From the beginning of my TESOL career I came to realize that marketing and student outreach was crucial to any international educational program. As I gained experience in teaching students from all over the world, I became acutely aware that cultural schemas were integral to appealing to potential clients. As an International student advisor (ISA) I gained a deeper understanding of the cultural and educational needs and issues of my students. This was and is the key to offering potential TESOL clients, whether they are students, teachers or administrators the kinds of educational experience most effective and satisfying for them. As the Director of a Language Institute, I inherited a program that was losing money and was out-of-touch with the current needs and desires of potential clients. In less than a year, implementing strategies based on my creative understanding of intercultural issues, norms and communication styles, I moved my institute into profitability. I modernized database collection and analysis, I set up a modernized website and social media outreach tools and programs, I aggressively crafted and offered Short Term Programs (STP) on such topics as Business English and English for Engineers and I made my center the only TOEIC testing center in the state. I did not set out to be an ESL Marketing Manager, but after I had turned my Institute around, I was promoted to this administrative position at our central office and was then in charge of all marketing plans for 6 ESL institutes hosted at universities around the country with one in Australia. As such, I handled all agents, internet and web development, the complete redesign of our marketing materials and chaired all meetings with international representatives and in-house marketing conferences.
Following are a few examples of the kinds of things I did as a Marketing Manager to give insight into the kinds of consulting I could offer any program seeking to grow or modernize
Working closely with international students, administrators, agents and programs, both here and abroad, I have gained a wide understanding of how crucial ‘cultural fluency’ is when dealing people from different cultures. Often it is not what is said but how it is said and how it is presented that matters. Because cross-cultural and intercultural issues and content have been the guiding interest in my life, both academically and professionally, I have become proficient at creating and delivering what is often called ‘Cross-cultural Development’ programs or workshops. Often focused on international business, I have been called upon to lead or design seminars and workshops or short term programs that help students develop their ‘intercultural competence’ so as to effectively work with others from different cultures in a positive and mutually beneficial manner. I have also worked with other academics and experts to co-write academic papers on cross-cultural development issues and expand the awareness of how comprehending cultural differences leads to clearer and more productive communication.
