Earlier this year, I had a quick call with a new head of school at a school we’ve worked with before. They had just launched a newly revamped website, so it was a good chance to reconnect and meet the new leadership. The conversation was brief, but one line really stuck with me:
“We’re not gonna focus on video for the next few years for marketing.”
Honestly, I was a little stunned. I get it—budgets are tight. Especially for smaller independent schools navigating today’s economy. But that kind of long-term decision has consequences.
Not long after that call, I attended The Summit hosted by LeadTeam Partners. During a Q&A, economist Ben Harris was asked a very direct question:
“How should independent schools respond to the current economic pressures?”
His answer was just as direct:
“Keep sharing your value proposition.”
Heads in the room nodded in agreement. He was right. School leaders have to keep showing families why their school is worth the investment. And that kind of message needs to be ongoing. It’s not a one-time campaign. It’s a commitment. And it’s difficult.
That’s why I’m always surprised when schools say they’re not planning to produce video content this year—or next year—or the year after that.
If independent schools want to stay competitive, they can’t stop promoting their value proposition. And there’s no better way to do that than with visual storytelling. That means video.
Whether it’s for your schools branding videos, enrollment videos, or even fundraising videos, great video content doesn’t just inform, it creates connection and it can create trust. When trust is built, families are more likely to enroll, come back year after year, and donate to annual funds and capital campaigns.
Now, maybe you already have a few videos on your website or running as Meta ads. That’s a solid start. But what about the rest of your funnel? How are you supporting families from the first touchpoint through enrollment? If you haven’t already, check out my blog on enrollment funnel videos (https://monzomediaproductions.com/2024/02/the-awareness-consideration-and-decision-model-for-your-videos/). It’s one of the easiest ways to identify gaps in your communication strategy—and opportunities where video can help keep families engaged before they drop off.
And then there’s your stakeholder community, especially alumni and alumni parents. These are often the people who continue to give. But let’s be honest: fundraising every year can wear down even the most loyal supporters. Video can reinvigorate that message. It can show donors how their contributions are making real change for real families.
I think of content creation like going to the gym. It’s not something you just do once and it makes you super strong and lose a ton of fat. It takes time, repetition, diet,and proper technique. Great video content is very similar. You need a great long term strategy, the right tactics, and the right way to distribute it. At the end of the day, when a school truly commits to producing compelling video content—whether for admissions, fundraising, or branding—they give themselves a better shot at reaching their goals. That’s just a smart strategy.
Reach out if you want to brainstorm on how to create video content year after year that works at joe@monzomediapro.com
