Factors Influencing the Perception of Persuasion Strategies in Choosing English Language Institutes among Higher Vocational Certificate (PVS) Students under the Office of the Vocational Education Commission in Bangkok

Background and Aims: English language proficiency is an important factor in enhancing the competitiveness of the vocational workforce, a key driver of the nation's industrial sector. In the current highly competitive market of English language institutes, understanding the factors that persuade Higher Vocational Certificate (PVS) students is crucial for strategic success. Therefore, this research aimed to study the influence of personal factors, service marketing mix factors (7Ps), and brand loyalty on PVS students' perception of persuasion strategies in choosing an English language institute. Materials and Methods: This quantitative study collected data via questionnaire from a sample of 400 PVS students in Bangkok and analyzed the data using inferential statistics. Results: The findings revealed that all four personal factors (gender, field of study, GPA, and family income) had a significantly different influence on the perception of persuasion strategies (p < .05). Multiple regression analysis indicated that service marketing mix factors explained 75.0% of the variance in the dependent variable (Adjusted R² = .75), with Price (β= .504) and Promotion (β = .417) having the strongest positive influence. Meanwhile, brand loyalty factors explained 73.0% of the variance (Adjusted R² = .73), with Behavioral Loyalty (β = .598) being the highest positive predictor. Interestingly, Cognitive Loyalty had a significant negative influence (β= -.134). Furthermore, the persuasion strategy that students valued the most was Reciprocity (x̅ = 4.29). Conclusion: These results imply that practitioners should segment marketing by learner characteristics, focus on tangible value (price, promotion) and initial engagement, and be cautious with overt persuasion tactics toward rationally-convinced students.