Nearly 15 years ago, Facebook’s chief operating officer predicted that email would soon be obsolete. Today, more than 345 billion emails are sent and received globally every day — and that’s about a four percent increase from last year. Clearly, email isn’t going away anytime soon…

That said, school-to-home messaging between school districts and families has evolved, and email and newsletters have become important communication tools for sharing, attracting, engaging, and retaining families. In fact, more than 80% of parents prefer email as the top way to get information from schools.

Crafting district newsletters that convey important messages and engage recipients can be challenging, especially when time is limited, and there’s a lot to share. Fortunately, with a little strategy, small changes can make a BIG difference in your district's email marketing strategy.

Here’s how to make your school district email more compelling this year:

Email Marketing for Schools: Best Strategies & Techniques

1. Embrace Your Humanity

Remember, you’re human… and so are the families reading your emails! Let your school’s brand personality shine through in your emails to make them relatable and engaging. Use a personalization token to address recipients by name and include content they care about.

Considering more than 70% of people engage more with personalized emails, personal touches can make a big difference. 

2. Think Vertically

People are more than comfortable scrolling through social media feeds, and using a similar vertical layout in newsletters can enhance their readability. Organize your eye-catching content and calls to action so they stack in a format similar to platforms like Instagram or Facebook.

Sixty percent of emails are opened on mobile devices, so make sure your emails look good on a smartphone or tablet, just like Paradise Valley Unified Schools does with its newsletters. This makes it easier for parents to read as they scroll and allows more information to be included in one email without overwhelming them with too many separate emails.

3. Consistency is Key

Stick to a familiar newsletter cadence AND email template week after week. Readers will get used to where specific information can be found, reducing the effort needed to navigate through an avalanche of emails. It's like a grocery store — it’s frustrating when items are moved around, and you can’t find the milk. Keep a consistent layout in your newsletters, just like your favorite store keeps its aisles the same. #WegmansForLife

Readers can expect a monthly preview of key events and important dates across the district of Burnsville-Eagan-Savage 191.

4. Set Expectations

Share comprehensive communication plans with your community. These plans outline long-term goals, strategies, and performance indicators, like open and click-through-rates. When parents understand your district's objectives and priorities, it creates transparency and trust.

5. Tailor Content

Recognize your community's various needs and interests by offering targeted newsletters for different divisions or grade levels. Does a parent of a senior really need to know about the kindergarten’s clothing drive next month? Probably not…Segment your email list and pull in dynamic content, which is easy with Finalsite’s email marketing tool, Messages. By personalizing communications, you’re likely to see higher engagement and conversion rates.

6. Compelling Subject Lines

Email subject lines play a big role in your email marketing efforts. Personalization and relevance can significantly impact engagement, enticing recipients to open emails. Subject lines with 1-2 words or 5-10 characters are often opened and clicked more frequently. However, longer subject lines that communicate more benefits can also perform well.

7. Transparency

Publish newsletters on the district website to create a centralized library of information. This provides easy access for reference and allows new families to catch up on missed updates. It also supports the whole of transparency within your district.

Key Takeaway

Effective district newsletters require a thoughtful balance of planning, creativity, and a clear understanding of your target audience. With a little character, mobile-friendly layouts, and personalized content, your district can enhance communication and build meaningful connections with parents and other stakeholders. By making these small improvements, your school district can send emails that are not only informative but also engaging.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily joined the Finalsite team after nine years of event marketing. She is now in charge of the email marketing strategy to connect Finalsite with schools around the world, and helps them learn how to communicate with parents, students, and their communities. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, two children, and two 60-pound lap dogs.