When it comes to successful enrollment marketing for K-12 schools, I often hear admissions officers say, “If you can just get them to visit the school, we will dazzle them from there.” Since getting families to campus is half the battle, target marketing for an open house is a must-do for independent schools. But in this ever-changing digital landscape, it’s becoming harder to know who to market to, what to say, and how to measure the highest return on investment.

Here are 3 common marketing tactics to avoid when marketing your open house this year.

All too often, schools focus on a number of selling points in marketing collateral that might be true – but don’t adequately describe the institution or what it stands for. Just ask yourself: "How many times have I heard about a premier independent school with personalized attention, strong academics, hands-on learning, and a diverse community?”

As a parent of two young children searching for independent schools, I have noticed how difficult it often is to find or request more information. I know that I am not alone, as data shows that many people drop off of a form that is too long or leave websites entirely when they cannot find what they are looking for. After reading about a school on their website, the easiest next step for prospective parents is to fill out the “contact us” or “inquiry” form. If you are a school or organization struggling to get leads from your website, an optimized inquiry form will help this. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you work through yours: