Same old story? Let's get creative! - Fine Point Communications

Recently a colleague observed how independent school marketing lately tends to sound and look the same. Same word choices, same presentation, same platforms.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that our work can feel a bit … familiar. After all, independent schools are targeting a pool of prospective families whose dreams and worries are remarkably consistent. NAIS once boiled down family interests from schools to just four categories.

At the same time, creativity gets surprisingly little love these days. In the season’s help-wanted ads, schools are devoting precious communications vacancies to project managers, not content producers. The few looking for creatives need them for feed-the-beast roles like social media.

Administrators are prioritizing efficiency and ROI from communications, instead of originality or craft.

Change the channel

A focus on getting things done is like relying on a car radio’s presets: It’s generally an efficient way to get what you’re after.

But when the presets bring you nothing but static and commercials, that’s a good time to shake things up by reaching instead for the “Scan” button.

What’s the equivalent in school communications? Stepping back from the tyranny of tasks.

Instead of rushing to finish a to-do as fast as possible, give yourself the time and mental space to brainstorm a little. Let natural curiosity take charge — see where that might lead.

Rather than tell a magazine story through a narrator, could it instead become a first-person piece? A Q&A? A listicle? A fun quiz that serves to entertain as well as educate? Might a graphical, map-based presentation work? How about a spread of pictures instead of words? If so, what kind of images?

And push your thinking: What would be the wildest, least expected or conventional way to tell the story?

Try to resist the instinct of identifying the “right” approach. Tried-and-true models are likely to pull you back into the rut where you began.

Instead, gather a lot of ideas.

There must be 50 ways

We once worked with a feature editor who, when assigned a new writer, would task the newcomer with producing 50 good story pitches — features that the editor might expect the writer to produce.

Most writers could propose 10 ideas or so instantly, 20 with a few more minutes. Fifty, though, was a real mental challenge, one that would often demand more than a day to fulfill.

To get there, the writer had to push their mental Scan button, to dig deep into their curiosity, and even to shut down their internal guide of “good.”

Now, let’s be clear: Some pitches on the final list would be terrible, by anyone’s standard. But many more would be … interesting — the rough gem of an idea that, if carefully cut and polished, could become beautiful.

This exercise helped us understand how the search for the right answer, or even a good answer, can be a weight holding us to the ground. Only through exhausting this expectation can imagination take wing.

Once the “good” ideas have run dry, the mildly unhinged idea starts to feel more plausible. We allow ourselves to focus not on what is or must be, but rather what could be. And that’s where creativity begins.

Once you’re done gathering ideas, forget about the bad ones. They were simply a step in the process. Instead, focus only on refining the worthy ones.

A habit of invention

Creativity must be counterbalanced by good judgment of what’s palatable and possible. And, on deadline, the line between clever and silly can be harder to discern. Brainstorming isn’t what we recommend when the job was due yesterday.

Instead, commit to creativity as a habit so it doesn’t fall to the wayside. Carve out a little dedicated space every week: Thirty minutes, an hour; brainstorming as a team or with your chatbot of choice — the choices are yours.

If you prefer to brainstorm alone, consider taking the assignment on the road. Routine tasks such as walking the dog or emptying the dishwasher offer a great time to exercise some novel thinking.

Practicality has its place in a school. So, too, does originality.

If our schools are, in fact, settling too often for good-enough communications, a little unleashed thinking can prompt work that is distinctive, effective and entertaining.

Don’t-miss clicks

A stunning loss this month: Susanna Jones, a founder of the Online School for Girls (now One Schoolhouse) and the longtime head at Holton-Arms School, died at age 66. At the time of her death, Jones led Carney Sandoe’s Executive Coaching Practice and was executive director of the 1911 Group (formerly the Head Mistresses Association of the East).
The 2025 Brilliance Awards are open for entries. This annual competition is a terrific chance for schools to showcase their best work of the year, and we’re proud that our principal, Scott Butterworth, is again one of the judges. The deadline to enter is Friday, Oct. 17.

What’s new at Fine Point Communications

In the month since we announced the Fine Point Off-Site, we’ve seen great signup interest in our February conference. A reminder: Registration is capped at 40 attendees, so don’t delay to claim your spot (and benefit from our early-bird rate). Learn more about this day filled with inspiring programming, new professional connections and candid conversations.
Scott Butterworth led a Tennessee Association of Independent Schools online program that discussed crisis communications for schools — a ever-timely topic that took on new resonance this month.
Scott attended the annual Enrollment Management Association conference in Austin, where communicators Jan Abernathy (Browning School), Deb Baum (Bryn Mawr School), and Karen O’Connor-Floman (Sheridan School) gave great presentations! In Austin, EMA also announced its new name: E3n.
And a work assignment brought Scott to Los Angeles, where he got to visit The Buckley School, Marlborough School and Providence High School. Thanks to the hosts who made these campus tours possible!
What kind of work does Fine Point perform? We hear this question often, and the fact is, we range widely, depending on clients’ needs. But here is one answer: a summary of our projects from last school year. If something on here echoes one of your needs or just piques an interest, let us know.