Marketing ideas to help increase enrollment in private school?

Question

I work in a small k-8 school and enrollment is decreasing with this downturn in the economy & gas prices to drive kids to the school. I am concerned about the future of the school and frankly, the future of my job...LOL. Anyone have any marketing ideas to help the school get its name out?

Answer 1

Do you know what is online marketing? Ever heard of it? I don't know if it can help you or your school, but it works for quite a lot of people doing marketing.

Check this out:

http://www.internetmarketing-howto-video...

They teach you step by step with videos. I mean, why not just give it a try?

Answer 2

maybe you could contact some private high schools and associate with them. I'm sure that there are kids in private high schools with little brothers or sisters; their parents might want the kids in private elemenary schools if they're going to go on to a private high school.

College fairs? Try convincing parents that the benefits that a private education provides will eventually help them get into a good college with more ease.

Good luck

Answer 3

Do you have feeder Preschools? Your school should make preschools familiar with your program and work on good relationships, so they "feed" students into your school.

Are there school fairs you're not participating in - where you have a booth and hand out literature about your school? Find out and ask to be included.

Advertise -- but see if you can get it for free.

What are some of your student's accomplishments? (Science Fair winners, drama production, community service, etc.) Put photos of them on your webpage (with parental permission) and see if you can get them in local newspapers or tv news. Do you have a student newspaper, one with stories written by students, photos they've taken, drawings, etc? Put it online. Prospective parents love that stuff.

Any notable alumni that will say something nice about the school? Put a photo of them and their quote on your webpage.

Have a seminar at your school for current and prospective parents. Something free where an expert (staff, friend/relative of staff) speaks on something of interest. Like Surviving Kindergarten, Stress and Junior High Students, Web Safety (we had an FBI agent come and speak). There is likely a place in the local newspaper you can advertise it for free, also see if you can give flyers to nearby preschools.

Board members -- someone from a desired high school or college, and from a good preschool.

"Brand" your school. What makes your school unique? Sell that.

Do you have a carpool list? If so, make it clear in your literature and website. Parents care about that now way more than they used to.

See what the other schools do and adapt their ideas. = )

Don't assume that even parents very close by are aware of your school. Even in areas where parents are desperate to send their kids to private schools they can be clueless about great schools just a few miles away.

Good luck!