Need an Enrollment Boost? Don’t take stress, Get a Plan!

Most schools just wing it when it comes to enrollment. They miss out on big opportunities because they don’t have a clear strategy.

But a good plan can change everything! It gives your team direction and helps you attract and retain more students.

Summer’s coming, so now’s the perfect time to start planning for the next session year.

I’m a Enrollment Catalyst. I’ve helped hundreds of schools develop winning plans, and I can help you too!

Here’s my 5-step process to get you started:

… (list of steps)

Ready to ditch the chaos and get strategic? Let’s work together to build a plan that gets results!

Step #1: Conduct an Assessment and Research

Before you plan, check your enrollment pulse!

Start by assessing your admissions, retention, marketing, and tuition/financial aid strategies. What’s working? What’s not?

Do some research too! Talk to families and students through surveys and focus groups. This helps you understand their needs and concerns.

Need help with research? I offer 5 ready-made surveys in my School Survey Solutions package.

By checking your pulse and doing your research, you’ll know exactly where to start with your plan.

Read Also: 55 Marketing Ideas for Schools

55 Marketing Ideas for Schools

Step #2: Identify Your Problems and Establish Your Goals For Enrollment

Remember your assessment and research? Use that info to figure out what needs fixing.

Enrollment declining? Gotta turn that around!
Kindergarten spots empty? Time to fill them up!
Retention slipping? Get those students to stay happy!

Once you know the problems, set clear goals:

Total enrollment target? How many students do you want?
Retention goal? What percentage of students do you want to keep?
New student recruitment goal? How many new families do you need to attract?

Important! Don’t just guesstimate. Set goals that will really push you and make your plan work.

Step #3: Develop Your Strategies Plan To Develop Enrollment Marketing

This is where you figure out HOW to reach your goals. It’s tough, but here’s how I break it down:

1. Strategic Initiatives: These are your big picture ideas, like “Boost Kindergarten Enrollment” or “Improve Retention.”

2. Tactics: These are the specific actions you’ll take under each initiative, like “Host Open Houses” or “Launch Social Media Campaign.”

Tip: Write your plan down so you can share it, update it, and track your progress.

Follow these steps, and you’ll have a plan ready to go!

Step #4: Operationalize Your Plan (Resources & Calendar)

Got your tactics and initiatives? Great! Now, put them on a calendar!

This is where many leaders get stuck. Don’t worry, it’s not about fancy tools. Just put your priorities in a simple spreadsheet, table, or calendar.

This helps you see:

What needs to be done when.
What’s most important.
How everything fits together.

Make your calendar work for you, and your plan will be unstoppable!

Step #5: Monitor, Review and Adjust Your Plan

This last step is more like a marathon than a sprint. You’ll need to keep checking in on your plan, making sure it’s still working, and adjusting it as needed. The world is always changing, so your plan needs to be flexible too. Remember, none of us had a COVID-19 plan before the pandemic hit. But schools had to adjust and change their plans and strategies to deal with it.