Apptegy

We’re excited to announce our upcoming SchoolCEO Conference happening right here in our home city of Little Rock, Arkansas!📍⛰️🌳 When: Sept 30th - Oct 1st, 2024 This conference is special because we’ve got a brand ✨NEW✨ lineup of speakers: Julie Sweetland, Karen Eber, and Neal Foard. You’ll learn how to shape the narrative of your district through strategic framing principles, storytelling, and marketing best practices. We’re also offering several Thrillshare training sessions right here in our Little Rock office! This is a chance for our clients to connect with their CSM's in-person and learn how to get the most out of Thrillshare. You can read more about the conference, browse our speaker lineup, pricing, and more here: https://lnkd.in/gYtTYyY5 We’re currently offering early bird pricing until June 18th, so don’t wait to save your spot at the SchoolCEO Conference! See you then! #SCEOC24 #LittleRock

Football season is back for high schools around the country! One school in particular has taken a unique approach to generating buzz around their athletics. SPRINGDALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS (in our home state of Arkansas!) devised a plan to generate excitement around their new live-streaming Athletic Foundation YouTube channel. This was a shift for district families who were used to watching games through the district's own YouTube channel. But a little creativity and friendly competition helped make the change stick. The Springdale communications team organized a paper football tournament to air exclusively on the new YouTube channel, pitting football coaches from each campus against district staff and administrators. Game commentary was provided by the real football team's sportscasters and students enrolled in video production classes got to showcase their skills by helping with the broadcasts, too. Springdale Athletic Foundation Executive Director, Donald Tucker said the campaign was a huge success. “It gave us an opportunity to get our message to a different group of people than we would otherwise have contact with.” The effort not only got everyone on board with the new digital home of district athletics, but also provided a fun event to bring the entire school community together. No matter who's on the field on a Friday night, when it comes to celebrating your school community, everyone is on the same team. (Photos courtesy of Springdale Public Schools)

SchoolCEO Conference is less than a month away and we're so excited to host you in our home city of Little Rock! Whether you've been here before or this is your first time visiting, there's so much to see and do! 🏙 🌳 🚲   We sent Apptegy's National Partnerships Manager, Emily Chambers, and Senior National Partnerships Manager, Jen Ragsdill, to check out some of our favorite places to eat and explore in our hometown's downtown. #LittleRock #SCEOC24

In a small Texas town just outside San Antonio, Lytle ISD, with its 1,700 students, faced a common but challenging problem: a tight budget and a one-person communications team. Lorrianne Van De Walle Migura, the district’s sole communications pro, knew they needed a creative boost to keep up with their growing needs. Enter Skull Studios, a student-run organization named after the school’s Pirate mascot. What started as a simple fundraiser project quickly transformed into a full-fledged operation. The students began offering everything from logo design to web commercials and even community project support, all while learning valuable skills and gaining real-world experience. The best part? Skull Studios didn’t just benefit the district—it gave students a chance to shine. Migura, who transitioned from teaching technology classes to leading the district’s communications, saw an opportunity for her students to get hands-on experience. They tackled a range of projects, from printing prom tickets to sports photography to redesigning a local donut shop sign, all while building impressive portfolios. This practical work helped students feel more confident and connected to their community, proving that—even on a tight budget—a bit of creativity can go a long way in making waves in your community. What can school leaders learn from Lytle ISD’s inspiring story? You don’t need a big budget to make a big difference. By tapping into student talent, schools can meet their communication needs while providing students with valuable, real-world experience. It’s a win-win situation: Your district gets essential services, and students gain skills and confidence. With a 'Lytle' creativity, you can improve your district’s operations and students’ educational journeys!

What if there was a powerful solution to not only stand out but also get people talking about your district? There is. But it comes with a risk: the risk of thinking counterintuitively. How do you approach school marketing the counterintuitive way? There are three simple techniques: 1. Uncover the ‘real why’ by understanding your audience's unconscious motivation 2. Solve big problems with small, impactful solutions. 3. Focus on working effectively, not efficiently.  Dive into what it means to think counterintuitively in our latest guide!

While K-12 communicators may lack the same resources as private sector marketers, you do have one major advantage as a school leader: you already regularly interface with your audience at live events—be they football games or graduation ceremonies. How can you make the most of these moments? In the latest episode of SchoolCEO Podcast, we’ll explain what experiential marketing is, why it’s so effective, and ways schools can use it to improve their brands. 

How you write is your most powerful tool as a communicator. It directly impacts behavior, perception, and influence. The good news is that you don’t have to be an incredible writer to influence behavior. You just have to understand the psychology of words and how to use them in your role at your district. Learn more in our latest resource How Words Change Minds: Writing Tips for School Communications: https://lnkd.in/g47q5srG

Our new Summer '24 Issue is full of tips, examples, and perspectives on how school districts can embrace the power of experiential marketing. Read the full issue here and let us know which story left you feeling inspired! 🫶📖 schoolceo.com/summer-2024/

⏰ Today is the last day for Advance pricing for SchoolCEO Conference! ⏰ Register by the end of day today to take advantage of a reduced price! apptegy.com/conference #SCEOC24

There are just 📣 TWO DAYS 📣 left for advance tickets to SchoolCEO Conference! We've got a whole new lineup of fantastic speakers who are experts on niche topics like reframing, storytelling, advertising, and collective authorship. PLUS we'll also be hosting mini Thrillshare break out sessions on universal topics like how to launch a successful bond campaign, how to optimize your website for enrollment, and how to get the most out of Thrillshare. Register here for #SCEOC24 to lock in a reduced price! 👉 www.apptegy.com/conference