- 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.
COVID-19 Resources for Schools
Take Me ThereMost Recent Articles
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Refresh Your School Storytelling During COVID-19
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Envisioning the Schools of the Future
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A Critical Marketing Tactic for Virtual Admissions
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A Message From Heather Hoerle: Announcing the SSAT At Home
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The SSAT at Home Is Coming in May — View the FAQs
We know that at-home testing will have a positive impact on the ways we serve our 1,300 members and the 70,000+ families and students who take the SSAT annually — especially those who are challenged b
What Is Our New Normal? COVID-19 as an Opportunity to Build Resilience
It would go without saying that we are living through exceptional times, a kind of medieval experience in a time of technological wonder.
Questions That Boards Should and Should Not Be Asking Right Now
Are you a head of school, enrollment director, or administrator hoping to help your board ask the right questions? This list is for you.
Do You Have a Crisis Communications Plan?
Don’t panic — it’s time to talk crisis communications. The way you choose to communicate in a crisis reflects your school’s brand, personality, community, and so much more.
Virtual Admissions: Tips for Bringing Your In-Person Process Online
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Summer Camp as an Enrollment Driver
Does your school offer summer camps or programs? Chances are, the answer is yes. According to NAIS’s recent Survey on Non-Tuition Sources of Income, 84% do.
A Comprehensive Communication Plan Aids the Successful Rollout of The Character Skills Snapshot at Marist School
At Marist School (Georgia), the admission team has long been focused on finding a way to measure character in the admission process.
The Best Way to Prepare for the SSAT? Practice, Practice, Practice.
Test Innovators has teamed up with The Enrollment Management Association to provide official SSAT-developed content on the Test Innovators platform.
Understanding SSAT Score Reports
Our testing team has developed score report primers to help you interpret test scores so that you can better compare students and track performance from year to year.
There Are Many Paths to Leadership
As Head of School at Massachusetts' Applewild School, Amy Jolly has been taking bold steps to build up enrollment with international students. Like many heads, she honed her skill set in admissions.
When you hear the words "open house," you may immediately think of fall. But many schools are finding that to attract new families in the area and mid-year applicants you need to hold open houses in
