Issue 269

You already know which one I'm talking about.

That newsletter. That publication. That quarterly thing you've been producing for years because... well, because you've always produced it.

You know the open rates are dismal. You know parents skim it at best. You know the hours you pour into it could go somewhere else.

But you keep doing it.

Maybe because a former head of school started it in 2007. Maybe because one board member mentioned they "love getting it" three years ago. Maybe because stopping feels like admitting failure.

So you keep formatting. Keep writing. Keep sending it into the void.

Here's what I want you to consider: what if the bravest thing you could do is kill it?

Not quietly let it fade. Actually make the decision to stop.

I know that feels risky. Someone will notice. Someone will complain. You'll have to explain yourself.

But here's the thing. That someone who complains? They're probably not your prospective family. They're not the person you're trying to reach. They're the person who likes things the way they've always been.

And you can't build a marketing strategy around that person.

The time you get back matters. Those hours have a cost. Every hour spent on something nobody reads is an hour not spent on something that could actually move enrollment forward.

So here's your permission slip, if you need one.

Pull the data. Look at the open rates, the click rates, and the actual engagement. Then have the honest conversation with yourself about whether this thing is serving your school or just serving tradition.

Some sacred cows deserve a nice retirement.

Thanks,
Brendan

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