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StoryScape Quarterly

Hello Friend,

If you're anything like me, you're racing to squeeze in those final summer must-dos before the season slips away. For me, summer isn't complete without swimming, blueberries, and creemees—like my dog's pond time, my bumper crop of blueberries, and sharing creemees with my niece. I hope you're still finding time to savor whatever moments make summer special for you.

This got me thinking, what are your top three?

I often say three is the magic number, and this applies perfectly to how you communicate about your school. When families visit for tours, attend open houses, or simply have conversations about what makes your school special, they won't remember a long list of features. They will, however, remember three compelling things that set you apart.

So here's your challenge: What are the three key takeaways you want every family to know about your school?

Whatever your three, make sure they're clear, memorable, and authentically represent what families will actually experience at your school.

To help you think this through as we head into the new school year, I'm sharing our top three posts from this summer. Enjoy!

Starting the School Year Strong:

How to Market Your School to Parents

Have you spent "a billion dollars" on brand work yet still feel something's missing?

Invest your resources wisely this year in telling your unique story so more resources can flow to what matters most—serving your students exceptionally well.

Start the School Year Strong

Obvious or Interesting:

Which Does Your School Lead With?

Thirty seconds. That's your window. Make them count.

Families who might be perfect for your community need more than a checklist of obvious features. They need to feel drawn to your school, to understand what makes you different, memorable, worth it—not just facts that make you definable.

Say Something Interesting

Do You Manage Your Reputation?

Or Does It Manage You?

It's summer and word-of-mouth is at its peak. Your families, faculty, and staff are already talking about your school at parties, playdates, and pickups. The question is: do they know what to say?

When mission-aligned families hear authentic stories from people they trust, conversations turn curiosity into campus visits. And campus visits turn into enrollment. Help them help you.

Your Community Is Your Best Marketing Team

See you in Austin?

Evolve + Endure: Empower Your Community as Authentic Word-of-Mouth Champions

Whether it's connecting with familiar faces, meeting inspiring new people, or discovering incredible work happening in our field, EMA consistently delivers an outstanding experience!

This year, I'm thrilled to share the story of our community collaboration work alongside Torsie Judkins, Head of School at Wingra School. Our session will explore how authentic community engagement creates powerful word-of-mouth advocacy that helps schools not just survive, but truly thrive. If you're attending EMA, I'd love to see you there. And if you can't make it but want to chat over iced coffee, just reach out—I'd love to connect!

Let's Connect

Thank you for reading. Enjoy your day.

Articulate the best of your school in a way that resonates with the people you want to speak with most.

– Barbara and the StoryScape Team

About StoryScape: Refreshing perspective and deep expertise in strategic marketing tailored specifically for private and independent schools. Specializing in market research, compelling messaging, distinctive positioning, word-of-mouth management, and authentic branding.