- Perform A/B testing: Test one element at a time, sending two versions of your mailer or email to two separate segments of your list. Determine what gets the most interest and use that going forward.
- Add some social proof: Families are looking for evidence to trust you. Include parent and student quotes that back up your claims and inspire confidence in what you're communicating.
- Use strong calls to action in every email: Include a clear action on each email or mailing you send out.
- Use descriptive headers: A header like "You are Invited" doesn't say much, but "You are Invited to White Hill School's Fall Open House" sounds far more personal.
- Focus on smaller groups within the list. Don't start with all the students on the list at once. Start by targeting those families that may be most familiar with your school by filtering on location. This will start a history of emails that are likely to be opened rather than sent to spam.
- Pull a new list before each communication to ensure you are excluding families who choose to opt out through EMA's system.
- Send emails from a person rather than a group or "noreply" email address.
- About spam: If another user on your IP address has been flagged for spamming, you could be flagged, too.
- Use permission marketing: Once somebody has given you permission to communicate with them, make sure you listen to them and gauge their responses so you don’t overdo it and make them change their mind about your messages.
- Pay attention to your metrics: It’s important to choose which metrics you want to measure against before you send and consistently monitor them with each send so you can track your improvements.
Most Recent Articles
Marketing & Recruitment of New Families
Recruitment and selection of new students are the bread and butter of the enrollment office. This is the work that's critical to the success of your institution
Family Engagement & Retention
The Enrollment Management Spectrum defines retention of current students very simply: students who enroll at the school tend to stay at the school.
EMA Gender and Ethnicity Data Updates
EMA is committed to creating an inclusive community for our members, families, and students.
Welcome to Admissions…Now What?
How are you spending your first summer at your school or your first summer in admission?
A Head Start: 5 Tips to Prepare for Enrollment Success as a New Head of School
As new heads of school prepare to step into their roles, they face many unknowns, and EMA is here to help demystify the leadership role with regard to enrollment success.
Fifty Years in the Future: A Leadership Retreat Activity
The Fifty Years in the Future activity is a great way to kick off your leadership team retreat while also letting you participate in the fun.
Five Takeaways from a Conversation About Shadow Days
Customized, in-person opportunities to experience the day-to-day life of the school can be an important part of the family journey to enroll.
You Can’t Change What You Don’t Measure: Social and Emotional Health in Children
Hiring a dedicated Director of Institutional Research is not for every school. But, every school can start taking advantage of the data they already have to better serve their students!
The Strategic Enrollment Management Spectrum
Explore the seven levers of the enrollment spectrum and consider how they work together to contribute to your enrollment success.
The State of Employee Retention and Engagement
We need to revolutionize the way we work and how we think about the workplace; otherwise, we risk losing valuable employees to The Great Resignation.
The Value of Professional Development
By tapping into professional development opportunities, you can help your organization reduce the skills gap that has been widening over the last few years.
Your Guide to Spring Admission Assessments
This season of renewal is the perfect time to reset your pace, refocus your energy, and return to strategic planning. And one of the best ways to do that is with some spring admission assessments.
Rainbow Linings: The Pandemic and Admissions
When COVID hit, although I may have been a sorry sight for my colleagues in Zoom meetings, we rolled up our sweatshirt sleeves and, overnight, found another way.
Once in Our Lifetime: Lessons From This Pandemic Year
COVID-19 has forced our community to reexamine practices and has illuminated the tremendous power in shared collaboration as we redesign our collective future.
A Sense of Belonging
By cultivating a sense of belonging in our schools and workplaces, we can empower students and staff to be agents of change.
The Strength of Character
A good character leads to a successful life — at home, at school, at work.
