The Top 75 Private School Marketing Ideas

Isn’t it amazing how simple it was to promote your private school? Not too long ago, you could just mail out a brochure or postcard to interested families and then sit back and wait for the phone to ring and admissions appointments to be set. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.

Private schools like yours need to have a marketing plan to market to a more savvy audience. Prospective families have an extensive list of criteria for a school for their children; they want their children to receive an excellent education at a price they can afford, and of course, like any parent would, they only want the best for their child. Private schools are in a competitive field, but marketing is a problem for many. 

As a Christian private school, how can you get the word out about your school? The simple answer is, and dare I say this, marketing your school like a business. Before you think I have gone crazy, think about it this way. A typical business markets its services. As a private school, you are just selling the business of education.

Therefore, marketing attracts prospects, prospects become students. However, marketing entails more than simply publicizing your school’s name. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) says that marketing must establish a connection:

Marketing is everything an organization does to build a relationship between the company and consumer.

Additionally, instead of the traditional “push” model of marketing campaigns, engagement marketing pulls people in by telling stories, driving conversations, and addressing students’ needs and interests. The goal is to involve parents and students in a deeper, more sustained relationship. 

One of the smartest things an administrator or principal at a private school can do is to develop a marketing plan. A private school marketing plan clearly outlines how you will reach your ideal families by effectively implementing your marketing strategy.

There are countless ways to promote your school, so it’s important to identify and focus on the most effective tactics. Here is a list of 75 private school marketing ideas to get the wheels turning. 

Marketing Planning

Marketing a Christian Private School is about finding your ideal students and sharing your message: How you’ll make their lives better. You need to research and identify your target families, decide how your school will stand out, and develop a plan. Here are a few strategies to get started:

1. Update, download, or create a marketing plan for your school.
2. Revisit or start your market research.
3. Refine your target families.
4. Develop your school's unique selling proposition (USP).
5. Define the features and specifications of your school that set you apart from other options.
6. Match your strengths to help convey your value to create powerful marketing campaigns.

Marketing Materials

Be prepared with customized resources you can share both in person and online. You should always have something that represents your school's mission and image that you can hand to a parent or student. The same concepts apply online as digital presence is crucial to success.

7. As old school as it seems, create or update your business cards so they stand out.
8. Consider producing a brochure or postcard if it will help spread the word.
9. Make sure your website is indicative of what your school looks and feels like.
10. Get creative with promo products and give them away to parents, feeder schools, feeder programs, or at networking events you attend.
11. People save stuff they can use. Therefore, have swag like notebooks, magnets, pens, stress balls, etc.
12. Utilize your USP for unique designs.

In-Person Networking

You may think networking isn’t a great fit for you and your school. However, most networking isn’t always about the people you meet, but the families they know. It has been said that success in business is about relationships, and private schools are no different. Networking allows you to build relationships that lead to referrals, admissions appointments, and enrolled students.

13. Create a one-minute elevator pitch.
14. Register for a conference.
15. Introduce yourself to local business owners, connect with churches or civic organizations that share your mission, etc.
16. Plan a career fair for your students and invite local businesses where you can share with them the mission and information about your school.
17. Join your local chamber of commerce.
18. Connect with a local sales or networking group.

Direct Mail

I will be honest, direct mail isn’t cheap, but if you have a targeted list of new parents or families new to the area, and you can send attractive offers, it can be very effective. A report on Direct Mail by the SBA says that direct mail results in five times more sales than email. 

19. Launch a multi-piece direct mail campaign to your target families.
20. Split-test your mailings to measure impact.
21. Every direct mail piece should include a clear and enticing call to action (CTA).
22. Use inserts, tear cards, props, and attention-getting envelopes to make an impact with your mailings.
23. Send past families incentives (if their children haven’t aged out) to entice them to return.

Advertising

People often mix up advertising and marketing, but they are two different things. Marketing is everything you do to get your school to families who want to enroll their children. Advertising is a part of marketing that lets you get the word out about your private school.

24. Buy a spot on the radio.
25. Advertise in a publication local families read.
26. Consider using a billboard.
27. Use magnets or stickers for advertising on school vehicles or parents’ vehicles.
28. Advertise in your local newspaper.
29. Take out an ad on a local cable TV station.
30. Run an ad on a relevant website.
31. Use temporary signage to promote your current enrollment period.

Social Media Marketing

For private schools, a reputable social media presence is no longer optional. Most parents expect to be able to follow a school’s progress, view updates, and make connections with fellow families. Social media can help define your school's image, promote it, gain students, and build relationships. Like all other forms of marketing, you need to have a solid idea of who your target families are, where to find them, and how to talk to them. Finally, you need a social media plan.

32. Get started with social media for schools.
33. Create a Facebook page for your school.
34. Get your school’s name for your Facebook page.
35. Create a Twitter account.
36. Reply, retweet, or comment on other accounts.
37. Explore lesser-known or niche platforms.
38. Create a LinkedIn profile for you, your school and your alumni.
39. Write blog posts on a regular basis.
40. Consider TikTok to help reach younger families.
41. Create an Instagram account.
42. Develop an editorial calendar for your social content and blog.

Internet Marketing

Aside from social media, there are many ways to market online. Here are a few more suggestions:

43. Make sure your school's website and other online content is search engine optimized.
44. Start a pay-per-click campaign using Google Ads.
45. Connect with social media influencers to reach their followers through promotional posts.
46. Record a video to attach a face to the name and post it on your blog.
47. Upload a video to YouTube.
48. Check online directory listings and get listed in the relevant ones.
49. Advertise on Facebook.
50. Advertise on LinkedIn.
51. Set up Google Analytics on your website.
52. Review your school’s Google analytics to learn more about your target market and how to reach it
53. Stay on top of trends, such as new social media platforms or tools.
54. Learn more about local search marketing.
55. Track your online reputation.
56. Consider signing up for a service like Help a Reporter Out (HARO), so you can be interviewed for media stories.