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By Growth Marketing Firm

Starting in December 2020 and continuing robustly into 2024, MacPhail School of Music and Growth embarked on a digital transformation journey, transitioning from Oracle's Bronto to HubSpot. This partnership aimed to revitalize their fundraising efforts, class/student registration processes, and social media marketing effectiveness. A pivotal aspect of this transformation was integrating their student registration software, ActiveNet, with HubSpot through tray.io, streamlining operations and enhancing communication.

Our partnership with Growth has transformed our operational and marketing strategies, propelling us forward and allowing us to make significant impacts on our students and the broader community." - Beth Warner, Director of Marketing, reflects on the journey:

At MacPhail School for Music, the quest for operational harmony led to a groundbreaking integration project helmed by Growth. Tasked with streamlining the student registration process, Growth deployed a custom AWS-powered integration solution that bridged ActiveNet, a student registration platform, with HubSpot's Professional Suite. This innovative integration transformed the operational tempo at MacPhail, amplifying efficiency and engagement across the board.

MacPhail CRM Records Diagram

Challenge

MacPhail School for Music, the largest community music school in the nation, faced significant hurdles with its student registration and management system, ActiveNet. The existing integration tools, including low/no-code options like Tray.io and Zapier, consistently failed to keep pace with dynamic updates in classes, teacher assignments, campus locations, and student enrollment, creating an operational discord that echoed through the institution.

Solution

Growth orchestrated a symphony of solutions by developing a robust, AWS-powered integration that harmonized ActiveNet with HubSpot's comprehensive suite, including the Marketing Hub, Service Hub, and Operations Hub. This custom solution ensured seamless, real-time updates, enabling a dynamic, responsive ecosystem that resonated with efficiency and precision.

Impact

The implementation of this custom integration composed a new narrative of success for MacPhail School for Music:

  • Time and Efficiency: The student placement team experienced a notable reduction in administrative workload, enabling quicker and more effective student class placements.
  • Enhanced Teacher Engagement: Teachers gained the ability to fully engage with their classes without the cumbersome task of manual roster updates.
  • Increased Donor and Class Promotion: The marketing team leveraged the integration to enhance donor communications and effectively promote upcoming classes, striking a chord with potential supporters and students alike.
  • Cost Savings: Within two years, the total cost of ownership for the new integration compared to the previous, ineffective solution, culminated in a harmonious savings of $7,500.

About MacPhail School for Music

MacPhail School for Music stands as a beacon of musical excellence, nurturing the talents of students across the United States. As a nonprofit organization, MacPhail's mission transcends education; it's a commitment to fostering a community where music education is accessible, engaging, and transformative. With a rich legacy and a forward-looking approach, MacPhail continues to orchestrate a future where everyone has the opportunity to experience the power of music.

Conclusion

The partnership between Growth and MacPhail School for Music exemplifies the transformative potential of custom technology solutions in the education sector. By tuning into the specific needs of MacPhail and leveraging the HubSpot Stack, Growth not only solved a complex integration challenge but also set the stage for enhanced student engagement, operational efficiency, and financial savings. This case study is a testament to the power of innovative thinking and technical prowess in harmonizing business operations with organizational goals.