PROLOGUE
Your September Self Will Thank You
Before you lose it, write it down.
I'm talking about that thing you did this year that actually worked.
Not the stuff in your annual report. Not the metrics you dressed up for leadership. I mean the real wins. The email subject line that got a 40% open rate. The social post that parents actually shared. The tweak to your tour script that made families lean in.
Here's the problem: by mid-January, you won't remember any of it.
You'll be deep into spring enrollment panic, or drowning in event promotion, or fielding another "urgent" request from someone who doesn't understand what you do. The details of what worked in 2024 will blur into a vague sense that some things went okay.
And then next fall, when you're planning again, you'll start from scratch. Again.
So before you close out the year, I want you to do something small but important.
Open a Google Doc. Or grab a Post-it. Or send yourself an email. Whatever works.
Write down two or three things that moved the needle this year. Be specific. Not "social media went well" but "the behind-the-scenes reel of Ms. Patterson's classroom got 3x our normal engagement." Not "email performed better" but "switching send time to Tuesday at 7am increased opens by 15%."
Include the why if you know it. If you don't know why it worked, write that down too. Sometimes the mystery is worth revisiting.
This isn't a retrospective. It's not a report. Nobody needs to see it but you.
Think of it as a gift to your future self. The version of you in September who will be staring at a blank content calendar, wondering where to start.
That person will thank you.
Thanks,
Brendan
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UPCOMING EVENT
For MarCom Society Members Only
Enquiries to Enrolments: What K-12 MarCom Teams Can Borrow from High-Performing Sales Orgs
If your admissions or marketing team is feeling the pressure - fewer enquiries, stretched capacity, or families taking longer to decide, then this session will give you a sharper, more predictable way forward.
Nicola Lutz from No Fluff unpacks six practical approaches that K-12 teams can borrow from high-performing commercial organisations to strengthen enrolment pipelines, build trust faster, and communicate with families in a way that actually moves them to act.
No jargon. No overcomplication - indeed 'No Fluff'. Just clear, actionable insight on how to:
Remove hidden friction points in your communications
Help families feel more confident in their decision
Create momentum without chasing
Make your existing enquiries go further
If you want the kind of admissions and marketing strategy that works even when the market feels unpredictable, this session will be well worth watching.
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