If the new school term has inspired you to make some improvements to your PR and marketing, here are seven things to do.
1. Review or write your PR strategy
This will help to ensure that all public relations’ activity is planned, meaningful and aligned to your school improvement plan.
2. Take a look at your website:
· Is the content up to date and relevant – is the ‘latest news’ really your latest news?
· Is the site user-friendly?
· Is the content consistent in style and language or has it been updated by several authors in as many different styles?
· Are the photos fresh?
· Do the links work?
· Can parents find key information?
3. Schedule your school newsletters
Plan when you are going to send out your school newsletter.
4. Review your social media
Do you have a social media presence? Are your profiles consistent or do you come across as several different schools? Review who you are following and who is following you. Are you following key influencers in the educational world and local community.
5. Carry out an audit of your printed publicity
Do you have boxes of prospectuses lurking under desks or in cupboards? Is the content correct? Has the publicity achieved its original objective or does it need to be done differently next time?
6. Review your visual identity
Look at your website, printed publicity, school mini buses, advertisements, social media and signage. Is the school logo being used correctly and is the look and feel of publicity consistent? Are you giving out the right impression?
7. Contact yourself
Have you phoned or emailed the school recently? Is your answerphone message friendly and helpful? Do all staff have the same consistent email footer ie an inclusion of contact details, social media handles and a link to the schools' website?
If there are not enough hours in your day for PR and marketing, take a look at our support packages. Just half a day a month could achieve noticeable results.