Winter break is right around the corner...it's hard to imagine it's only been 100 days or so since the school year started—think of all that's happened!

During your school's winter break and when students are on vacation, we want you to be on vacation relaxing, too. But before your school closes down for the holidays, there are some last-minute tasks to add to your to-do list, so the next couple of weeks actually feel like a break—and a well-deserved one at that!

Take a few extra moments now and make sure your marketing and communications office is prepared for winter break and that these school marketing plans are in place.

1. Schedule social posts in advance

The holidays are a busy time for everyone, so use your break wisely by scheduling social media posts in advance. Create festive greetings, share photos from recent events, or highlight student achievements. By scheduling posts now, you can ensure your school's social media presence remains active while you enjoy your time off.

2. Send a holiday greeting to constituents

Whether it's a video message, a festive graphic, or simply some text wishing families a happy and safe holiday season, sending a holiday greeting is important!

Aim for an authentic holiday greeting, focus on the successes of the year so far, and include the voices of students, teachers, and administration. Keep it light—don't include any major school news or requests for annual fund gifts in your holiday greeting—save those for a newsletter.

And don't forget to use personalization to make your constituents and interested families feel like the message is just for them! Check out McClay School's collection of holiday videos here.

3. Prep your spring semester website content

Do you have a little extra time this week? Make the transition to the spring semester as easy as possible and draft pages for campus events (like your spring open house or band concert). Get those important dates on the calendar.

Many families travel for the holidays and will want to jump on reservations for next year—knowing the holiday dates for next winter can help them plan their schedules in advance.

4. Prepare your summer programs

Wait, but it's winter—it's already time to think about summer camps when there are still snow days?! Yup! Google sees a massive spike in searches around traditional summer programs and camps every winter. Winter is here, but summer is coming...

As parents reach the end of winter break (and the end of their patience with kids...), they shift their focus to their summer plans and take the necessary steps to ensure the kids are out of the house. 

Your school's summer camps and programs are one of the best ways to market the value of your campus to new families, retain current families for the summer months, and bring in additional revenue for your business office. Now is a great time to prep the pages of your summer camp programs.

But before you open up registration, make sure you've spent some time preparing your site and focus on:

• What makes your summer programs special
• Why the programs are a good investment for families
• The credentials of your summer camp faculty
• Promoting your camp on social media, digital ads, and SEO
• Adding social proof—including testimonials from campers and parents

The programs at Summer at Santa Catalina, a sleepaway and day camp in Monterey, CA, may be months away, but they're gearing up for the registration rush this winter — they've even got a countdown until the first day of camp!

For more best practices, keep reading: 10 Tips for Filling Up Summer Camp Registrations, Fast!

5. Collect Testimonials

Winter break is an excellent time to collect testimonials for a few reasons:

• Families have time to reflect: During the break, families have a chance to step back from the daily routine and reflect on their experiences with your school. This makes them more likely to provide thoughtful and meaningful feedback.
   
• Increased availability: With fewer school commitments, parents are generally more available to respond to requests for testimonials. They may have more time to write a thoughtful response or participate in a quick phone call or video chat.
   
• Fresh perspectives: Families may have recently attended holiday events or concerts, giving them fresh perspectives and recent experiences to share in their testimonials.

Reach out to current families and ask them to share their experiences with your school's programs and summer activities, too. Testimonials from satisfied campers and parents can be a powerful marketing tool to include on your website and in your print materials.

6. Review Analytics

Winter break is an ideal time to curl up by the fire, pour yourself some egg nog, escape your family, and review your site's analytics.

• Time for in-depth analysis: The break allows for dedicated time to thoroughly analyze website traffic, social media engagement, and other marketing data without the pressure of daily tasks.
   
• Identify trends and patterns: By reviewing data from the past few months, you can identify trends and patterns that may inform your marketing strategies for the coming months.
   
• Set goals for the future: With a clear understanding of your performance, you can set realistic and achievable goals for the future.

Take some time to analyze your data. Identify what's working well and what can be improved to refine your marketing strategies for the coming year.

[Bonus School Marketing Idea]: Write Blog Posts or Articles

It seems like there’s never a convenient time to sit down and write a few blogs, but winter break offers a unique opportunity for writing projects because:

• Quiet time for reflection: A quiet campus can be helpful for thoughtful writing and reflection.
  With fewer daily tasks and interruptions, you can finally dedicate time to brainstorming and editing.
   
• Opportunity to explore deeper topics: Winter break provides the time to go more in-depth on topics or explore trends that you may not have time to address during the busy school year.

Use the quiet time to write blog posts or articles that highlight your school's unique strengths and offerings. These could be:

• Profiles of exceptional teachers or students
• In-depth looks at academic programs or extracurricular activities
• Thought pieces on educational trends or parenting topics

Share these ever-green articles on your website, social media, and in your email newsletters.

7. Plan for Professional Development

Winter break is a great time to catch up on industry trends and enhance your marketing skills. Explore online courses, webinars, or virtual conferences that focus on private school marketing ideas and communications, like:

• AI in schools
• Social media strategy
• Digital marketing, Google ads, and search engine optimization (SEO)
• Website design and user experience

Hint: Finalsite has all these and more in the Learning Center!

Key Takeaway

Imagine coming back from winter break and actually feeling like you're caught up or even <gasp> ahead of work! Take the time now to plan and schedule your social content, connect with your community, and prep key areas of your website. Now, go grab yourself some hot chocolate and get busy!

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. As Finalsite’s Senior Content Marketing Manager, 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.