What is your school’s story and how do you want to tell it?
This is a great question to ask if you want to know how to create a school brand or refresh an existing one.
From boosting morale and attracting the best educators to increasing enrollment and generating community support, there are many ways your school can benefit from having a unified, powerful brand.
Building a strong brand identity will require a lot of time, energy, and effort. The ultimate goal is to capture the school’s spirit and instill it in the hearts and minds of your staff, students, and the community.
Let’s take a closer look at how this can be accomplished.
Define the Brand
Creating a school brand will entail more than just designing a cool logo, choosing a mascot, and coming up with a catchy tagline.
It’s a strategic process that uncovers an educational institution’s identity and aligns it with the all-encompassing voice the school will strive to embody.
In the initial planning stages, you will want to gain a clear understanding of how your school’s values and culture have evolved over the years.
By taking a close look at who you were and who you have become, you can decide who you want to be in the future.
Execution
After your brand is defined, it is time to focus on proper execution.
Sign with Social Media
Academic excellence, elite sports programs, experiential learning – every school has its own claim to fame.
Finding unique ways to convey what differentiates your educational institution from others will help your school stand out.
One of the most effective ways to do this is to have a strong social media presence.
Attracting a following that is passionate about the school’s mission will not only cultivate brand awareness, but it will also foster relationships with former, current, and prospective students.
Investing in attention-grabbing visuals including indoor and outdoor signage, wall graphics, and recognition displays is another great way to offer a glimpse into your school’s culture and personality.
For Consistency’s Sake
Maintaining consistent brand representation is essential to establishing a sense of familiarity, dependability, and trust with everyone who interacts with the school.
To ensure that your message is clear and understood, all the marketing assets listed below need to have a cohesive look and feel.
- Website design
- Social media platforms
- Signage and promotional materials
- Digital and non-digital communications
Using consistent fonts, color schemes, and imagery will also make it easier to recognize and connect with your school’s identity.
Making a Statement
School branding has the potential to have a positive impact on faculty members, students, parents, and community members.
For a brand to remain current and stay relevant, it should be evaluated on a continual basis. You will find that even minor enhancements can reap big awards.
Small School, Big Brand
Hopefully this article has given you more insight on how to create a school brand that makes a big impact.
In 2011, I got married and relocated to Danville, IL. My husband, who helped start Hall of Fame Plaques & Signs, had two sons in the Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin school district at the time.
With approximately 50 students in every grade, I anticipated everything about the school to be small-scale.
I knew I was wrong after attending a high school football game.
I was in awe of the atmosphere – the stands were packed, there was a buzz in the air, and the players were as fired up as if they were playing for a state championship.
In the months to come, I realized this spirit and pride transcends far beyond football.
It makes sense to me now why the Hall of Fame team was so excited when they were asked to help build Bismarck’s brand.
Thanks to new vibrant signs and custom vinyl graphics, you can not only feel the school’s energy, you can see it in the hallways, cafeteria, and gymnasium.
Check out this case study to learn more about Hall of Fame’s partnership with the Bismarck-Henning-Rossvile-Alvin school system.
