Everyone in the school is a marketer, but...

When it comes to marketing schools, every single person in the organisation is a marketer.

The Principal is a marketer.

The teachers are marketers.

The bus drivers are marketers.

The students, of course, are often our best marketers.

Every person who exists within the organisation, whether we like it or not, is a marketer in some capacity.

They are marketing when they talk about the school to friends and family.

They are marketing when they interact with current and prospective families.

They are marketing when they write things online about the school.

They are marketing when they represent us at community events.

Everyone has their part to play in communicating who we are, what we do, and what we believe in at our school.

Sometimes they do it well...sometimes they don’t.

But there is one very important caveat to this.

While everyone in the school is a marketer, not everyone is a professional marketer.

Here's the difference...

A professional marketer:

• Creates the strategy – We don’t just react, we plan. A professional marketer develops a clear, intentional strategy to shape perceptions and drive enrolments.

• Manages the brand – We are the custodians of our school’s visual and verbal identity to ensure consistency and impact across all channels.

• Crafts the message – We don’t just tell stories, we shape narratives that connect emotionally, build trust, and reinforce our school’s vision.

• Understands the audience – We listen. Professional marketers understand their audiences to ensure the right message reaches the right people at the right time.

• Drives enrolment and retention – We don’t leave it to chance. We understand the customer journey so we can build loyalty and advocacy for our schools.

• Manages communication – We control the flow of information, ensuring clarity, transparency, and consistency in everything from social media to crisis management.

• Measures impact – We don’t guess. We use analytics and data to evaluate what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to change.

• Leverages technology – From CRMs to automation, we integrate tools to streamline marketing efforts and enhance engagement.

• Aligns with school leadership – We bridge the gap between education and business, ensuring marketing aligns with the school’s vision and strategic goals.

In a nut shell?

Everyone does marketing in some way, but professional marketers own it.

It’s not about just making things look good…it’s about making things work.

Marketing is often misunderstood in the education sector.

Not long ago, I saw an educator refer to something I had worked on as, "Not just marketing and gimmicks."

They meant it as a compliment.

It wasn't.

As professional marketers, we need to educate staff members on the distinction between what we do and the role they play in marketing our schools.

My hope is that this article helps you to do just that.