In the competitive world of K-12 education, effective school marketing can seem overwhelming. Discover how to simplify your school’s marketing efforts with daily, manageable strategies.
Many K-12 schools, especially in today’s school choice environment, might find it challenging to gather the funds needed to create the marketing strategies they wish to use to stay competitive. In many states, standing out is essential to attracting students and the funding that comes with them.
Larger districts often have the luxury of dedicated marketing budgets and even entire teams of marketing, enrollment, and public relations experts to help spread the word about their offerings and boost enrollment.
But, not every school has such an advantage.
If this latter sounds like your school, we might have the perfect solution for you.
A few years back, we took 20+ years of school marketing experience and crafted it into a resource that any school can use—even those without a dedicated communications or marketing team. We designed it with school principals, secretaries, and superintendents in mind, filling it with daily ideas for an entire school year that can be tackled one day at a time.
Build simple, effective school marketing one day at a time!
In today’s competitive educational landscape, we recognize the immense challenge schools face in effectively communicating their successes and offerings to parents and community members. With the myriad responsibilities already on your plate, adding the task of marketing your school can feel overwhelming.
Yet, it is crucial to showcase your institution’s unique qualities and achievements to ensure it stands out. Marketing and public relations are not just about spreading the word; they are about crafting a narrative that resonates with your audience and builds a strong, positive image of your school. This is where we come in to assist you!
We offer the information, but the implementation is up to you, your marketing focus, and your resources. Planning is a vital component of effective school marketing. Without a structured approach, even the best intentions can fall short. The School Webmasters marketing calendar/toolkit is an excellent tool designed to help you systematically organize and execute your marketing strategy.
By planning, you can align your marketing activities with your school’s programs and events, ensuring you capitalize on these opportunities to engage with your audience. This alignment not only maximizes the impact of your marketing efforts but also ensures that your messaging is consistent and coherent.
Whether it’s highlighting an upcoming sports event that showcases your students’ talents, promoting a school play that demonstrates the creativity and hard work of your students and staff, or celebrating a student’s achievement to inspire others, having a calendar allows you to stay on top of your marketing game day by day. It provides a roadmap to ensure that no opportunity is missed and every event is leveraged to its fullest potential. It’s a “Do it Yourself” method to get your school the recognition it needs to increase enrollment.
With this tool, you can transform your school’s marketing efforts from a daunting task into a series of manageable, daily actions that collectively build a strong, positive presence in your community.
How does it work?
The Marketing Your School calendar/workbook is an invaluable resource designed to function as a comprehensive, year-long school marketing and public relations course that you can navigate at your own pace. This versatile tool is tailored for a wide range of school personnel, including school principals, superintendents, secretaries, communications coordinators, public relations specialists, and anyone passionate about enhancing school public relations and communications. It serves as a guiding light for those eager to elevate their school’s presence and engagement within the community.
Drawing from over 20 years of rich experience in K-12 school marketing, we have meticulously compiled this school marketing calendar/toolkit. It is packed with 50 weeks of practical, actionable marketing strategies that go far beyond what you might find in a typical marketing textbook. This toolkit is designed to be a treasure trove of insights and tactics that can be immediately applied to your school’s unique context.
Do it your way!
You have the flexibility to tailor this resource to your school’s specific needs. You can either handpick topics or themes that align with your current goals or methodically work through the weeks sequentially, tackling each day as it comes. Regardless of your chosen approach, you will witness significant progress in your school’s marketing and communications efforts. This will lead to enhanced branding, a stronger reputation, and a more engaged parent community.
Committing to this process for an entire year will cultivate a network of parents, students, and community members who become enthusiastic advocates for your school. They will naturally engage in word-of-mouth marketing on your behalf, amplifying your school’s message and reach. While it may be challenging to implement every idea within a single year, you will accumulate a wealth of ideas and recommendations that will serve as a foundation for your marketing efforts for years to come. This toolkit is not just a one-time solution but a long-term investment in your school’s success and community engagement.
What does the school marketing toolkit include?
This calendar/workbook is packed with the right information to implement an effective marketing strategy for your school without any prior training. Whether you are a public relations pro or a newbie at marketing communications, this is the perfect solution for you.
Step-by-step calendar
We’ve packed our marketing calendar with hundreds of training, tips, and strategies. You can select what works best for your school needs or go through each week in order. Either way, you’ll progress steadily toward your marketing and communication goals. Plus, so you can begin immediately, we’ll give you 30-day access to an electronic calendar version, so you don’t have to wait for the mail to get started!
BONUS: online resources!
In addition to this strategy-packed workbook, you’ll receive access to our secured companion website, which contains hundreds of additional resources, such as survey forms, templates, checklists, project plans, resource links, example content, and spreadsheet samples, for your immediate use.
You will have everything you need to take your school marketing and public relations to the next level. Get more than 50 weeks of school marketing ideas you can apply immediately. Place your order today, and you’ll also receive a personal login to all the companion resources on our members-only website.
Topics included with ideas your school can use immediately
- School social media tactics
- School website management
- Using testimonials for marketing
- Community outreach projects
- Recruitment campaigns
- Surveys and research
- Storytelling for school communications
- Effective school communication
- Media relations for schools
- School branding strategies
- Marketing and communication plans
- BONUS: free access to companion website resources
There are also guides to help you turn common school functions, like that open house and your teacher conferences, into memorable relationship-building events. Get hundreds of ideas in a desktop strategic communication plan that will serve your school for years. This yearlong marketing calendar will help you become the school of choice, step-by-step.
Chapter examples
Each week, we cover a communications theory or principle or address a typical school relationship or event. We provide professional knowledge, research, and training. In addition to practical, actionable steps, we have created a complete online resource with templates, examples, and ready-to-use forms to enable success in your DIY school marketing efforts. Take a look inside.
What are some examples of the topics covered in the marketing workbook?
- Week 4: Customer Service
- Week 7: Making sure your website works
- Week 8: Gear up your social media
- Week 11: Preparing for parent-teacher conferences
- Week 12: Fun and engaging posts for the holidays
- Week 15: Fundraising for schools
- Week 18: Storytelling
- Week 22: Saying thank you
- Week 26: Marketing to parents
- Week 30: Crisis communication plan
- Week 32: Using testimonials
- Week 36: Using photography to market your school
- Week 40: Visible administrator
- Week 44: Going green with online tools
- Week 47: Staying in touch over the summer
- Week 50: Parent/Alumni recognition
Why consistency is key in school marketing
Consistency is crucial in school marketing because it helps build a recognizable and trustworthy brand. Regular communication with your audience ensures that your school remains top-of-mind for prospective families and the community. Using a plan, like the marketing calendar described above can help you provide such consistency.
Involving your staff in the marketing process can significantly enhance consistency. Encourage teachers, administrators, and other staff members to share their stories, achievements, and classroom successes. This adds a personal touch to your marketing efforts and showcases your school’s unique strengths. Gathering ideas from staff and students will not only improve consistency, but engagement and interest.
Engaging your community: small steps, big impact
Engaging your community doesn’t always require grand gestures. Small, consistent efforts can make a significant impact over time. Simple actions like sending out regular newsletters, hosting community events, or even just being active and responsive on social media can foster a strong sense of community and support for your school.
Remember, the key is to be genuine and approachable. Show your community that you value their involvement and input. This can increase support and advocacy for your school, which is invaluable in the long run.
Use the ideas in the marketing calendar to create consistent, small steps and create a big impact in your school’s marketing efforts, student enrollment, and public relations. Learn how to provide trust-building transparency and engage your community (parents, students, staff, and community members).
Get your marketing calendar/toolkit today.
For any of your school marketing needs, including designing and hosting an effective and beautiful school website, call Jim at School Webmasters today at (888) 750-4556! We’re your one-stop shop for all your school website and school communications needs. Get a quote today!
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