Our school clients tell us that the BBSW is the market leading event and one they can't afford to miss. The events sell out in less than 2 hours, a whole year in advance, which is testament to their popularity!
"The BBSW should be an essential part of your recruitment strategy" Head of Marketing & Development
The Workshop is probably the most cost-effective and time-efficient way of establishing quality agent contacts around the world. At each live event there are more than 100 agents recruiting from over 50 different countries. It would take years to visit all of these countries on a school's marketing budget!
The Workshop is not just an event, it is a community. As the organisers, we foster a friendly atmosphere which is conducive to an effective and fun working environment which creates successful partnerships based on mutual respect and co-operation.
Our small, experienced team get to know the delegates via regular correspondence leading up to the event and can give them a personalised welcome on arrival. Suzanne Rowse, Director of the company, has more than 20 years' experience of working in the boarding schools' school and is well placed to help you get the most out of the event with advice on which markets to target for yoru type of school, which agents to meet and the practical matters of what to bring and how to prepare.
"Since I started this year as Director of Admissions, the BBSN team have been a very important source of information. They are all so welcoming and keen to help - it feels like a team effort between schools, agents and the BBSN."
It is a well-known fact that people work best with those they 'know, like and trust'. Getting to know people via the scheduled meetings provides the foundations for developing successful partnerships based on mutual trust and understanding. The social opportunities provided at the lunches, drinks receptions and dinners enable delegates to really get to know and like each other. Over the years, strong friendships have developed which makes the BBSW have a family, community feel.
"The BBSW was a fantastic first step into the world of overseas recruiting for me as a new Registrar. It provided me with a great opportunity to meet agents from around the world and through the seminars gain a real insight into the education system in several other countries. I made firm friends in the BBSN team whom I will be able to call on for help and advice should I need it."
The Workshops were set up in 2006 by Suzanne Rowse, who had previously worked as the Marketing Manager at a boarding school for 8 years. She believed schools needed an event like this to facilitate the recruitment of overseas boarders. Suzanne now has more than 20 years' experience of boarding schools marketing and is a regular conference speaker and trainer on international marketing strategy.
The success of the event depends on ensuring there is a good match of agents and schools. We have a rigorous application process and accept agents who are knowledgeable about the schools' market and committed to recruiting students for British schools.