The Key to Addressing Enrollment Stress
The beauty of clarity and alignment between admissions and marcomm
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Today, we have the People Talking interview with Angela Brown - Manager, Content Marketing and Brand Strategy at Niche. She’s one of the best follows on LinkedIn - smart, clear, funny, mission-driven and passionate about kids and families finding the right fit at independent schools. Before Niche, Angela was the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Flint Hill School in Oakton, VA so she gets us from the inside and also has a very valuable outsider perspective. I am so pleased she agreed to this interview and I think you’ll agree - this is packed with very direct and useable advice - from encouragement for marcomm folks to manage up to looking critically at your funnel if you’re not happy with enrollment to defining the characteristics of strong, useful brand messaging. And if you take nothing else away, remember that good brand messaging creates clarity and alignment. (I think I hear angels singing…)
Julie Faulstich
Angela, welcome to the People Talking interview. I’m so happy to have you here because I know how much we enjoy talking about how some simple changes or ways of looking at things can help move schools forward.
And what I’d love you to talk about is, if you were queen of the marcomm world, what would you be telling people to do? I know I would do whatever you advised!
Angela Brown
I love the question because I think about it all the time.
Between our research and many things that I see and questions that come through from our partnerships managers there's so many different directions that we can go.
People get into a rhythm with any job and in a school, with the events of the year coming one after the other, you almost lose your ability to be strategic. It can be like a strategy vacuum in schools. And the biggest thing that helped me when I was a new marcomm director was the fact that I hadn't come from a previous school. The way that I worked in other jobs was that I was used to strategy. I was used to having to plan. I was used to being accountable for numbers and data. And that's not the way that schools work, at least not for marcomm.
Heads often come up through the classroom. So thinking about this institution that they're running as a business isn’t second nature. And that's part of why the trustees can be helpful, because you've got all these people sitting around the table from business who can serve as that input. But that can be problematic because their way of thinking doesn't always translate directly into schools.
JF
Yes. And I would say that most professional development currently provided for aspiring heads and senior leaders is not entirely helpful - or maybe a better way to frame it is, it doesn’t have lasting impact because it’s a conference or a program and then you go back to your day to day and get sucked into the school year rhythm. So for management, and at the head of school level particularly, it’s learning on the job.
AB
And admissions folks, they're really salespeople and to a certain degree, they need to be trained like salespeople. I feel like we need to look at some of the administrative functions in independent school leadership and think through, “if I worked for a company in my market, what are the competencies that I would need to have and how would I need to think?” And that's hard, right? I don't think that we've universally solved for that yet.
And I think marketing is probably the furthest behind. And I don't think that people in these roles are collaborating in a way that allows them to be really effective.
I was talking to someone recently who said, “There's so much that they can learn from higher ed.” And I said, yes, but what I've learned working at Niche is that a lot of problems that exist in K-12 exist in higher ed, just at a different scale.
And so I don't necessarily know that higher ed has nailed the playbook either. Yes, there is value in understanding the intricacies of this industry, this reality. However, if you are looking for best practices that are going to help you level up in what you're doing with your day-to-day, you’ve got to look outside of schools. You have to. I am a big believer in finding inspiration outside of schools.
If we're all just looking at each other and repeating the same tactics, you're just never going to get there. There's some expectations that are missing from school life that allow people to operate this way. If the only person on the leadership team who's accountable for numbers is the admissions director, that's a problem, right?
People talk about how marketing doesn't get any of the resources that it should. But I think a lot of that is on us as marketers to push that forward and manage up. It requires being very clear with your administrative team and with your faculty and with your board and with your parents about what your job is and what it isn't. And you have to find a way. The biggest shift that happened for me was being able to connect my work to what the admissions office was doing. Until I did that, no one cared. I didn't get to present at the board meeting. Nobody was really paying attention to what I was doing. I had to figure out what are the numbers that they care about and how can I connect my team's work to that? That's priority number one.
JF
I totally agree with you. And it's not happening now in many places just because of how a school typically functions, for a thousand reasons. And one reason is that heads are learning on the job and they’re not even sure what’s possible within the marketing function. And they may not ask - it’s hard to know what you don’t know - and marketing goes along as it always has, not completely connected to admissions, or maybe as a service department providing brochures and a viewbook.
So let’s say a school is very worried about enrollment. And it’s the fall and the admissions office is doing all the things - the open houses, the fairs, getting the inquiries in. What’s the number one thing a school could be doing differently right now with their marketing?
AB
It’s hard to get things back on track mid-cycle, but there are a few things I’d recommend. Honestly, it’s similar to what a CEO does when they're closing out a year and behind on revenue targets. Independent schools really need to think more like businesses. I get that there’s a mission, a vision, and all the emotional elements, but at the end of the day, it's a business. And you need to approach it with that mindset.
Thinking like a business doesn’t mean you lose the heart of what you’re doing. It just means being more strategic and acknowledging that real money is involved. And that magic you’re trying to create? It doesn’t happen without money. No money, no kids, no school. It’s that simple.
But diagnosing the problem is key. You need to look at your numbers: What did enrollment look like last year? What about attrition? What feedback did you get from families who left? Those insights can lead you to the root issues. Maybe you change up your approach to events or invest more in digital marketing to drive traffic to your website and events. An early funnel analysis can help pinpoint where you might be losing people—is it at inquiry, event attendance, or application completion? Schools should be doing that.
JF
What do you see as the biggest issue schools face with messaging and branding?
AB
It’s all about clarity and alignment. If you have clarity, alignment follows. But many schools don’t take the time to do the foundational work because they don’t realize how important it is. You’re not trying to appeal to everyone—you’re not Coke. But you need to communicate your mission and program in a way that's understandable, distinct, and clear to the families you want to attract.
So many schools don’t do that and they end up sending mixed messages. For example, are you a super high-achieving school? If so, you should highlight those stats, like the percentage of students accepted to top colleges. But if you’re not that kind of school, pushing those numbers could send the wrong message. Clarity and alignment impact everything, from letters from the head of school to social media content. It even affects who you hire. Branding done right influences every part of the school community.
JF
It also takes discipline, which a lot of schools struggle with. Admissions teams, in particular, sometimes promise to meet every need a family has, which can dilute the message and stray from the brand.
If enrollment is soft, you can’t just throw out a bunch of stats and hope for the best. You have to diagnose the real issue. Maybe another school is attracting families because they are messaging their focus on social-emotional learning or an inclusive environment. You might also be able to offer a very similar experience, but you’re not communicating it well because you’re stuck on the idea of attracting the same families you always have. You need to adapt your messaging to the needs of the current market, like the jobs to be done framework. You can assume your families are looking for the same job to be done as five years ago and miss the mark totally.
But if you have a preconceived idea that the problem is you just need to broadcast more loudly your traditional messaging and that will attract more students and families like the ones you used to enroll - those students and families may not exist, or exist in the numbers you need them to fill your seats.
AB
That is 100% correct.
That's why market research is very important, that's why it is not something to set and forget because it gives you insights into what's happening in a broader context. It’s important to understand who the people in your community really are. Who are the students that are the ideal candidates for your school? Who are the families who are looking for what you offer? I think that focus is really important. “A confused mind says no,” right? It's a very famous saying and it's true. And so if every school wants to be all the things - the artist and the athlete and the academic - we've heard all of that, right? You’ve got to narrow it down because when you're trying to serve everybody, you serve no one.
And so, yes, your school might do a lot of things. You have to choose the ones that are most important and that are going to resonate with the people that you want to attract to your community, the ones who are the best match with your mission.
JF
And I understand why it’s hard because schools are slow to change. School culture is slow to change and then there’s culture within each of the areas of school life. And I think with admission, the sales aspect is so strong that it is hard for them sometimes to stay disciplined with the branding and the message if they are trying to connect with a family. And I think that comes from a very sincere place where they believe in the magic of the school and how the school can be a great fit for so many kids. But the discipline of the messaging is so important, not to inhibit the sale, but to guide it.
AB
You develop relationships and you’re with families on this journey and you want to close the deal. So you don’t want to wind up at a fork in the road where it seems that the child might struggle or may be frustrated with the program but let’s roll the dice anyway.
JF
So you tell them, "We might not have the STEM program you want, but we’ll figure something out. We have great science teachers." Or “I’m sure we can work around the travel team soccer schedule.” But that’s why breaking down the silos between marketing and admissions is so crucial.
AB
Absolutely. And that’s where training and repetition come in. The marketing director’s role should be more than just unveiling a new logo or email signature at the opening meetings in August. It’s about brand storytelling, messaging, reminding everyone what’s important, and making sure they know what to say and what not to say.
It’s also important to be reinforcing the message in smaller groups, like the administrative team. Because otherwise people go rogue or they look at a document once and then they don't look at it again. And something that I'm actually trying to avoid internally is a lot of the time when people do training around messaging, they go too deep, they try to cover too much to the point where they're literally scripting what people say, and that's actually not necessary.
Messaging should empower people to write and speak for themselves, not restrict them. It needs to be simple and accessible. If it’s too complicated, it won’t get used. The same should be said about your style guide and any other tools you use to help people reinforce the brand message.
JF
And that’s where people misunderstand branding. If it’s done well, it connects to the community’s values and mission. It should feel organic. I’ve seen situations where schools get distracted by flashy agencies that deliver a fancy tagline or wordmark or logo, but those things don’t always connect with the school’s true identity.
AB
I hate taglines. I hate catch phrases. They often feel disconnected from what really matters. I’ve seen schools invest in expensive agencies and come away with something that doesn’t resonate with their community, only to revert to the original messaging that felt more authentic.
JF
The core of the messaging has to organically relate to everything around it so it’s easy to use the program and culture of the school to illustrate the message. I was just on Madeira School’s website and the core of that message was - totally paraphrasing - “Girls are excited to get to school every morning because Madeira is made for them.” And then it was illustrated and supported plainly and clearly with examples of what’s going on there every day.
Also - a shoutout to Interactive Schools, who did the very cool website. We switched to them when I was at Westover.
AB
It’s so important for schools to connect with the students, not just the parents. Schools like Madeira do this well—they market in a way that resonates with the students themselves, not just the parents. Kids need to visit a school’s website and feel like, “I want to be there.”
JF
Yes, especially for older kids. Schools are missing an opportunity if they don’t engage students directly in the process. Students are increasingly the ones influencing the final decision about where to enroll.
AB
And that's another missed opportunity for schools because we've been talking about the role that the kids are playing and choosing where they enroll for some time. Not a lot of schools have solved for how to connect with the prospective student. And that's a huge missed opportunity. It’s about more than having a TikTok account.
So to go back to your earlier question, if I were an admissions professional or a head and I'm observing the pipeline is not looking great. Another thing I would look at is, what are we doing for the prospective students in the process? They're the influencers in this situation. Yes, the parents are involved. But those numbers for kids that are influencing the decision by being clear in saying, I want to be here - that number just keeps going up every year.
So what type of events are you offering for them? What type of content are you serving up for them? What opportunities do they have to connect with your community? And for older kids especially, that should include things that don't even involve their parents. A fifteen-year-old doesn't want to go to an open house and watch a panel and take a tour of all the boring spaces, half of which they're not even interested in.
JF
What are some ideas for younger students?
AB
Schools can create opportunities like community playdates or mini camps. Let parents drop off their kids for a few hours to experience something cool in your theater or classrooms. Show them what their child’s experience could be like.
JF
On another topic, there is so much anxiety around demographic pressures. Any advice on how schools should approach this challenge?
AB
Schools need to understand and be realistic about the demographic issues they’re facing. Market research is key. If your market isn’t there, you can’t fix that with digital ads or a shiny new website. You need to understand what’s happening in your community.
K-6 or K-8 schools need to connect with the local community in a real way. Too often, schools exist in these suburban enclaves but don’t engage with the neighborhood around them. Sponsor a local event, open your facilities for community use, or invite locals to school concerts. It’s about showing people what it’s like to be part of your community.
And when it comes to advertising, stay away from magazine ads. They don’t convert. Focus on building relationships and offering ways for people to experience your school firsthand.
JF
So, to wrap up, what’s the biggest obstacle for schools right now?
AB
Schools are often resistant to change, even when adapting to external realities doesn’t mean sacrificing their values or traditions. Independent schools, in particular, need to be more open to adapting to changes in consumer behavior.
JF
There’s no honor in staying the same - or even staying the same at your core but resisting adjusting how you connect with the market - just for the sake of tradition or “how it’s always been.” Are we schools or are we museums?
AB
There’s no glory in remaining unchanged for 150 years.
Thank you, Angela! This was such a fun conversation and then I had the great pleasure of sharing a meal with her when I was in Washington DC. She has such great insight and as someone with independent school experience who now has a broader lens in her current role, that is an invaluable perspective.
Next week, an article on leading in a time of uncertainty. It is undeniable a lot of norms are being challenged and whether you are on are personally on the “hurray” end of the spectrum or the “OMG” end of the spectrum, it impacts your school and you as a leader.
As always - feel free to reach out - you can reply to this email or reach me at jfaulstich@stonycreekstrategy.com. Check out the link below for November Happenings from Stony Creek Strategy.
