How to Organize Your School’s Marketing Materials
Engaged Right-Fit Families
You’re ready to launch a new marketing campaign. Your team has a plan, enrollment goals are set, and everyone is eager to get started. Then…
Someone asks for the school’s logo.
The version you find is outdated.
The photos you planned to use look blurry.
The video files are scattered across different computers — or worse, on the last tech guy’s laptop. The guy who left at the end of last school year.
Suddenly, a project that felt ready to launch comes to a halt.
For many schools, this scenario is an irritating reality. Marketing isn’t delayed because the strategy is too complicated, but because the materials needed to bring a strategy to life are simply not readily available.
So … where should you begin if that’s your reality?
Instead of trying to organize everything at once, focus on the handful of marketing materials your school uses most often. Once these are current, organized, and easy to access, every future project becomes easier to launch.
Start With Your Logo
Your logo is one of the most frequently used pieces of your school’s marketing. It appears on your website, social media graphics, admissions materials, event signage, apparel, and countless other places throughout the year. Yet it’s surprisingly common for teams to have multiple versions floating around (with no clear answer as to which one is correct).
Take a few minutes to make sure your school has one current, approved version of its logo and that it’s easy for your team to find. Keep the file types you’ll need for both print and digital use, add simple guidelines for when and how each version should be used, and store everything in one shared location that the right people can access.
The goal is to eliminate the guesswork so your team can spend less time hunting for files and more time moving projects forward. Not create a be-all and end-all brand standards guide.
Invest in Photography You’ll Actually Use
Photography gives families one of their first glimpses into life at your school. Before they schedule a tour or walk through your front doors, they’re already forming impressions based on what they see online.
And… families can tell the difference between a genuine classroom moment and a staged stock image. They want to picture their child learning, growing, and belonging in your community.
Building a strong photo library doesn’t have to happen all at once. Instead of planning one massive photo day every few years, think about capturing your school in every season. A few intentional photo sessions throughout the year will give you a richer collection of images that reflect campus life as it really is.
If hiring a professional photographer isn’t in the budget, don’t let that stop you. Consider reaching out to a talented parent or alumnus, partnering with a local college photography program, or inviting yearbook students to help capture everyday moments around campus.
Download the School Photography Shot List
Don’t Forget Video
Video doesn’t have to be complicated (or expensive) to be effective. Families simply want a glimpse of what it feels like to be part of your school community. The more authentic, everyday moments you share with them, the more they’ll be able to picture themselves at your school.
You likely already have everything you need. Modern smartphones capture excellent video, making it easier than ever to build a library of authentic content your team can use throughout the year.
Make It Easy to Find
Having great logos, photos, and videos only helps if your team can actually find them when they need them.
As your collection of marketing materials grows, create one shared location where everything lives. Organize folders in a way that makes sense for your school, use clear file names, and remove outdated materials as you update them. Setting aside time once a year to review your files can prevent a lot of unnecessary searching later.
Most importantly, don’t let one person become the keeper of everything. Make sure the people responsible for admissions, marketing, advancement, and school communications all know where these materials are stored and have access to them. When everyone knows where to look, projects move faster, transitions are smoother, and your team spends less time searching for files and more time serving prospective families.
Ready for your next school marketing campaign?
Launch with a partner who will help your team build a stronger marketing foundation so every campaign that follows is easier to execute. Schedule a call with one of our Solutions Advisors. We’d love to learn more about your goals and explore how Tassel can help.