Retention is what happens between the big moments

Aubrey and Laurie have both watched schools pour energy into the “big moments” of admissions: open houses, tours, inquiry follow-up, beautiful collateral, great presentations.

And then something subtle happens.

Once a family enrolls, the strategy often fades into “keeping up.” Communication becomes reactive. Messaging becomes functional. The school experience is still strong, but families aren’t always helped to see it, name it, and trust it.

That’s why this topic belongs in The New Era of School Marketing series. Because retention is not a separate initiative. Retention is what happens between the big moments.

• It’s in the weekly email that explains not just what happened, but why it mattered.
• It’s in the social post that doesn’t just showcase a project, but connects it to skills a child is building.
• It’s in the tuition message that doesn’t just announce a number, but communicates respect, gratitude, and transparency.
• It’s in the teacher note that says, “We see your child,” before there’s ever a difficult conversation.

When schools skip these “in-between” moments, families start filling in the blanks on their own. And in a stressful economy, with strong public options and competing independents, the blanks often get filled with questions: Are we getting what we pay for? Do they notice our child? Are we still valued here?

The good news is that the fix isn’t more stuff. It’s better intention behind what you already do.

Aubrey often encourages teams to pick a small set of touchpoints and upgrade them. Not rewrite everything. Just add meaning and warmth where it counts.

Laurie pushes for consistency over perfection: small, steady deposits that build trust. Because when a school hits a rough week, families don’t decide whether to stay based only on that week. They decide based on the whole relationship bank that came before it.

In the new era, that’s the marketing strategy: communicate in a way that helps families feel confident, connected, and clear about the value, long after the enrollment contract is signed.

This blog is part of our series, The Next Era of School Marketing: candid thoughts from veteran school marketers Aubrey Bursch and Laurie Ehrlich.

Connect with Laurie Ehrlich, Co-Founder + Marketing Strategist, Thrive Hive.

Connect with Aubrey Bursch, Founder & CEO of Easy School Marketing