5 Ways to Keep Enrollment Momentum Strong Through the Holidays
The holiday season can feel like one of the toughest periods for admissions teams. Suddenly, inboxes go quiet, families travel, and application deadlines (most of which tend to land in January or February) creep up fast in the new year.
For schools aiming to hit inquiry-to-application conversion goals, the period between Thanksgiving and the new year can be a make-or-break period – and can mean the difference between a massive flood of post-holiday applications or a consistent, steady cadence. Helping families get their applications over the finish line earlier will allow both of you to enjoy the holiday season and come back from a break well rested and ready to send (and receive) those letters of acceptance.
Here are five proactive strategies your private school marketing and admissions teams can use to help families stay on track, boost conversion rates, and keep your application pipeline flowing during the holiday season.
1. INCENTIVIZE EARLY ACTION
That “gold star” strategy we enjoyed as children really never wears off in adulthood. People love to feel like they’re getting a bonus for being proactive. Use this to your advantage by offering a small, time-bound incentive for early applications.
- Offer a compelling, finite-time incentive such as “Submit your application by December 15 to receive priority decision notification,” or if your budget allows for it, a simple (but effective) “Your application fee is waived.”
- Position this offer as a gift or a thank-you for proactive applicants, rather than as an emergency or a gimmick. For example, instead of “Hurry! Deadline imminent,” try “Complete your application early and receive a token of our appreciation.” This shifts the tone from urgency to appreciation. Consider entering names into a draw for something as simple as a gift card to a local café or a piece of merch from your school store! Cross-listing these incentives across your social platforms, emails, and admissions pages – as well as sharing in person – will help catch folks who may pay attention to one format more than another.
2. BE HELPFUL BEFORE THEY NEED IT
Remember that you’re often working with first-time private school applicants who may not know what to do or how long the process takes. Don’t assume they know the steps! By offering a clear, step-by-step application checklist, you can help families structure their approach and overcome any initial overwhelm.
- Create an “Application Checklist” outlining each necessary step. You could offer insights about why you ask for certain information, include links to key contacts, and share FAQ content about where to find the portal, how to reset your password, or other basic information that will help make the application process easy.
- Include realistic timelines and tips. In your checklist, offer suggestions for when families should complete each step. Allowing parents and students to pace their process will help the whole thing feel less overwhelming. Consider tips that will minimize the holiday lull and make your job easier, like “Be sure to ask for teacher recommendations before faculty leave for Thanksgiving!”
- Make it readily available. Feature the checklist prominently on your website, include it in your inquiry follow-up emails, and share it in your December social posts and newsletter.
TIP: You may consider offering the resource as a downloadable PDF behind an email form. This allows you to engage with families who aren’t in your inquiry pipeline yet or help gauge interest in your school. Then, you’ll have a great way to enroll new families into an email workflow to stay top of mind and generate leads.
See our tips about building a successful email strategy here.
3. OFFER GENTLE REMINDERS
We’ll say it again: GENTLE reminders. If parents feel they are being over-communicated to – or worse, nagged – they will head straight for the unsubscribe button. Your goal is to be a supportive reminder, not an annoyance.
- Reinforce the benefits of an earlier application, such as more time to enjoy the holidays, being notified of any errors or missing information well ahead of the final deadline, and giving their child’s current teachers sufficient grace to complete recommendations.
- Come across as human. Address the holiday season directly and send warm wishes to each family. If your time and budget allow, consider including a small holiday treat (maybe a raffle for a coffee gift card or a discount to the school store for holiday shopping – get creative!) or a piece of bonus content to add value beyond the admissions process. Keeping the tone of the relationship you’ve been building with them thus far will help create trust and relay authentic care.
4. MAKE IT CLEAR
Parents are busy, and they move through their day quickly. If they have to dig too hard to figure out how to apply or access their application portals, they’ll be far less likely to complete the process.
- Ensure your emails and admissions-related webpages have crystal-clear CTAs. Use action-oriented buttons like “COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION” or “APPLY NOW.”
TIP: Not sure if what you’re promoting is doing what you’re wanting? This could be a great time to consider a Conversion Rate Optimization project to review key admissions pages and whether they’re effective.
- Prevent tech pain points. Nothing’s worse than trying to start an application last minute only to realize you’re locked out or can’t find your password. Offer checkpoints well in advance to ensure the application portal is easily accessible (and that they can contact you for assistance before you set your OOO message).
TIP: Consider utilizing an AI-powered chatbot on your admissions pages. This allows parents to get clear, real-time answers to common questions. To learn more about integrating AI, read our blog here [LINK FROM CHRIS’ BLOG].
5. STAY FESTIVE
It is the holiday season, after all! It’s a joyful time for many. Sprinkle some cheer throughout your communications to show families you’re aware of the season and make your emails or socials worth engaging with.
Try implementing a few of these holiday-themed initiatives:
- “12 Days of…” campaign: Try “12 Days of Admissions Tips” on your socials, or highlight student stories from across your grades with a “12 Days of [School Name] Students” (feature students from 1st graders to 12th graders).
- Video messages: A short video message from the Head of School or Director of Enrollment wishing families happy holidays and briefly reminding them of upcoming deadlines is a personal and high-impact touch.
- Digital gift: Offer a printable holiday card or a digital wallpaper featuring the school. Even if it’s not directly tied to applying, staying top of mind in a positive way is crucial.
WHAT TO DO AFTER THE HOLIDAYS
The work isn’t over when the quiet season ends – so now is the perfect time to plan for the inevitable January surge.
- Prepare an automated follow-up campaign for all incomplete applications. A simple message like, “It’s not too late – finalize your application this week!” can be highly effective.
- Have staff ready for quick responses once families return from holiday travel. Timeliness is key when they’re finally ready to take action.
Here’s a checklist you can use with your team to help set you up for success in the months ahead:
- Revisit your admissions calendar now to confirm all dates are accurate, clear, and reasonable.
- Build your automated communications (gentle reminders and January surge emails) before you leave for the holidays.
- Test one (or all!) of these five strategies this season.
- Enjoy the results – and let us know what worked!
With the right strategy, you can turn a quieter holiday season into one of meaningful engagement and steady conversions for your school, setting you up for a successful application high season.
At Metric Marketing, we develop measurable and practical strategies to help private and independent schools like yours to make the most of your marketing efforts. We’d love to discuss your private school’s marketing requirements with you. Contact us today to speak with our marketing professionals or use the form below to sign up and receive more marketing tips in your inbox.
