An education agent or agency is a business that provides support to students when searching for universities and colleges to attend. Education agents help aspiring students choose the right universities and programs, submit applications on their behalf, and apply for study visas, and other services.
Available statistics show that the education agency industry is indeed a thriving industry in Australia and the government reports that the country’s 693,750 international students were worth AUS$35.2 billion to the Australian economy and supported 240,000 jobs in 2018.
International enrollments grew by 11.4 percent from 2017 to 2018 across all sectors, and the higher education sector experienced the most growth (14.4 percent).
Steps to Write an Education Agent Business Plan
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Executive Summary
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency is a registered education agency that will be located in Western Parkland City, Sydney and we have been able to secure all the necessary permits for our facility. Justin Johnson™ Education Agency is a client-focused and result-driven education agency that provides broad-based services at an affordable fee that won’t in any way put a hole in the pocket of our clients.
We will offer professional education support services to all our clients at national, and international levels. We will work hard to meet and surpass our clients’ expectations whenever they hire our services. Justin Johnson is the founder and CEO of Justin Johnson™ Education Agency.
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Company Profile
a. Our Products and Services
- Assist students in securing and processing admission
- Assist students in securing scholarships
- Assist schools in marketing local and international students
- Providing college selection services
- Providing educational consulting services
- Providing educational guidance counseling services
- Providing educational support services
- Providing educational testing services
- Attending school buses
- Facilitating student exchange programs.
b. Nature of the Business
Our education agency will operate both on a business-to-business and also business-to-consumer business model.
c. The Industry
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will operate under the education agency industry.
d. Mission Statement
Our mission is to establish a world-class education agency that will help aspiring students choose the right universities and programs. We will submit applications on their behalf, and apply for study visas, and other services.
e. Vision Statement
Our vision is to be among the top 3 education agencies in the whole of Australia.
f. Our Tagline (Slogan)
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency – Your Most Reliable Education agency!
g. Legal Structure of the Business (Sole Trader, Partnership, Company, or Trust)
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will be formed as a Company.
h. Our Organizational Structure
- Chief Executive Officer
- Admin and HR Manager
- Education Consultants
- Marketing and Sales Executive
- Accountant
- Customer Care Executive/Front Desk Officer
i. Ownership/Shareholder Structure and Board Members
- Justin Johnson (Owner and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer) 56 Percent Shares
- Jasmine Johnson (Board Member) 14 Percent Shares
- Linda Turnbull (Board Member) 10 Percent Shares
- Peter Parker (Board Member) 10 Percent Shares
- Lucy Hazel (Board Member and Sectary) 10 Percent Shares.
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SWOT Analysis
a. Strength
- Ideal location for education agency
- Partnership with key stakeholders in the education industry both in Australia and abroad
- Highly experienced and qualified employees and management
- Availability of all kinds of education agency services
- Excellent membership package
b. Weakness
- Budget limitations
- A new business that will be competing with well-established education agencies in and around Sydney
- Inability to retain our highly experienced and qualified employees longer than we want
c. Opportunities
- Excellent location
- Increase in inflow and outflow of international and local students in our location
- Online market, new services, new technology, and of course the starting of new markets
i. How Big is the Industry?
The education agencies industry in Australia is a growing industry and the industry is worth over AUS$35.2 billion.
ii. Is the Industry Growing or Declining?
The education agencies industry in Australia is growing and available data shows that the market size of the industry is expected to grow by 14.4 percent in 2023.
iii. What are the Future Trends in the Industry
The education agency services industry is changing, and players in the industry are improvising. No doubt, technology, and social media will change the landscape of the education agency services industry going forward.
iv. Are There Existing Niches in the Industry?
No, there are no niche ideas in the education agency line of business.
v. Can You Sell a Franchise of your Business in the Future?
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency has plans to sell franchises in the nearest future and we will target the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
d. Threats
- The arrival of a new education agency within our market space
- Low demand for international students and travelers during the pandemic will reduce industry profitability.
- Economic uncertainty
- Liability problems
- The government could change its regulatory status and decide to enforce strict regulations that can strangulate new businesses like ours.
i. Who are the Major Competitors?
- Global connection
- Go Study Australia
- How Consulting Group Pty Ltd
- Hub Edu
- IAE Edu Net WA
- iGroup Education and Visa Specialists Pty Ltd
- Information Planet – Australia
- KOKOS International
- Latino Australia Education
- Leap Smart
- Level Up Studies Pty Ltd
- LH Global Pty Ltd
- LMB Education
- Mate Education Group Pty Ltd
- Mates International Education Visa & Migration Service
- My Connection Abroad
- Orion Education(OEMs)
- Ozsky International Pty Ltd
- SKY Education & Migration Services
- IDP Education Ltd.
ii. Is There a Franchise for Education Agency Business?
No, there are no franchise opportunities for education agency businesses in Australia.
iii. Are There Policies, Regulations, or Zoning Laws Affecting Education Agency Business?
There are no county or state regulations and zoning laws for education agencies, but players in this industry are expected to work with the existing regulations governing such business in the region where their business is domiciled.
Please note that even though in Australia education agents are not directly regulated, they are three Education providers responsible for the regulation of education agents under the ESOS Act and the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (National Code).
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Marketing Plan
a. Who Is Your Target Audience?
i. Age Range
Our target market age range covers people that are 18 years and above.
ii. Level of Educational
Graduates who complete Years 11 and 12 receive a High School Certificate or “HSC” (comparable to a Baccalaureate or German “Abitur”) and can proceed to tertiary education (university or college).
iii. Income Level
Anyone who can afford our service fee will be welcome to make use of our education agency.
iv. Ethnicity
There is no restriction when it comes to the ethnicity of the people that will patronize our education agency.
v. Language
There is no restriction when it comes to the language spoken by the people that will patronize our education agency since we will be working with international students.
vi. Geographical Location
Anybody from any geographical location is free to do business with us.
vii. Lifestyle
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will not restrict any customer based on their lifestyle, culture, or race.
b. Advertising and Promotion Strategies
- Host Themed Events That Catch Attention.
- Tap Into Text Marketing.
- Share Your Events in Local Groups and Pages.
- Turn Your Social Media Channels into a Resource
- Develop Your Business Directory Profiles
- Build Relationships with Universities in Your Target Locations
i. Traditional Marketing Strategies
- Marketing through Direct Mail.
- Print Media Marketing – Newspapers & Magazines.
- Broadcast Marketing -Television & Radio Channels.
- OOH, Marketing – Public Transits like Buses and Trains, Billboards, Street Furniture, and Cabs.
- Including direct sales, direct mail (postcards, brochures, letters, fliers), print advertising (magazines, newspapers, coupon books, billboards), referral (also known as word-of-mouth marketing), radio, and television.
ii. Digital Marketing Strategies
- Social Media Marketing Platforms.
- Influencer Marketing.
- Email Marketing.
- Content Marketing.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Marketing.
- Pay-per-click (PPC).
- Affiliate Marketing
- Mobile Marketing.
iii. Social Media Marketing Plan
- Start using chatbots.
- Create a personalized experience for our customers.
- Create an efficient content marketing strategy.
- Create a community for our target demography.
- Gear up our profiles with a diverse content strategy.
- Use brand advocates.
- Create profiles on the relevant social media channels.
- Run cross-channel campaigns.
c. Pricing Strategy
When working out our pricing strategy, Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will make sure it covers premium, skimming, economy or value and penetration. All our pricing strategies will reflect;
- Cost-Based Pricing
- Value-Based Pricing
- Competition-Based Pricing.
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Sales and Distribution Plan
a. Sales Channels
Our channel sales strategy will involve using partners and third parties—such as referral partners, affiliate partners, managed service providers, marketplaces, or value-added resellers—to market our education agency.
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will also leverage the 4 Ps of marketing which are place, price, product, and promotion. By carefully integrating all these marketing strategies into a marketing mix, we can have a visible, in-demand service that is competitively priced and promoted to our customers.
b. Inventory Strategy
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will operate an inventory strategy that is based on a day-to-day methodology for ordering, maintaining, and processing items in our warehouse. We will develop our strategy with the same thoroughness and attention to detail as we would if we were creating an overall strategy for the business.
c. Payment Options for Customers
Here are the payment options that Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will make available to her clients;
- Payment via bank transfer
- Payment via credit cards
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via check
- Payment via mobile money transfer
d. Return Policy, Incentives, and Guarantees
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will operate a refund policy but it will be dependent on the service providers we are working with. Please note that service providers such as schools, airline companies, taxi companies et al will determine the kind of return policy we will operate.
e. Customer Support Strategy
Our customer support strategy will involve seeking customer feedback. We will make use of effective CRM software to be able to achieve this. Regularly, we will work towards strengthening our Customer Service Team and also Leverage Multi-Channel Servicing as part of our customer support strategy.
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Operational Plan
We plan to expand our revenue by 50 percent in the second year and the plan will include a marketing, sales, and operations component. The operations component of the plan would include organizing regular education summits, workshops, and other incentives. These strategies will enable us to boost our service offerings and support revenue growth.
a. What Happens During a Typical Day at an Education Agency Business?
- The office is open for the day’s work
- The walk-in areas, chairs, and tables are properly arranged
- Walk-in customers are attended to
- Deliveries of admission letters, visas, flight tickets, and hostel bookings are made
- Administrative works (liaising with key stakeholders across board)
- Reports are written and submitted to superior officers
- The facility is administratively closed for the day.
b. Production Process
There is no production process when it comes to the education agency business.
c. Service Procedure
When an education agent is successful in becoming a partner with a university or college, they will then handle all aspects of education agency services for the university; services such as securing and processing admission for students,
Securing scholarships for students, providing college selection services, providing educational consulting services, providing educational counseling services, providing educational support services, providing educational testing services, and facilitating student exchange programs.
d. The Supply Chain
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will rely on trusted agents to supply some of the needed supplies (foreign currencies) and we have been able to establish business relationships with key stakeholders in the education agency industry.
e. Sources of Income
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will make money from;
- Assisting students in securing admission
- Assisting students in securing scholarships
- Assisting schools in marketing to local and international students
- Providing college selection services
- Providing educational consulting services
- Providing educational guidance counseling services
- Providing educational support services
- Providing educational testing services
- Attending school buses
- Facilitating student exchange programs.
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Financial Plan
a. Amount Needed to Start your Education Agency Business?
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency would need an estimate of AUS$150,000 to successfully set up our education agency in Australia. Please note that this amount includes the salaries of all the staff for the first month of operation.
b. What are the Costs Involved?
- Business Registration Fees – AUS$417 – $506.
- Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits – AUS$7,300.
- Marketing, Branding, and Promotions – AUS$5,000.
- Business Consultant Fee – AUS$2,500.
- Insurance – AUS$5,400.
- Rent/Lease – AUS$70,000.
- Other start-up expenses like commercial satellite TV subscriptions, and phone and utility deposits (AUS$2,800).
- Operational Cost (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – AUS$30,000
- Store Equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – AUS$4,750
- Website: AUS$600
- Miscellaneous: AUS$2,000
c. Do You Need to Build a Facility? If YES, How Much Will it Cost?
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will not build a new facility for our administrative office; we intend to start with a long-term lease and after 5 years, we will start the process of acquiring our facility.
d. What are the Ongoing Expenses for Running an Education Agency Business?
- Cost of stocking up supplies
- Utility bills (gas, internet, phone bills, signage and sewage et al)
- Maintenance of facility
- Salaries of employees
e. What is the Average Salary of your Staff?
- Chief Executive Officer – AUS$52,000 Per Year
- Admin and HR Manager – AUS$38,000 Per Year
- Education Consultant – AUS$37,000 Per Year
- Marketing and Sales Executive AUS$34,000 Per Year
- Accountant – AUS$34,000 Per Year
- Customer Care Executive/Front Desk Officer – AUS$32,000 Per Year.
f. How Do You Get Funding to Start an Education Agency Business?
- Raising money from personal savings and sale of personal stocks and properties
- Raising money from investors and business partners
- Sell shares to interested investors
- Applying for a loan from your bank/banks
- Source for soft loans from your family members and friends.
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Financial Projection
a. How Much Should You Charge for your Service?
The amount education agencies charge their clients depends on the type of services rendered and of course the commission that the third-party provider is willing to give.
b. Sales Forecast?
- First Fiscal Year (FY1): AUS$250,000
- Second Fiscal Year (FY2): AUS$350,000
- Third Fiscal Year (FY3): AUS$500,000
c. Estimated Profit You Will Make a Year?
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency is projecting to make;
- First Fiscal Year (FY1): (50% of revenue generated)
- Second Fiscal Year (FY2): (45% of revenue generated)
- Third Fiscal Year (FY3): (45% of revenue generated)
d. Profit Margin of an Education Agency Business Product/Service
Please note that education agents’ commissions used to be the bulk of their income but that has shifted. Most education agents who earn commission booking tickets on airlines earn 5 percent on domestic flights and 10 to 20 percent on international flights. The commission rates are similar for other services.
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Growth Plan
a. How do you intend to grow and expand? By opening more retail outlets/offices or selling a Franchise?
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency will grow our education agency by first opening other offices in key cities in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States within the first five years of establishing the business, and then we will start selling franchises from the sixth year.
b. Where do you intend to expand to and why? (Geographical Locations)
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency plans to expand to:
- Perth WA
- Sydney New South Wales
- Melbourne Victoria
- Bondi Beach NSW
- Brisbane QLD
- Surfers Paradise Gold Coast QLD
- Adelaide SA
- Newcastle Street, Northbridge WA
- Burswood WA
- Osborne Park WA
- Southport Gold Coast QLD.
The reason we intend to expand to these locations is that the cities boast of attracting a huge number of students who want to study abroad. Internationally, we plan to expand to the United Kingdom and the United States.
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Exit Plan
Justin Johnson™ Education Agency intends to build a family business hence our exit plan will be family succession. We have placed structures and processes in place that will help us achieve our plan of successfully transferring the business from one family member to another and from one generation to another without hitches.