Issue 236

Author

Brendan Schneider
April 28, 2025

In partnership with

PROLOGUE
The One-Person Marketing Department: Maximizing Impact When You're Doing It All

Did you know that, according to the MarCom Society Salary Survey, 37% of school marketers have zero direct reports? That's right. Over one-third of you are one-person marketing teams, wearing multiple hats while being expected to deliver world-class results.

If you're nodding your head right now, this newsletter is especially for you.

Three Strategies That Saved Me

1. Ruthless Prioritization

When everything feels urgent, nothing is actually important. Create a list of your marketing activities and rank them based on two criteria: (1) their impact on enrollment and (2) the time required. Focus on high-impact, lower-time activities first. Be prepared to let some low-impact tasks go entirely.

2. Templates & Systems

Stop recreating the wheel. Build email templates, a shared photo library, project request forms, content calendars, and design templates for common posts. Yes, this takes time upfront, but it will save you countless hours in the long run.

3. Strategic Outsourcing

Build your "virtual team" through freelancers and agencies. Consider outsourcing photography, graphic design, video production, website development, and digital marketing. Our survey shows 68% of school marketers work with external help at least occasionally.

Remember Your Value

Just because you're a department of one doesn't mean your work isn't incredibly valuable. In fact, you might be the most versatile professional at your school, handling nine or more different functional areas.

What's your biggest challenge as a one-person marketing department? Hit reply and let me know!

Thanks,
Brendan

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SPONSOR
WEBINAR: What is a School Operating System?

Does your strategic plan feel more like a wish list than a roadmap?

You’re not alone. Many schools spend months crafting thoughtful strategic plans, only to see them sit untouched once the daily demands take over.

The reality is that turning strategy into action is hard, and it’s often where schools get stuck.

That’s where a School Operating System (SOS) comes in.

An SOS is the intentional set of processes and tools that align your team, drive execution, and turn your strategic vision into real, measurable results.

It’s the missing link between planning and doing—helping your school move from ideas to impact.

In this free, one-hour webinar, Peter Baron, founder of MoonshotOS and Certified Top Coach™️, will show you:

  • What a School Operating System (SOS) is and how it transforms strategy into action.

  • Why every school already has an operating system—intentional or not—and how to make yours work for you.

  • How to create alignment and accountability across your team, keeping everyone focused on strategic goal.

  • The role of scorecards in tracking progress and maintaining momentum.

UPCOMING EVENT

For MarCom Society Members Only

Deepfake Sexual Abuse: Your Role in the Response by Evan Harris

Deepfake sexual abuse and sextortion are fast-emerging risks for schools, often taking the form of non-consensual intimate images created with AI tools. This session will introduce MarCom staff to how these incidents typically unfold, what schools are legally and ethically required to do, and how the risk is evolving. We’ll also explore the role communications teams can play in educating parents, shaping preventative messaging, and preparing for their part in a coordinated response plan.

Evan Harris is the founder and president of Pathos Consulting Group, where he helps independent schools develop real-world policies and incident response plans to address emerging digital threats, including deepfake sexual abuse and sextortion. With over a decade of experience as an English teacher and administrator, he holds a master’s in private school leadership from Teachers College and has furthered his studies in tech ethics at Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute. Evan has collaborated with the general counsel of NAIS, the Texas State Senate, and the Office of the First Lady on initiatives to strengthen school safety and student protection in the age of AI.

RECOMMENDED READING

Teamwork Will Make the Dream Work: Fostering Collaboration Between Admission & Marketing

Here are five ways to foster collaboration between admission & marketing teams.

www.enrollmediagroup.com/blog/fostering-collaboration-between-admission-marketing

Building Your FY26 Marketing Plan

How to Build a Model That Works (Even When Budgets are Flat)

kanahoma.substack.com/p/building-your-fy26-marketing-plan

Understanding Social Media Advertising Cost: A Comprehensive Breakdown

Discover the true costs of social media advertising with our detailed breakdown. Understand pricing structures and make informed decisions–read more now.

www.brandwatch.com/blog/social-media-advertising-cost

How to Format a Blog Post with SEO and LLMs in Mind

Formatting your blog post goes beyond just creating a visually appealing design. As AI-driven search engines increasingly influence how users find

nealschaffer.com/blog-post-format

Instagram now lets you combine your Reels recommendations with friends

Instagram is rolling out “Blend,” a feature that allows you to create a custom feed within a DM that combines your recommendations with a friend’s.

www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-now-lets-you-combine-your-reels-recommendations-with-friends-160023003.html

Brendan Schneider (@schneiderb.com)

I’m on BlueSky. Are you?

If you are, please follow me there, and I’ll follow you back.

bsky.app/profile/schneiderb.com

RECOMMENDED VIEWING

RECOMMENDED LISTENING

Creating True Belonging for Students of Color in Independent Schools with Jonathan Lee

In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, we’re joined by Jonathan Lee—coach, educator, mentor, and former independent school student and administrator—who shares his lived experience and offers a deeply insightful look at what true belonging looks like for students of color in independent schools. Jonathan doesn’t shy away from the hard…

mindfulschoolmarketing.com/belonging-for-students-of-color-jonathan-lee

MARCOM JOB

Director of Marketing @ Columbus Academy

Columbus Academy (Academy) seeks a full-time Director of Marketing (Director).

jobs.marcomsociety.org/job/director-of-marketing-6

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].