3 Ways to Build School Marketing and Admissions Alignment

Every January feels the same in schools: fresh notebooks, new energy, big goals… and a whole lot of, “Okay, this year we’ll REALLY make headway with school marketing and admissions alignment.”

And yet, for so many schools, Admissions and Marketing start each year like two people working at the same school but living in completely different time zones.

One team is sprinting from tours to yield events to inbox clean-out.

The other is juggling photos, newsletters, crisis communications, and (let’s be honest) ten different requests that all needed to be done yesterday.

Everyone’s busy. Everyone’s overwhelmed.

And everyone’s sprinting… just not always in the same direction.

If you’re feeling that tension between clicks and conversations, between the web traffic Marketing sees and the inquiries Admissions does or doesn’t, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common challenges schools face when school marketing and admissions collaboration falls short.

But here’s the good news: this isn’t personal — it’s structural.

And the even better news?

Establishing clear school marketing and admissions alignment will help bridge the gap between the two teams.

It’s fixable.

Why Admissions and Marketing Alignment Breaks Down (And Why It’s Not Anyone’s Fault)

Schools are serving modern families but often relying on outdated systems and workflows.

Families expect frictionless, mobile-first interactions. But admissions forms are often long, rigid, and built for a different era.

Meanwhile, Marketing is focused on clicks, engagement, and audience behavior.

Admissions is focused on fit, follow-up, yield, and relationship-building.

Both perspectives are essential.

Both teams are doing their best.

They’re just seeing different parts of the same story.

When admissions and marketing collaboration feels strained, it’s usually not because of misaligned people. It’s because the system doesn’t support shared visibility, shared goals, or shared context.

The schools that make progress don’t try to “fix” their teams.

They fix how their teams work together.

The Best Schools Treat Marketing and Admissions as One Continuous Story

The strongest enrollment teams we work with don’t treat marketing and admissions as separate functions.

They treat them as chapters in the same family journey.

These schools:

• Share wins, challenges, and data — with context
  
• Meet regularly, even when things are busy
  
• Talk openly about what’s working and what’s not
  
• Pivot quickly based on real feedback
  

Most importantly, they replace “Who owns this?” with “How can we support each other?”

Strong admissions and marketing collaboration doesn’t eliminate challenges, but it does eliminate confusion, finger-pointing, and wasted effort.

So as the new year gets underway, here are three simple habits that can dramatically improve how your teams work together.

1. Bring Everything Into the Light

You don’t need a massive CRM overhaul.

You don’t need 12 dashboards or a cross-functional task force with matching t-shirts.

You just need one shared place, or one shared conversation, where Admissions and Marketing can see the full picture together.

Try this question in your next meeting:

“What do we each see that the other doesn’t?”

Marketing sees:

• Website traffic
  
• Content performance
  
• Engagement patterns
  

Admissions sees:

• Real conversations
  
• Family hesitations
  
• Decision-making behaviors
  

When those perspectives come together, admissions and marketing collaboration becomes less about data ownership and more about shared understanding.

Suddenly, it’s not “your numbers vs. my experience.”

It’s one story, told from two angles.

2. Define Success Together

Before the year picks up speed (because it will), pause long enough to define success as a team.

Ask:

• What does “winning” actually look like for us this year?
  
• Which metrics reflect real family engagement (not just activity)?
  
• What results will Admissions and Marketing present together to leadership?
  

When teams collaborate around shared outcomes, admissions and marketing alignment stops feeling forced.

Alignment removes friction, and friction is responsible for more missed opportunities than most schools realize.

3. Keep the Conversation Going

You don’t need more meetings.

You need shorter, more intentional ones.

A simple 20-minute check-in every two weeks can:

• Celebrate quick wins
  
• Flag issues early
  
• Keep curiosity alive
  
• Strengthen trust between teams
  
• Prevent surprises later in the cycle
  

Consistent communication is one of the most effective ways to strengthen admissions and marketing collaboration — and it costs nothing but time you’re already spending elsewhere.

Bonus: Connection Beats Complexity

You don’t need a perfect system, but you do need a connected one.

The schools that struggle most with admissions and marketing collaboration often chase complexity when what they really need is consistency.

Talking more beats guessing more.

Simple habits beat shiny tools.

Schools that communicate better convert better.

It really is that simple.

Start Small. Start Together. Start Now.

You don’t need a massive overhaul.

You don’t need a five-tiered initiative.

Start with:

• One shared goal
  
• One shared check-in
  
• One small improvement to the family journey
  

Small steps lead to stronger admissions and marketing collaboration, and stronger collaboration leads to better enrollment outcomes.

So take this new year as your moment to say:

“New year. New approach. Same team but working in sync.”

Frequently Asked Questions About School Marketing x Admissions Working in Alignment for Strong Enrollment Outcomes

These frequently asked questions explore how school marketing and admissions alignment supports stronger enrollment outcomes by improving shared visibility into how families find, engage with, and evaluate schools.