Here's a question that makes every school administrator shift uncomfortably in their boardroom chair: "How much should we actually be spending on marketing?"
The honest answer is that it depends. But "it depends" doesn't exactly fly when your board treasurer is staring at you over a spreadsheet. So let's give you something better — specific benchmarks, a framework your CFO will respect, and the data to back it all up.
After working with dozens of private schools and digging through data from NAIS and the Enrollment Management Association, we can finally put real numbers on this conversation. And fair warning: what most schools spend versus what they should spend are two very different figures. If you're looking for tactical ways to maximize limited funds, our guide on marketing a private school on a small budget offers immediate-action strategies.
Written By: Adam Bennett | January 09, 2026
Adam is the president and founder of Cube Creative Design and specializes in private school marketing. Since starting the business in 2005, he has created individual relationships with clients in Western North Carolina and across the United States. He places great value on the needs, expectations, and goals of the client.
Your enrollment marketing plan is either documented or it's a series of hunches. There's no middle ground. Most schools operate somewhere between "we'll figure it out" and "we have a spreadsheet," which explains why their enrollment numbers look like a heartbeat monitor. A structured enrollment marketing plan isn't overcomplicated; it's the difference between strategy and chaos.
This template walks you through a proven framework used by mid-size private schools to close enrollment gaps, reduce cost-per-enrollment, and actually hit (or exceed) their numbers. We've included competitive analysis, audience personas, a month-by-month calendar, budget allocation by school size and growth phase, and KPI benchmarks with diagnostic context so you know what to fix when the numbers are off. You get the template, the reasoning behind it, and a fictional but practical case study of Greenfield Academy.
Written By: Adam Bennett | January 05, 2026
Adam is the president and founder of Cube Creative Design and specializes in private school marketing. Since starting the business in 2005, he has created individual relationships with clients in Western North Carolina and across the United States. He places great value on the needs, expectations, and goals of the client.
"Let's increase enrollment this year."
If you've said that in a board meeting or leadership retreat, congratulations. You've just set a goal that's about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. Vague enrollment targets, unsupported by data or strategy, are how schools end up spinning their wheels while competitors steal their market share.
Setting real enrollment goals isn't complicated. But it requires something most schools skip: clarity about your baseline, your costs, and what it actually takes to fill seats. This guide walks you through the process, complete with examples, benchmarks, formulas, and a worksheet you can steal and use immediately. At Cube Creative Design, we work with private schools to build enrollment strategies that actually deliver results.
Written By: Adam Bennett | January 02, 2026
Adam is the president and founder of Cube Creative Design and specializes in private school marketing. Since starting the business in 2005, he has created individual relationships with clients in Western North Carolina and across the United States. He places great value on the needs, expectations, and goals of the client.
A sales rep from the local radio station just left your office. They showed you impressive listener numbers, talked about "brand awareness," and promised your school's name would reach thousands of families in your area. The proposal sits on your desk: $3,500 per month for a 12-month contract.
It sounds good. Radio worked for businesses in the past, right? And they did mention you could sponsor the local high school football broadcasts...
Here's what that sales rep didn't tell you: Traditional advertising is designed for yesterday's parent. Today's families searching for private schools don't make decisions the way they did 15 years ago.
Written By: Adam Bennett | December 22, 2025
Adam is the president and founder of Cube Creative Design and specializes in private school marketing. Since starting the business in 2005, he has created individual relationships with clients in Western North Carolina and across the United States. He places great value on the needs, expectations, and goals of the client.
