maximise your Working Relationship
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● Produce an agents’ handbook including: relevant contact information,
programme descriptions, accommodation options, details of student
services, visa requirements, financial aspects (fees, payment, cancellation
procedures)
● Keep your institution’s profile a priority in the agent’s mind by sending regular
updates on school activities
● Provide agents with financial and non-financial incentives
(i.e. free courses for agent staff, scholarships, organise competitions)
● Ask for and pass on student feedback
● Review your requirements and contracts periodically
How to Maximise your Working Relationship
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Use our official hashtag #ICEF16 to share your
event experiences, pictures or videos on Twitter
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Please visit the ICEF registration and information desk in the foyer at any time
throughout the event.
For further information please see our video tutorial:
www.icef.com/workshops/how-to-maximise-your-workshop-experience
We wish you a successful ICEF Latin America Workshop!
Thank you!
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