It’s one thing to leave a conference feeling inspired. It’s another to take those ideas home, try them, and see real progress. And when you keep building on those insights year after year, the impact can really start to add up. That’s exactly what Leeds talked us through when we caught up with them recently.
They shared how they’d taken ideas from the Gecko Forum, put them into practice, learned what worked and then used the next Forum to refine the approach again. It’s a simple cycle but one that’s clearly changed the way they work.
What changed after Forum 2024
They started with a few focused improvements.
They refined their SMS and calling strategy and saw a significant lift in bookings for their 2025 Open Days. They brought parents into the conversation earlier, which made event planning smoother for families and increased engagement with key information. They also connected Gecko with Dynamics 365, giving them cleaner data flow and a stronger foundation for both UG and PGT communications.
Each step made their workflows lighter, faster and more joined up.
The practical tactics that made the difference
A lot of the changes came from clear, practical takeaways that felt immediately usable.
They cut down form fatigue by linking related events automatically rather than asking students to register repeatedly. They switched to flexible email templates that tailor content to each audience without extra manual work. They automated accessibility and parking confirmations so students get answers quickly and staff save hours of admin. They moved to self-check-in to ease queues at events. They also used form analytics to reduce drop-offs and make registration smoother.
Each of these steps removed friction in a simple and sustainable way.
How Forum 2025 shaped their next steps
What stood out in our conversation is how the second year of attending Forum helped sharpen their thinking even further.
Their current focus is on understanding what truly influences student decisions instead of relying on assumptions. They’re spending more time refining tone, timing and clarity. They’re strengthening relationships with academic colleagues by piloting smaller projects first and sharing results early. One insight now sits at the centre of their approach. Engaged offer holders convert at a remarkably high rate.
That single point is shaping how they design communications and events for the year ahead.
Why Forum makes a difference
Leeds’ experience highlights what the Forum does best. It gives teams practical tactics they can implement straight away, along with space to reflect, compare approaches and sense check ideas with peers who are tackling similar challenges.
You don’t need to attend every year to get value. When you do return, the insights often build on each other in helpful ways.
The compounding effect
That momentum is the part of their story that stays with you. The changes made after Forum 2024 helped them take even more from Forum 2025. The recommendations they’re focusing on now are shaping their work this year.
Each cycle builds on the last.
The bottom line
Leeds didn’t just attend the Forum. They used it. Twice. The impact shows up in their bookings, their processes, their data flow and the experience they’re giving students.
That’s the real measure of a conference. Not just what you heard on the day but what changed when you got back.
Gecko Forum takes place annually. If you’re hoping to join us in 2026, arriving with a clear sense of the problems you want to solve will help you get the most out of it.
