Private school boards bring a wealth of insights and support to schools, and although trustees are dedicated and knowledgeable, it's not entirely uncommon for board members to need a bit of guidance to understand the true value of certain school marketing and communication efforts.

While they’re focused on keeping an eye on finances, policies, and governance, they may not fully recognize the strategies that not only enhance your school's visibility but also strengthen its community and boost enrollment. Decades in the financial industry may not necessarily mean being an expert in targeted social media ads, for example.

“The principles of good governance haven’t changed, but the landscape is more complex,” said outgoing Newark Academy (NJ) head of school Donald Austin in an issue of Independent School, titled “Boards of Trustees Need to Develop New Skills to Be Agile and Effective. "Trustees must be conversant in a wider set of topics than they ever have before.”

For a while now, The InspirED School Marketers’ Marcom Survey has tracked how often school marketing and communication leaders present during private school board meetings, and the percentage is surprisingly low. Back in 2018, 28% of respondents reported presenting at board meetings, up from 25% in 2017. In 2020, 41% reported attending board meetings, but by 2022, that percentage had dipped to 35%.

Clearly, there’s still a disconnect between school leadership and the importance of transparent marketing strategies, but “don't worry, trust us” isn’t enough.

Meet your trustees halfway and explain the value clearly and simply; you can help board members see why these marketing efforts are worth supporting and empower them to confidently back these initiatives. Because when trustees understand the message, everyone wins.

Digital Marketing & Communications

Website Analytics

Key Talking Points:

Informed Decision-Making: Highlight the importance of data-driven decisions. Explain how understanding website analytics can pinpoint what attracts visitors and where there's still room for improvement.

• “Understanding the data behind our website is important for making informed marketing decisions. With Google Analytics, we can see what works and what needs improvement, so our marketing is effective and cost-effective.”

Insights: Show how Google Analytics can provide insights into visitor behavior and create more effective marketing strategies and resource allocation.

• “Google Analytics gives us insights into visitor behavior, which helps us save money and improve our website’s performance.”

Keep Reading: Admissions and Marketing Data to Present to Your Board

Social Media

Key Talking Points:

Community Engagement: Stress the importance of engaging with the community where they already spend time—social media.

• “Engaging with our community on social media helps us build strong relationships and support retention. If we're active where our families spend time, we stay connected and relevant.”

Customized Communication: Explain the value of a tailored voice and story on social media platforms to build strong relationships and improve enrollment and retention.

• “A customized approach on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X lets our message connect with current and prospective families. That will strengthen our school’s brand, too.”

Social Media Advertising

Key Talking Points:

Leads: Discuss how ads on social media can help get you out of your echo chamber, and can generate new interest, increase traffic to the website, and boost brand recognition.

• “By targeting the right families at the right time, we can measure and prove the return on investment. It allows us to know our marketing budget is being spent well.”

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Key Talking Points:

Visibility: Double down on the importance of being visible in search results to attract prospective families. Explain how a strong online presence through SEO creates positive first impressions, which is crucial for attracting prospective families.

• “SEO helps our school be the first thing prospective families see online when they search for schools, and that leaves a strong first impression to make them want to explore further.”

Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

Key Talking Points:

Targeted Advertising: Highlight the ability to target specific families searching for programs your school offers.

• “PPC advertising allows us to target specific families looking for programs we offer, directing them to the information they need immediately, and that can lead to more effective website visits.”

Immediate Information: Explain how PPC ads direct families to relevant information instantly and improve their experience.

• “With PPC ads, we jump to the top of Google, and families find the information they’re searching for right away. That improves their experience and increases our chances of an inquiry, and hopefully, an application.”

Online Reputation Management

Key Talking Points:

Reputation Management: “We need to manage our online reviews to maintain our reputation. More than 90% of consumers feel local reviews impact their overall perception of a brand, so the more positive reviews we can gain, the more we can influence how prospective families perceive us and impact their decision to apply.”

Influence on Decisions: Explain how millennial parents rely on reviews when they're comparing schools.

• “Millennial parents heavily rely on reviews during their research process, and if we have positive, authentic community reviews, it can make a big difference in attracting new families.”

Communication Tools

Mobile Apps

Key Talking Points:

Convenience: Stress the importance of providing families with easy access to important information through mobile apps.

• “A mobile app provides our community with easy access to important information, and we need to make sure our parents, staff, and students have the tools they need at their fingertips.”

Personalization & Engagement: Discuss how mobile apps can increase engagement by offering features like notifications, event calendars, and direct communication channels for parent-teacher chat.

• "Mobile apps increase engagement by offering features like notifications, event calendars, and direct communication channels, so it's easier for our community to stay informed and involved from anywhere.

Mass Notifications

Key Talking Points:

Immediate Communication: Highlight the value of being able to send instant notifications to parents, staff, and students.

• “Mass notifications allow us to communicate instantly with our community, and we know that important messages are received."

Personalization and Engagement: Explain how personalized notifications have become the standard, and families now want and expect them.

• "Personalized notifications tap into the specific needs and preferences of our families, and that supports our communication strategy and makes sure that everyone feels informed and valued.”

Automated Email Workflows

Key Talking Points for Trustees:

Automation: Explain the benefits of automated email campaigns in nurturing prospective families. Just like Cranbrook Schools, your office can create a series of emails to be sent to prospective families, donors, and current families to keep them engaged throughout the year.

Conversion: Highlight how these campaigns can help show the value of your programs, save time, and turn inquiries into applicants.

• “Automated campaigns work in the background, so we're saving so much time while inquiries are being converted into applicants and parents into donors. That will help streamline our enrollment and fundraising efforts.”

Key Takeaway

Strong partnerships, trust, and collaboration are needed for an effective private school board of trustees. With shared goals for your school, helping trustees see the value in marketing and communication tools will benefit your office's efforts and gain their support. The key is knowing how to express the need and the value of your efforts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connor has spent the last decade within the field of marketing and communications, working with independent schools and colleges throughout New England. At Finalsite, Connor plans and executes marketing strategies and digital content across the web. A former photojournalist, he has a passion for digital media, storytelling, coffee, and creating content that connects.