smj: school marketing journal

imageseven
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Fortnightly

The School Marketing Journal podcast is for school Heads, covering the latest in school marketing and communications.

  1. 250: School choice: what's changed, what's next – Interview with Graham Catt

    6 days ago

    250: School choice: what's changed, what's next – Interview with Graham Catt

    School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Graham Catt In this interview episode, Brad is joined once again by Graham Catt, Chief Executive Officer of Independent Schools Australia, to discuss what School Choice Counts has achieved and what now matters for school leaders. Graham explains why the campaign's strongest stories were not about sectors, buildings or funding, but families, students and communities. He argues that Heads need to move beyond election-time advocacy by building ongoing relationships with local MPs, helping parents understand how policy affects fees and affordability, and equipping families and school communities to engage confidently in conversations about school choice. Episode link: Independent Schools Australia – School Choice Counts: The Great Education Shift Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

    19 min
  2. 249: Strategy drives story. Meaning before message.

    11 June

    249: Strategy drives story. Meaning before message.

    School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully examine why strong school communication begins before the wording stage. Combining the principles of strategy drives story and meaning before message, they explain why schools can sound articulate while still leaving parents unsure about what matters most. The trio discuss how weak strategy turns communication into a list, why more content rarely builds confidence, and how clearer intent gives story direction and message weight. They challenge heads to settle purpose and meaning before asking marketing teams to write. Episode link: Reflection and Leadership Guide: Strategy drives story and meaning before message Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

    18 min
  3. 248: Reputation risk management with your board – Interview with Tracey Cain

    4 June

    248: Reputation risk management with your board – Interview with Tracey Cain

    School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Tracey Cain  In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Tracey Cain, Chief Executive Officer at H/Advisors, to unpack reputation risk in independent schools. Tracey explains why what matters to a school community must matter to the school, and why that community now extends beyond staff, parents and students to alumni, neighbours and local influencers. She explains how Heads and boards can prepare before risk eventuates by listening early, testing likely scenarios and building the trust, policies, processes and culture needed to manage risk as part of day-to-day school operations. Episode links: H/Advisors - Homepage Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

    19 min
  4. 247: Experience beats message

    28 May

    247: Experience beats message

    School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin  In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully explore the sixth principle in the series: experience beats message. They discuss why messaging can open the door, but parent confidence is shaped by what families repeatedly experience through tours, follow-up, responsiveness and prospective parent touchpoints. The trio examines how mixed signals weaken trust, why the enrolment journey is the brand made visible, and why Heads must lead the standards, systems and behaviours that give the school's message something true to stand on. Episode links: Reflection and Leadership Guide: Experience beats message Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

    20 min
  5. 246: Deep Dive – Interview with Shane Hogan

    21 May

    246: Deep Dive – Interview with Shane Hogan

    School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and Shane Hogan In this deep dive episode, Brad is joined by Shane Hogan to explore what school leadership requires when communities need stability and confidence. Drawing on a career across Catholic and independent schools, boys' and girls' education, and interim roles in schools under pressure, Shane discusses why visibility, relationships and discernment matter as much as structure. He explains why marketing must reflect the school's lived experience, how staff, parents and alumni influence enrolment confidence, and why school Boards need to understand the long-term work behind positioning and enrolment growth. Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

    45 min
  6. 245: The new parent mindset reshaping school choice – Interview with David Woodgate

    14 May

    245: The new parent mindset reshaping school choice – Interview with David Woodgate

    School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle and David Woodgate In this interview episode, Brad is joined by David Woodgate, Chief Executive of the Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA) in the UK, to examine how millennial parents are reshaping school choice. David explains why reputation, tradition and results are no longer enough to create confidence, as parents look for clearer evidence of value, individual care and alignment between a school's promise and lived experience. Together, they discuss what this shift means for Heads, admissions and marketing teams, and why every interaction must build trust in the school's value in a competitive market. Episode link: Independent Schools' Bursars Association Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

    20 min
  7. 244: Can a school create external confidence before it has internal coherence?

    7 May

    244: Can a school create external confidence before it has internal coherence?

    School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Andrew Sculthorpe and Belinda McCubbin In this episode, Brad, Bel and Scully explore why external confidence depends on internal coherence. They discuss why staff goodwill is not the same as shared understanding, how parents sense mixed signals across tours, conversations and follow-up communication, and why alignment is built through repeated leadership decisions, not announcements. The trio examines the risk of a school sounding clearer than it feels, and why Heads must ensure the school's story is understood and reinforced by their own staff before it can be trusted by prospective families. Episode link: Reflection and Leadership Guide: Staff understanding comes first Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

    19 min
  8. 243: Enrolment pressure and the new parent priorities – Interview with Chris Lang

    30 Apr

    243: Enrolment pressure and the new parent priorities – Interview with Chris Lang

    School Marketing Journal with Brad Entwistle, Pauline Shuttleworth and Chris Lang In this interview episode, Brad is joined by Pauline Shuttleworth, imageseven Advancement Specialist, and Chris Lang, co-founder and Head of Sales for Asia Pacific at Digistorm, to examine the changing enrolment landscape for independent schools. Using the findings from Digistorm's 2025/26 State of K–12 School Admissions Report, they discuss how softening demand and growing enrolment pressure are shifting admissions from reactive management to data-informed planning. This requires Heads to sharpen their positioning and take a more intentional approach to the parent journey. Episode link: State of Admissions 2025/26 - Digistorm Insights Get in touch at smj@imageseven.com.au

    20 min
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The School Marketing Journal podcast is for school Heads, covering the latest in school marketing and communications.

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