Issue 216

December 09, 2024

In partnership with

PROLOGUE
Permission to Pause

I recently took several days off over Thanksgiving break. It was not the casual "I'll check email every few hours" kind of break, but a real, genuine disconnect from work, at least for a couple of days. There were no Slack notifications, no "quick check-ins," no scanning social media feeds—just quality time with family and an embarrassing amount of pie.

Here's what struck me: Despite my initial anxiety about stepping away (fellow school marketers, you know that feeling), nothing catastrophic happened. No marketing emergencies materialized. In fact, something unexpected occurred. When I returned to work, I had fresh ideas and renewed energy.

This experience reminded me of something we often forget in the crazy world of school marketing: Rest isn't just a luxury—it's a strategic necessity.

As we head into the holiday season, I encourage you to permit yourself to truly unplug. Yes, there will always be one more email to answer, one more post to schedule, and one more campaign to plan. But the quality of our work—and, more importantly, our well-being—depends on our ability to step away and recharge.

Remember, you can't pour from an empty cup, and you certainly can't craft compelling school stories when you're running on fumes. So take that break. Enjoy those moments with your family. Savor that extra slice of pie. Your work (and your school) will be better for it.

Thanks,
Brendan

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POLL

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RECOMMENDED TOOL
Discover ByDesign – Your Ultimate Tool for Staying Organized!

ByDesign empowers educators and students to streamline their busy lives by combining tasks, notes, and calendars in one simple app. With thousands already using ByDesign to boost productivity and time management, it’s quickly becoming the go-to choice for better organization and planning.

RECOMMENDED READING

Understanding WCAG Guidelines: Creating Accessible Websites for All

The internet is an essential part of everyday life, providing access to information, communication, education, and services. However, for many individuals with disabilities, navigating the web can be challenging, if not impossible, without accessible design. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) offer a comprehensive framework for creating websites that are inclusive and usable for all.…

designtlc.com/understanding-wcag-guidelines-creating-accessible-websites-for-all

Great messaging needs great data (not Mad Men)

The “Mad Men” notion of creating messaging while drinking and smoking cigarettes is not reality. Great messaging is based on sound strategy and solid data.

englishmarketingworks.com/great-messaging-needs-great-data-not-mad-men

At Least One of These Predictions for Marketers Is True

Few marketing predictions for the coming year ever materialize, but people still find them interesting and engaging. Keep all of that in mind with this first taste from CMI about 2025, including one prediction guaranteed to be true.

contentmarketinginstitute.com/articles/one-true-prediction

How to Humanize AI Content So It Will Rank, Engage, and Get Shared in 2025

AI-generated content can help marketers save time and money, but only if they take the time to edit. Here's how to humanize AI content to accomplish your business goals.

blog.hubspot.com/marketing/ai-content-humanization

“Thank you” is a complete sentence

It’s a way to offer connection or acknowledgment. It’s a recognition of feedback and the time it took someone to consider us. We can use it after we share something important, or someon…

seths.blog/2024/11/thank-you-is-a-complete-sentence

Top 13 Free Social Media Management Tools You Need to Know

If you're a small business or a beginner content creator, engaging in social media is no longer an option. You want to engage efficiently using some

nealschaffer.com/free-social-media-management-tools

UPCOMING EVENT

For MarCom Society Members Only

Preparing for Crisis: A Framework for Managing Uncertainty

As the landscape in which schools operate becomes more and more complex, it is absolutely crucial that every school leadership and communications team have a structural framework in place to handle the unexpected crisis. Join Proctor Academy's Chief Strategy and Communications Officer Scott Allenby as he shares a framework for structuring crisis and sensitive communications in schools with a focus on how to honestly, authentically communicate your school's situation to unique constituency groups. By the end of the session, you will have a framework and specific action items to bring back to your leadership and communications teams so that you are as prepared as you can be for the inevitable uncertainty that will challenge every school.

RECOMMENDED VIEWING

RECOMMENDED LISTENING

Reimagine the school business model – interview with Peter Baron

In this special interview episode, we are joined by Peter Baron, who served as the Chief Member Relations Officer for the US Enrollment Management Association, directing their marketing and communications, member recruitment and retention, leadership training programs, and research. He introduces us to his new business, MoonshotOS, which is designed to help education leaders to reimagine the independent school business model. We also discuss the findings of a survey Peter conducted on school leaders, including eight business competencies that directly affect school leaders.

www.imageseven.com.au/195-reimagine-the-school-business-model-interview-with-peter-barron

MARCOM JOB

Director of Marketing and Communications @ Catlin Gabel School

Catlin Gabel School is a leading independent school that provides a progressive education to students. Our community is committed to academic excellence, inclusivity, and the holistic development of each student. We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Director of Marketing & Communications to join our community and enhance our school's brand and communication efforts through multiple platforms.

jobs.marcomsociety.org/job/director-of-marketing-and-communications-115

Whenever You're Ready, There Are 4 Ways I Can Help You

Fractional Digital Marketer Program: Our flagship consulting program where we help you get more inquiries by implementing inbound marketing, Google Ads, FB/Insta Ads, SEO, and Blogging for you! Learn more.

SchoolMarketingCRM: My new marketing software for schools. This is the software I wish I had when I worked in schools. It handles all of your marketing functions, including landing pages, email automation, reputation management, appointment scheduling, and much more. Learn more.

The MarCom Society: Join other school marketing and communication professionals in my membership community, which is designed to help you become a better MarCom professional through training, support, and community. Learn more.

Promote yourself to 5,000+ subscribers by sponsoring this newsletter. Email me at [email protected].