The mission
For 60 years, the Institut Linguistique’s proven method has enabled thousands of Quebecers to learn English. Its advertising hook “two-five-four-six-o-one-one” has also made it part of the canon of Quebec television classics. But with the surge in options to learn on one’s own, like mobile applications and online tutors, the family business had to win back lost ground. In Montreal, it needed to reinforce its position as the reference in English teaching, while it faced a new challenge throughout Quebec: stimulating sign-ups to the online program that it had rolled out during the pandemic. The key was to convince people who were not only actively looking for an English course, but also those pondering their career who hadn’t considered the second language as a vector of growth.
The solution
We designed an approach based on four strategic axes. First of all, we focused on authentic content to create close relationships: real students, real teachers and real teaching tools that added up to a sales promise rooted in tangible benefits. Second, we rolled out a media mix that combined out-of-home, TV and digital — and we ceaselessly optimized it to ensure maximum performance with the right targets. Third, we worked meticulously on qualified prospects with a targeted sales pitch adapted to each acquisition channel. Finally, we configured rigorous tracking and studied the marketing data transparently with the client to make informed business decisions.
The result
Thanks to this 360-degree strategy deployed over several years, the Institut Linguistique generated thousands of new sign-ups to its English courses. Year after year, sales climbed 10% while the costs of acquisition fell 11% on average — proof that a disciplined marketing methodology pays off! The Institut’s position as the Quebec leader in language schools was also reinforced thanks to a Google rating that reached 4.3/5, driven by over 900 positive reviews.
“In such a far-reaching marketing deployment, it’s crucial to understand the prospects’ behaviour, especially measuring what works and what doesn’t. Such a strategy lives and evolves with real outcomes.”
Benjamin Dumas-Boisvert
Partner and Vice-President
One of the key levers was the use of a free downloadable English guide as a prospect acquisition incentive. Offered on the website at the end of a visit, its appealing content ended up garnering over 15,000 email addresses. These precious contacts were then reached out to with an automated sequence of reminder emails, a nurturing tool that is both effective and inexpensive.
In parallel, we orchestrated a robust offensive to generate Google reviews and elevate the brand’s credibility. The winning approach? A series of automated text messages encouraging satisfied students to leave testimonials online. This resulted in hundreds of new positive comments that maintained the Institut’s already enviable rating.
The media component obviously also played a big role. On television, in out-of-home, in transit and on the web, a range of advertising creatives were subject to extended testing and continuous optimizations to determine the best combinations for each platform.
Finally, the website was entirely rebuilt with new information architecture, a UX/UI redesign and a new facilitated user journey to maximize conversions. To support SEO, a blog with over 200 short English lessons showcased the Institut Linguistique’s language teaching expertise.
From the acquisition of qualified traffic to the optimization of online conversions, stimulation of sales and promotion of the brand, this vast integrated offensive was continuously measured and optimized. With a strategy developed down to the smallest details, the Institut Linguistique accomplished its mission with success.
“The experts at Prospek were at the heart of the Institut Linguistique’s growth. The school has evolved and modernized more than ever over the past few years thanks to the team’s support. Their different prospect acquisition strategies all had a great positive effect over their implementation. The agency put its know-how to work by proposing a variety of communication channels and tactics adapted to each of our services and clienteles.”
- Simon Collette, Operations Director, Institut Linguistique
