U.S. Traditional Public School Principals’ Sensemaking of Their Role as School Marketers

The purpose of this study was to report how principals describe their role as marketers for their school and examine how these perceptions influence the ways in which principals engage in their daily work. To investigate this phenomenon I conducted 30 interviews with 10 traditional public school principals in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Specifically, I asked: How, if at all, do principals report acting as marketers for their school? and (2) How do marketing-related activities influence principals’ traditionally thought of work? The findings of this work indicate principals believe one of their most pressing responsibilities as school leader is to market their school to parents/guardians and the local community. As a result of this belief, principals spend a significant amount of time engaging in marketing-related tasks such as promoting their school and building a brand that is recognizable to the community.