Issue 223

PROLOGUE
The Day We Killed Our Open Houses (And Why Our Enrollment Grew)

Sometimes, the hardest decisions in school marketing are letting go of the things we've "always done." For me, that moment came on a quiet Saturday morning as I stood in our beautifully prepared admission office, watching our carefully orchestrated Open House unfold with just three families in attendance.

I can still feel the pit in my stomach as I watched our committed faculty—who had given up their Saturday to be there—try to maintain their enthusiasm. We had spent weeks planning this event. The student ambassadors were perfectly dressed. The coffee and pastries were artfully arranged. The presentations were polished and practiced.

And hardly anyone came.

This wasn't a one-time fluke. Over the previous few years, our Open House attendance had been steadily declining. But, like many schools, we kept doing them because that's what schools do, right? We convinced ourselves that maybe next time would be different. We tweaked the format, changed the timing, and added more features.

But here's what I finally realized: We weren't just wasting our Saturday mornings - we were creating a poor experience for our prospective families and our community.

Think about it: We asked families to come to us on our schedule, sit through our presentations, and then—here's the kicker—come back another time for a shadow day and interviews. In trying to serve everyone at once, we were actually serving no one particularly well.

That's when we made the decision that raised more than a few eyebrows: we killed our traditional Open Houses entirely.

Instead, we launched a series of targeted webinars focused on specific aspects of our school. These 30-minute sessions allowed families to learn about our school from the comfort of their homes, on their schedule. We recorded each session so those who couldn't attend live could watch later.

The results? Our inquiry numbers actually increased. But more importantly, the quality of those inquiries improved because families were self-selecting into the topics that interested them most.

This experience taught me an invaluable lesson about "sacred cows" in school marketing. Sometimes, our most cherished traditions actually prevent us from better serving our prospective families.

So, what sacred cows might you need to reconsider?

The key isn't to eliminate these things simply for the sake of change. Instead, ask yourself:

• Does this truly serve our prospective families?

• Are we doing this because it works or because we've always done it?

• Is there a more effective way to achieve our goals?

Sometimes, the best marketing decisions aren't about what new things we should start doing, but what old stuff we should stop doing. It takes courage to challenge traditions, but when we put our prospective families' needs first, the results often speak for themselves.

What marketing sacred cow might you need to rethink? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks,
Brendan

POLL

UPCOMING EVENT

This is for MarCom Society members only. JOIN NOW.

Redesigning the Alumni Magazine for Modern Engagement by Stacy Jagodowski

Explore how Tabor Academy is reimagining its alumni magazine to strengthen connections and enhance engagement. This session delves into the redesign process, from audience research and thematic storytelling to optimized digital components, creating a publication that resonates with alumni and reflects the school's mission.

RSVP today: https://community.marcomsociety.org/c/guest-experts-e2f31b/redesigning-the-alumni-magazine-for-modern-engagement-by-stacy-jagodowski

RECOMMENDED READING

RECOMMENDED VIEWING

MARCOM JOB

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].