Events - Fundraisers or Friendraisers?

Most people in development consider a big event - a gala evening, with, perhaps, a Caribbean theme, complete with steel drum band and beach attire - a large source of potential income, and a major part of their plan to generate funds for their school. Maybe it's an auction-style event, or golf outing, or concert, with a name band, several silent auctions in the lobby, and a program filled with ads from generous benefactors.

Back in 2007, a year before the real estate collapse and stock market meltdown, an article in the May edition of the Pittsburgh Business Times stated, that many of these types of events are now not even bringing in lower amounts, but actually produce negative income (okay, they "lose money").  Not only should that have given us a warning about things to come, but it prompted some organizations to shift gears and try a new event or move to a different type of fundraiser.

While some schools and non-profits have found that portions of the event can be underwritten (that is, auction prizes are donated, the dinner is donated by a local caterer, the decorations are donated by a party store, the cost of the entertainment is donated by a generous benefactor, etc.) and others can be cut (have a dinner at the school rather than at a banquet facility), scaling back may not encourage attendees to return - especially if the event has had a tradition of becoming "bigger and better" in successive years.

The problem is that an event is viewed as a "fundraiser." While it's not the typical cookie dough and pizza sale, if the main objective of the event is to "raise money," especially from parents that are currently affiliated with the school, then it's a fundraiser, perpetuating a fundraising mindset. Events are a LOT of work - and when numbers don't reach expectations, actions such as scaling back may limit the scope of the event, moving it from "a community 'thing'" to "a school 'thing'."

In a development mindset, an event is a "friendraiser." It involves people in the community -  businesses, alumni, and, most importantly, their friends, and friends of their friends!  It encourages others to be exposed to the school, its vision, and, most importantly, its children.

A parent called me after a local school had held such an event. While the event was very successful, he shared that he was struggling with the fact that a prominent and philanthropic member of the community had come to the event. The organizing committee had asked that this individual sponsor the event, but instead, the person came to the event with a table full of friends, and spent the night with them.

I suggested that this was a very good thing for the school!  The easy thing to do for a philanthropic person to do is write a check. By this person attending the event, it shows that he is engaged in the mission of the school, brought his friends to see it and be exposed to surroundings and school staff, see the children (more about that in a later Marketing Matter), and spend some of those funds at the auction. Indeed, his friends spent their funds at the auctions too. Those friends are now part of the school's database, and will be contacted as part of the school's annual appeal, providing additional prospects for major gifts. THAT's a development mindset...not just a fundraising one.

This person was marketing the school in a way that the school could not do itself. That's how development connects the process of advancement back to marketing, allowing the cycle to continue...and grow.

So, when's your next "friendraiser?"

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070528)

You Don't Get It Because You Don't Get It

Sounds like something Yogi Berra would say, doesn't it?

This is probably one of the harshest titles on this site, but it's a phrase that I've heard over the past five years and in five States. School administrators need funds more than ever today, yet do not put structures into place that make "advancement" happen. They "don't get" the funds they need because they still rely on parents to not only pay tuition, but to support the fundraisers the school sponsors, volunteer at the events that take place there, and be able to participate in the ones they're not volunteering for. They "don't get" the fact that if a school has declining enrollment, there is a declining number of parents that are not only paying more tuition, but expected to give more of their time to help the school meet its obligations.

An article in the Pittsburgh Business Times stated that "Black tie can mean red ink." Schools that rely on events for some of their largest fundraising dollars are finding it harder and harder to have a successively larger income from year to year. Schools "don't get" the fact that fund-raising events are as much about "friend-raising" as they are about "fund-raising."

For instance, a popular fundraiser for some schools is the car raffle. Sometimes the raffle is for a car, and sometimes it's for the use of a car (a three year lease, perhaps). Many seasoned "ticket sellers" know the people that they sell to, so they simply ask them to fill out the ticket stub with their name and phone number.

That practice is incorrect.

Worse, after the raffle is over, the non-winning tickets are thrown away.

That practice is also incorrect.

Ticket stubs should be filled out completely, with name, address, phone number and email. After the raffle is held and the prize awarded, all those non-winning stubs are taken to a computer where the information contained on them is entered into a database. These folks now become part of the annual appeal for the school.

Where did this idea come from? A group of six sisters who teach at an inner-city school in Pennsylvania. While the parish tries to figure out how to get out of debt, the school has been operating in the black, with NO subsidy from the parish.

Indeed, they "get it."

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070521)

Marketing IS Education

As the school year begins to wind down, activities begin to "wind up" - graduations, awards presentations, concerts, and don't forget the field trips! Activities are also in full swing for next year...financial aid consultations, registrations, and budget planning. With all this activity, it can be difficult to use a "marketing matter" - or, for that matter, even look at one. Today's offering gives a synopsis of one of SchoolAdvancement's articles about marketing.

If you've looked for information regarding marketing, you may have discovered that marketing is a major course of study housed in an institution of higher learning's school of business. Marketing (and its concepts like positioning, branding and market share) are of major significance to corporations and businesses.  Even schools bring in consultants specializing in marketing to help them with this task...which is why many schools don't "do" marketing.  They think they can't afford the expertise.

While a consultant may be very necessary to help market your school, realize that educators possess the background that marketing requires...educators just work with a different audience. Teachers in Catholic, Christian and other faith-based and private schools educate children, whose minds are open to new ideas and absorb information like sponges when they are interested in the material that's being taught. Marketers have to do the same thing with adults...whose minds may not be as open to new ideas and concepts. Both jobs have their challenges - but both teachers and marketers are trying to reach the same goal.

The full article is located in the "Articles" section of the SchoolAdvancement site. Click here to read the full article.  You can also check out my new book on Marketing (since most teachers already have experience in the mechanics of creating a marketing plan) at http://www.lulu.com/shop/mike-ziemski-med/marketing-a-12-step-plan-to-increase-inquiries-to-your-school/paperback/product-20068442.html

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070514)

The Marketing Origin

As the school year begins to wind down, activities begin to "wind up" - graduations, awards presentations, concerts, and don't forget the field trips! Activities are also in full swing for next year...financial aid consultations, registrations, and on-going budget planning. With all this activity, today's offering gives a synopsis of one of SchoolAdvancement's articles about marketing.

How important is marketing to the success of a school? After all, isn't "Word of Mouth" the best type of marketing out there? Indeed, "Word of Mouth" is the best.  But remember, there is positive Word of Mouth and negative Word of Mouth - both are successful from a purely marketing standpoint, since marketing's goal is to change a mindset and spur an individual to take action.  Positive Word of Mouth can help to grow enrollment quickly, while negative Word of Mouth can accelerate a school toward its closure.

Marketing is part of a process that is at the "start" and at the "heart" of your school's advancement efforts - it is what leads to enrollment, retention, asset management and development, and all those elements lead back to marketing. This realization leads to another, namely, the different constituencies which impact your school must be communicated with differently.

The full article is located in the "Articles" section of the SchoolAdvancement site.  Click here to read the full article.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070507)

The FACE of Faith-Based Education

When some experts speak of "enrollment" or "admissions," it's oftentimes lumped together with "retention," since retained students + newly enrolled students = total enrollment. Being one to always "buck the system" and question the status quo, I have come to know that the process of retention is distinct from enrollment. Enrollment is the process of changing a mindset of a parent from that of an external constituent to that of an internal constituent. The process moves the parent from hearing about the school, visiting it, attending activities and events, and discerning the best educational option for their child to becoming an active participant in the school community, knowing that they are now partnering with the institution they've chosen to form their child.

Enrollment presents the challenge of constant and meaningful communications with the parent in the manner the parent is most comfortable - email, letters, phone calls, etc. Retention, however, employs an entirely different strategy - one that we have to be willing to FACE.

FACE is the acronym created by the four areas of importance in retention - faith, academics, community and experience. While these can also be considered to be important in the enrollment process, the parent is only getting glimpses of these aspects during that time. It's seeing the package as a whole that will help a parent to judge the value of the experience in relation to the potential hardship tuition places on the family.

Remember, however, that parents, even in difficult economic times, will pay for extraordinary experiences. It's a quality that makes members of Generation X (the parents currently in our schools) different from members of the Great or the Silent Generations that built the majority of our faith-based schools (those grandparents that continue to sacrifice to support organizations and causes that are meaningful to them).

A quick glance at these four areas:

• Faith - A school's "Faith Identity" is paramount. While it's important that students know the basic tenets of one's faith, one cannot forget that actions speak louder than words. A commitment to service by living out Gospel values in a spirit of social justice allows the word (and, indeed, the Word) to become flesh right here, right now.
• Academics - A high-quality, rigorous and relevant curriculum in a Catholic school is considered a "given" by most, if not all, parents. To offer anything less is an insult. Schools must remember that children will achieve to the level they are held accountable to. In other words, just because a child is in third grade doesn't mean they must do third grade work. Children take pride in accomplishing more difficult tasks, and seeing their success, are internally motivated to continue to achieve.
• Community - Do children feel that they are an integral part of the school - that it would be something "less" if they weren't there? Imbuing a sense of self-worth in children isn't just to make them feel good about themselves; it's to make them realize they are important to the community. This is ESPECIALLY important with today's Millennial generation - which are the majority of students that are in your school, AND the parents that are enrolling their children in Kindergarten! It's almost as if they are innate community builders, wanting to gather and "hang" with their friends. They really don't care what they're doing with their friends - just so long as they're with their friends. Personally, I consider myself blessed because our children know us as their parents and their friends. They not only want, but LONG to share meals around the table as a family...and if they can't do it with their family, they'll do it with their friends. Even when they're "by themselves" on the computer, they're connected with the communities they've created through socialization technologies like Facebook and texting on their iPhones (as an aside, five years ago they were IMing on AOL - as my 19-year-old daughter told me, "Jeez, Dad, nobody does that anymore). If you're not aware of the power of social networking by now, you're not only missing the boat, you're not even at the dock yet.
• Experience - Perhaps most importantly, it's all about the "experience." What kind of experience are your children having in the classroom? Are they engaged learners, interacting with one another to accomplish small group projects, or does the teacher make them sit in neat rows, keeping their eyes on their own papers, lecturing incessantly day after day? Here's the litmus test - are the children generally enthused about coming to and being a part of the school, or do they sit at their desks, elbow on the desktop, chin and cheek resting on their hand, staring up at the ceiling, or looking for something to "DO" rather than being forced to sit and listen for 40 minutes at a clip? The "experience" must also, and, perhaps, more so, must apply to their parents and guardians as well. What is their "experience" of your school? Do they feel they are part of the educational process, that they are partners with the teacher and the school...or are they viewed as "helicopter" parents, always hovering over their children, and, in the teacher's mind, hindering their children's education. If a teacher says, "I wish these parents would just leave me alone," that's an indication that you need to watch the retention figures of children that matriculate to the next grade from that class. Why? If that's the experience that parents and students are having, then next year's tuition bill which arrives in the mail is usually the stepping stone to disenrollment.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070430)

How Do You Eat an Elephant?

One bite at a time.

While this could be a "Marketing Matter" about prioritization, to focus on just one area of advancement could be compared to plugging a hole in the dam that causes four other holes to appear. Then what do you do? This is more about looking at the big picture and not being overwhelmed by it.

Perhaps you're looking at one of these types of monstrous projects. If you have several of them on the horizon, it might be very easy to let them alone (if they're not causing huge problems) and focus on little things that can give you a sense of accomplishment. While you're getting lots of tasks done, you know that "someday" you're going to have to do something about about the big stuff. The last time I checked the calendar, however, "someday" was not one of the seven days of the week.

Dr. Stephen R. Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" advocates "Put First Things First" as the Third habit.  You would think that this would be the first of the series of seven; however, in almost every situation, there are things that must be put in place first before the "first step" can be taken.  That journey of a thousand miles that begins with the first step will be a lot easier if the proper footwear is donned before making that first step.  Therefore, it makes sense that "Be Proactive" and "Begin With the End In Mind" come before "Put First Things First."  One needs to make the decision to take action, and then, have a vision as to where one is going before one starts the journey.

As for "Put First Things First," Dr. Covey presents the example of a teacher who puts big rocks in a jar, and asks the class to tell him when the jar is full. Many of you probably know the story, and the moral - take care of the big things first.

But how do you do that? Again, one bite at a time.  Indeed, in the world of advancement, everything has to be attended to.  But that doesn't mean that chaos reigns supreme.  There are processes that must be put into place and plans that need to be created and executed so that the chaos is continued to be formed and shaped.  Eventually, as in churning milk into butter, some results will float to the top.  The processes need to continue to continue to define the desired shape of things to come.

I think that's one of the reasons that many schools have a difficult time introducing an "Advancement" structure into their school, and would rather stick with fundraising, dip the big toe into the waters of development by appointing a volunteer or part-time development director, or worse, assigning it to a teacher as an additional task.  Teachers have too much to do, and the development professional needs to be out in the community making connections and developing relationships.  To relegate development to a teacher puts it in the same category as moderating the cheerleaders or coaching the volleyball team.  Development is not a school activity - it's an Advancement element.  Instituting an Advancement framework puts a whole new structure into your school.

Schools are used to systems.  The system of the school is that all things have to work together - a school's faith identity (or, in the case of a private school, the founder's heritage), activities, curriculum, technology and surroundings all must work together.  School leaders and staff are very much attuned to making all these things work together, and are well aware of the fact that they all must be worked on at the same time.  Similarly, the elements of Advancement (Development, Retention, Enrollment, Asset Management and Marketing) need to work together as well as simultaneously.

So let's look at that big problem you're going to tackle.  First, dedicate time to analyzing the problem (for those of you keeping score, that's "habit" number one - "Be Proactive"), and then, visualizing your desired outcome (that's number two - "Begin With the End in Mind"), write down where you need to go.  Then start filling in the steps of how you need to get there. Once you do it for something that you really need to accomplish, continued patterned repetition will create the habit, so that successive "big problems" may not seem so big.

From 2003 through 2008, I worked with a group of 15 Catholic schools.  How did I do it?  Breaking it down into 5 groups of 3 and 3 groups of 5 helped, then I prioritized relative to which group was the most in need of what needed to be done.  If you're trying to deal with a group of 50 to 100 schools, it's easier to create groupings rather than try to tackle the whole thing at once. Archdioceses and Dioceses create Deaneries and Vicariate Regions so that parishes can be grouped and, perhaps, share resources to be better stewards of funds entrusted to them.

It's interesting to compare this phenomenon to the public schools. School districts throughout the country are looking for ways to break down their county-wide school districts - some with 20,000 students in each - in order to offer a more focused, "smaller" experience - creating "houses" where intramural sports and intra-house rivalries can lead to increased achievement.  In other parts of the country, local school districts are feeling the pressures created by a sagging economy, and keep cutting teachers rather than exploring the potential of combining school districts.  As more charter schools and online learning environments along with diminishing tax bases begin to erode the financial foundation of the traditional public school model, the problems are indeed big ones.  However, no one in public education seems to be talking about the elephant in the middle of the room, and no one's trying to eat it either.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070423)

Order of Admissions

Some marketing reference materials I've been reading advocate the practice of referring to a period of "application" rather than "registration."

In this day of accountability, this is a very good suggestion. With the guidelines presented by the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act of 2004, schools are responsible for accommodating children with special needs once they are admitted to the school. An "application" allows a school to review potential students to determine if their learning needs can be met so they can achieve to their highest potential; a "registration" form infers that the school will admit everyone that "registers." If a school registers a student, and then finds it cannot accommodate the child, it is incumbent upon the school to make provisions for whatever assistance is necessary in order for the child to succeed. It may either be very costly for the school, or incur a lawsuit. Either way, such an action could close a school.

"Enroll" has the same connotation as "register."  You can enroll students that are currently enrolled in your school...but new students need to apply, need to be accepted, and then need to be enrolled.

Some marketing materials have also been quick to point out that an application process can also be seen as discriminatory. Administrators must take great care that admissions are based on objective criteria provided on the application, and that no discriminatory practices be tolerated as defined by other long-standing statutes.

Some of these materials have also said that since "economic status" may not be considered discriminatory, an application process could be a good way to bring diversity to a school as well as allow for a healthy bottom line....and that's where things become as gray as a springtime sky in Pittsburgh.

Luckily, many Catholic Schools have adopted an "Order of Admissions" procedure, accepting students from their parish first, followed by other Catholic students, followed by other Christian and/or non-Catholic students. Some schools have even adopted an "early application" period for current parents in order to assure that their child's place in school is reserved for the following year. Such a window of opportunity should be short, especially if demand for seats in the classroom is great. Once a classroom is filled, the Order of Admissions policy takes the "first come, first served" entitlement out of the picture.

How does it work? Say you have a full classroom of 25 students, and a waiting list of 5. To split the class into two and hire another teacher would be fiscally detrimental to the school. Parents choose to remain on the list because no other acceptable educational opportunities are available for their child. For this illustration, let's assume those five children are: a Catholic non-parishioner; a parishioner; a non-Catholic; a parishioner; and a Catholic non-parishioner. If an opening occurs, in first come, first served, the Catholic non-parishioner would be given precedence over the parishioner, which might elicit a call from your pastor or board of pastors regarding person #2 and #4 in line. If an Order of Admissions policy is clearly spelled out in your parent handbook, then the first opportunity is given to the second in line. If they decline the opportunity since they feel there's not enough financial aid for them, then the next parishioner (fourth in line) is contacted - then the first person, the fifth person, and finally, the third person. If they choose not to take advantage of the opportunity, then they can remain on the waiting list until the next opening occurs.

Some may complain that this is putting a lot of pressure on the parents - absolutely correct! Nothing like pressure to turn carbon into a diamond. Of course, if your waiting list expands to 20 students, then it might be time to open a second class. However, make sure that those parents are indeed serious about enrolling their children. There's nothing worse than opening a second classroom, hiring a new teacher, and finding that half of the 20 on your waiting list don't show up on the first day of school.

Several years ago, some schools opted to drop registration fees that were applied toward tuition, and insisted that tuition payments be paid on a 10-month basis beginning in July...so if a parent wanted to "get in line" in August, two months of tuition was due to reserve a space.  If your programs are high-quality programs, and people are aware of the quality reputation of your school, the line will form.

Today, may I be so bold as to offer a "Next Practice" tip - roll all those fees into your tuition, including your registration fee.  Your new registration fee is 1/10 of the family's tuition payment, due before June 30th.  The remainder of your tuition payments are payable over 9 months starting in July.  If you'd like more details about this new way thinking about your tuition, and how it can really help your families and your school, please send an email to me at mikez@schooladvancement.com.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070416)

Parents Talk to Parents, and Kids Talk to Kids

One of, if not THE, most powerful marketing strategy is "Word of Mouth" Marketing.  Recent research shows that the two main sources of information someone turns to before making a big ticket purchase are the Internet and current customers. In that light, positive word of mouth is the most effective non-technological way of getting information to prospective customers. Brochures, radio, newspaper ads, billboards, etc., may be an important component of your overall marketing strategy, but, as the saying goes, "A satisfied customer is your best advertisement."

We also know that worth of mouth (or "buzz") is effective whether it's positive or negative. While another saying says that "any publicity is good publicity," publicity isn't "word of mouth." Publicity builds awareness.  It's what makes community members, parishioners, parents, and other constituencies aware that something exists. Once someone is aware of the presence of a product that has the potential to be beneficial to them or their family, then the information investigation begins. This is the point where your Internet presence and Word of Mouth become key tools.

Let's consider this situation: two parents that have their children enrolled in the local Catholic school are walking out of church after Mass and speaking negatively about something that's been happening at the school.  Does the 19-year-old walking next to them really care that someone is speaking in this manner?  Or the young single female adult with no children who's just moved into the parish? Or the widowed grandparent, who might hear the "buzz," and think that she's glad that her children are grown and live out of town.  It may not matter to them personally - but such conversation may matter a great deal to other people they'll connect with during the week, and these individuals might share what they heard with others.  I think we all know what happens when stories get passed from one person to another.

So if a person with a Kindergarten-age child hears the story, second or third hand, they might ask a parent in the school for more information about what they heard because parents talk to parents.  In this situation, it's important that word of mouth publicity be the best it can be because parents want the best for their children. Parents are the customers that schools are marketing to.

But what about the children? Aren't the children of the school its customers too? No - customers are people that pay for the service.  Children enrolled in the school are the "product" of a faith-based education.  Brochures for replacement windows feature pictures of the windows; ads for vacation destinations feature palm trees at sunset on a calm beach. Brochures for schools feature pictures of smiling, happy and studious kids.

While children are products of our schools, it's important to remember that they may also become customers.  As they grow to become alumni, they will have the ability to impact the school financially, and, with respect to enrollment, as a member of the community and a parent of a prospective student.

Further, in this day and age of hearing parents say, "We're thinking about going to the public school next year because Billy said his friends are going there and he wants to be with them," it becomes painfully clear that parents today are not the absolute authority on important life decisions that impact their children.   If parents are, and have stated something like what was quoted, it's clear they're not taking the responsibility for those decisions for whatever rationalization they can concoct.  In the spirit of taking lemons and turning them into lemonade, take advantage of the mindset and develop a "Bring a Friend to School" Day. If your students love your school, this could take off like wildfire, especially if students ask, "When's the next day we can do this?"  On the other hand, if they're not enthused about inviting their friends to their school, such a reaction can point to a much deeper problem.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070409)

You're Invited!

As we begin the last quarter of another school year, this seems to be the time when things are heating up again...not just the season, as Spring breaks forth and we anticipate the new life of Easter, but with events and activities at our schools. It's the season when major events bring people back to our schools for open houses and personal tours as parents begin to make plans for the next school year. And let's not forget recognition dinners and major fundraising events! Here's something to consider when sending "invitations."

The American Heritage Dictionary defines "invitation" as "a spoken or written request for someone's presence or participation." In a more formalized setting (like a wedding, for instance), an invitation might begin by stating, "The honor of your presence is requested...." However, most of the invitations I've come across recently begin by stating, "You're invited to attend..." If you received two invitations for the same day, one worded with the former verbiage and the other with the latter, which one would you go to?

Then there's the difference between "announcements" and "invitations" - two distinct methods of attracting attention to an event, yet many times, considered synonymous. "Announcement" means getting the message out there. Those receiving the message can then decide if they want to pursue additional information.

However, with an invitation, you're soliciting assistance...you WANT someone there - and not just any someone. You want that particular person there for a particular purpose. Perhaps you'd like them to support your school with a monetary donation; or you're honoring them with an award that is intended as a surprise. Maybe they can provide connections to other people in the community that share your passion for your school. Whatever the case, the event planner must realize that not all attendees are created equal.

In this case, you might consider sending a "request to attend" rather than an invitation. Personally contact a major supporter, a well-connected business leader, or a professional networking person, and request that they attend your event. In return, offer to waive the expected contribution to pay for their dinner or admission since there's a specific purpose for wanting them to be there.  Maybe you're going to have the children of your school perform a portion of their award-winning play.  Perhaps a sports team will be recognized for their recent achievements, or a couple of students that have accepted to the local youth symphony may perform.  It might cost you several dinners, but if they invite some friends that pay (or make a contribution, or participate in the fundraising activities that take place at your event), that's a small price to pay for a potentially large payoff. You might even be surprised by what they contribute when they don't HAVE TO contribute.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070402)

One GoodSearch...

 ...deserves another...and another...and another...and...well, you get the picture.


GoodSearch is an Internet search engine (like Google (TM), Ask Jeeves, Alta Vista or Dogpile), but the company donates 50 percent of its revenue to the charities and schools designated by its users.  You'll find it by visiting  http://www.goodsearch.com/. Why not take a minute and register your school today - then tell everyone to use GoodSearch and select your school when they do.


Each search generates a penny for your school.  That doesn't seem like much, but remember what God can do with even the smallest of gifts.  This program produces its power when everyone associated with the school starts to use the program.  Therefore, this week's Marketing Matters isn't about marketing your school.  It's about marketing this program to everyone associated with your school.  Be sure to go on first and register your school - or make sure your school is registered!


In addition to GoodSearch, you'll find GoodShop and now GoodCoupons.  Using these services can earn significant funds for your school.  For example, if I wanted to buy one of those new Ultrabook computers, and knew Staples had one for about $800, I could save my pennies and go buy one.  However, if I visit www.GoodShop.com and choose Staples, they could donate 2 to 5% of my purchase to the school I designate.  Check it out to see all the stores - even Amazon.com is a participating online retailer!


You may earn just pennies a search, but pennies add up over time.  AND this is something EVERYONE can do - as long as they're searching and shopping on the Internet, they might as well earn some $$ for your school!


© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070326)

Weekly, Monthly or Annual Donors - Which Would You Rather Have?

As we continue to press onward into the 21st century, being pushed (sometimes dragged) by the advances of technology, those of us who are registered at a parish or church may be still making our contributions with a weekly offering envelope. In addition to being the way that contributions are made known to pastors and administrators, the weekly offering has its basis in the Hebrew Scriptures.  Members of the congregation collected offerings from the people gathered to hear the Word of God proclaimed, and they were brought forth to the altar. Even today, weekly offerings provide consistency in development terms. The more often an action is repeated, the more habitual it becomes.
So what does this psychology mean for your school's "annual appeal?" If you've answered, "We've always wanted to do an annual appeal, but there's so much work involved," here's something to think about - make your annual appeal a monthly appeal.

Several years ago, the Non-Profit Times reported that Bob Wesolowski, president and founder of Caring Habits, Inc., a New York City-based third party processor of nonprofits' monthly donation programs, finds that donors who give monthly may be more prone to contribute in other ways, such as planned giving programs. His research showed that annual donors usually contribute about two years before they no longer give, and the majority of those annual gifts range from $25 to $100.

Monthly donors, according to Wesolowski, have a "life-expectancy" of 7 to 12 years, and a pattern of monthly gifts (ranging from tens to hundreds of dollars) can be an indication of who your most engaged benefactors are.

Perhaps you've experienced this in your own giving.  After making a contribution to an organization, you receive a "Thank You" letter, accompanied by another contribution request.  This practice can be upsetting to those who wish to be known as "annual donors," who usually react to such practices with, "Why are they asking for another contribution again?  I just sent one!"  After a couple of years of this, the donor stops sending the organization a contribution.  This is fundraising at its finest - not development.

This is why the organization that wants to cultivate donors should encourage contributions to be paid over the course of the year.  Moving a donor from $5 a month to $10 a month is easier than asking them, "We are thankful for your gift of $60 this year...could you double that to $120 for next year?"

Rather than a $25 annual contribution, perhaps a commitment of $5 or $10 a month could be made.

I've seen this happen most recently on the radio - both in terms of public radio and faith-based radio programming.  When I was a public radio program director, our on-air pledge drives encouraged annual memberships, and renewing one's annual membership with a one-time contribution - perhaps $60, $90, or $120.  Today, "Commitments" are requested, usually starting at $30 a month.

$30 per month.  That's $360 per year - certainly more than the one-time annual contribution of $25 that a fundraising mindset fosters.

$30 per month could also be thought of as $7.50 per week.  Moving that to $8 per week increases the total contribution from $360 to $416.  Moving an $8 per week giver to $10 a week increases the total contribution to $520.  In moving your support requests from once a year to once a month to once a week, you're not only increasing the potential of support to your school, but you build a mindset of generosity in your donors.  Giving becomes a habit, rather than a "It's that time of the year again, and they want another donation" event.

I'm sure the question in your mind is, "If we can't get an annual appeal off the ground, how are we ever going to tackle something like this?"  The question in my mind is, "I first wrote about this 5 years ago.  Why are schools still wondering what they can do to help the survive and stave off mergers or closures?"  Create a vision for your school.  Then bring in people that can help make that vision a reality.  One of those people must be a development/advancement professional.  And remember, development takes time - don't expect immediate miracles.  They're nice when they happen, but it will take 3 to 5 years to get the flywheel to the point that it's rolling along.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070319)

The "Don't" List

Harry Callahan, as portrayed by Clint Eastwood in "Magnum Force," said, "A man's gotta know his limitations." And yes, we must extend that quotation to include women as well.

So many times, we become overwhelmed by the "Do" list - just because there is SO much to do. Prioritizing helps, but there's always something else that seems to be of a more urgent priority. In order to maintain our sanity, we must be able to politely say, "no." Perhaps by saying, "Not at this time," "Let's explore that a little further before pursuing it," or "I may not be able to get to that this week."

I once found a set of magnets that had seven levels of prioritization - Urgent, Important, ASAP, Today, Soon, Can Wait, Trivial.  The Urgent one was red - and all the others were a shade of green.  I changed it up a little bit, and gave them colors - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Black - playing off our Homeland Security coding at our nation's airports to assess terror threats.  Guess where ever everything landed?  Then I realized that hell is rumored to have seven levels.

Many of the productivity "apps" available today only have three or four levels of prioritization.  The thing is that if everything is Urgent or Important, those might get done, but the other two (or five) categories just seem to hang on, making the list continue to grow.  So let's take another approach.

First, you must realize that the ability to instantaneously reprioritize can be learned - but you have to know what needs to be done. The operative words in that phrase are NOT "to be done," as we continue to make endless "do" lists and become further overwhelmed. The operative word is "needs." Once that realization is made, let's use those four categories a little differently - and your DO list becomes 4 lists: NEEDS to be done, SHOULD be done, COULD be done, and DON'T DO.

I refer to the last list as DON'T DO, since some would choose "DISCARD." However, there's this part of me that always says, "Save Everything." Do items are not like clothing - if you don't use them in a year, get rid of them. Personally, I discovered that a term paper that I wrote in HIGH SCHOOL has relevance today's environment of organizational change (and high school was more than 30 years ago). In that same spirit, your DON'T DO list should be the largest list you have.

Two more points: 1) DON'T keep your lists on paper - write them on your computer (on an Excel spreadsheet perhaps), and print them out. If you're looking for a great app, use Evernote (www.evernote.com).  If you like the feel of a to-do list try ToodleDo.  If you "write them down," as has been the goal planning mantra for the past 20+ years, you're going to keep writing them over and over again, rather than having the ability to easily reprioritize. What SHOULD be written down - on paper, and plastered upon the walls where everyone can see them - are your GOALS.  Doing so creates that sense of permanence, and when you or someone else comes up with an idea, you can immediately see if it fits within your goals. You then know where you're going...but your lists (how you get there) can then be easily shifted if you encounter detours in the road. Take advantage of the technology to help you do your work. It also saves you from writing things in four or five different places.

2) DON'T (or DO) items are not the same as "ideas." I am a firm believer that ideas are acts of creative inspiration sparked by the Creator working through us if we are open to God's will. Ideas are abstract, requiring exploration and investigation before they see the concreteness of your DO list schema.  You can create a notebook of them in Evernote, or use the notes section of ToodleDo to store them.  Investigative steps could be on these lists, but if they make their way to the DON'T DO list, the idea might still be a good one - even if your role in His plan may be to relay it to someone else.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070312)

Personalization is Key to Communication

About five years ago, the move toward "personalization" was in full swing.  National magazine publishers began selling different editions of magazines for different parts of the country so that they could maximize revenues not only with local ads, but they discovered that articles of local interest would attract more buyers in a particular market.  Now, through the wizardry of technology and electronic publishing, Internet editions of newspapers are replacing paper.  The fact that you're reading this blog proves you've been caught up in investigating something that you are personally interested in, but, 10 years ago, I would have had no way to convey this information to you.  Well, I would, but I would have had to sell a publisher on the fact that I had something of value to offer first.  Then we'd see if anyone reacted to it.

Music is probably the most changed medium, as musicians used to wait for their "big break" by playing for a record company executive, and through the exposure of radio, they would either become stars or one-hit wonders.  Now, anyone can post their music online and promote it, and fans can download it.  Social media is the key to how word gets around these days, and have effective cut out the record company as the middleman.  Television will soon go through the same transformation, now that broadcasting in this country is no more in favor of digital transmission and the need to expand wireless capabilities.  Sure, you need your cable company or a satellite dish to see your favorite television show, but that will continue to change.  Remember when dial-up was the only way to access the World Wide Web?  A lot changes in 15 years.

While some people say the world we live in is shrinking, it really seems to be both expanding and contracting at the same time. Globalization points to the ability to examine the consequences of our actions with a world-wide perspective. We can communicate with people across the country and half-way around the earth with the click of a mouse button.

But what about the marketing you do?  If you have a person in your home who is receiving information from various colleges, take a look through them. Although they look like mass-produced catalogs, they mention your high school soon-to-be-graduate by name!! Indeed, we have discovered the power of Scripture, especially the verse, "By Name I Have Called You." The personalization of technology also continues, as iPads and other tablets, PCs, SmartPhones and now, Ultrabooks, allow individuals to communicate when and where they want to, IF they want to.

How can you take advantage of this trend to help your school? Personalize your letters to parents.  One good way to start is for the principal, administrator or president to personally sign all correspondence, and do it in BLUE INK!  The BLUE INK stands out against a black text, showing someone has taken some time to actually sign a letter (rather than inserting a computer-generated signature that will print in black).

Okay, you can scan a signature in blue ink, take a Web clip of it, and paste into your document as your signature.  People can tell - the pen is mightier than the inkjet.

But everybody does that, right? You want to REALLY stand out, and you're pretty tech-savvy too.  Then consider including a picture of the child on a letter that's addressed to the parent!!

Schools routinely take school pictures, and parents have to sign publication waivers. Therefore, whenever a letter to a parent must be sent, include the picture of that child on the letter. There's nothing a parent likes more than to see their child. It is, after all, a reflection of them; and, it shows that you understand that!

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070305)

Creating Electronic Alumni Communities

Time was when you could create your own online community through services like Yahoo.com or Geocities.com.  Remember those?  Sad to say that "Time was" was only five years ago.

SchoolAdvancement had an eCommunity at that time.  The software that created the forum was free.  I used a program called Simple Machines; other forums used their own software, one of the most popular being vBulletin.

At that time, online forums were becoming an influential information resource on the Internet.  Blogs were just starting to become popular, where thoughts and opinions of experts were shared.  Wikipedia was just starting as a reference resource that could be updated by others with pertinent information to add about topics.  I liked calling the "Up-to-the-minute Encyclopedia."  At that time, forums were ways to build communities with others who had like interests, linking experts with "newbies" to create a worldwide learning community.

It was a way for schools to reconnect with their alumni, and begin to develop their relationship with them.

And then the spammers came.

Individuals that took courses on "How to make money on the Internet" began targeting forums, joining so they could sell anything and everything.  In addition to the SchoolAdvancement forum, I moderated a forum that I used for students in my technology classes to share information regarding software programs we were working on in class, and had another that could connect high school band parents across the country so we could share ideas on how to raise funds for music programs, since schools across the country were slashing budgets at the time.

Guess what happened?  Both sites turned into - well, let's just say that there were people on them that I did not approve, and they were sharing things that I did not approve of.  Luckily I could log in and disable them, deleting the databases that were the repository of conversations and shared information.

Today, it's still important to have electronic alumni communities, but leave it to the professionals!  While there are many resources you can find, one you may want to start with is The Alumni Channel at http://alumnichannel.com/.  The testimonials from the schools are exemplary, and Chris Gehringer is a great guy to work with.

Remember, when you're working with alumni from faith-based and private schools, many professionals believe that the only people they should be contacting are those that "graduated" from the institution.  While these individuals certainly have the greatest potential to be engaged and committed to your school, you should include those students that attended your school for just a few years.  They may have left not because of financial hardships experienced by their parents, but because they moved.  Your school may have had a significant impact on their life, and they may want others to be impacted in the same way.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070226)

Pre-K Programs

If the application process is in full swing for your school, it's helpful to consider the effect a Pre-Kindergarten program could have on your school. While most administrators realize the advantage of bringing students to your school earlier than Kindergarten, there are three significant reasons your school should have a Pre-K program:
1) It's a "money maker" for the school
2) It's a program where children begin to build friendships and learn to interact with one another - something very important to begin before Kindergarten; and 
3) It's the place where parents will begin to make relationships with other parents and school administration.
It's one of the best "admissions" tools out there for an elementary school, since a positive experience will make your Kindergarten program a consideration when that time comes.

But will it? Do your parents choose your Pre-K program because it's competitively priced to other "daycare" options that they have, or do they choose your program because it's a precursor to the Catholic school education they desire for their children?

If your school has Pre-K programs priced at $750 for 3-year-olds and $1050 for 4-year-olds, parents may not take kindly to full-day kindergarten tuition which is triple or quadruple that amount. Even if the average amount your parents pay per child may be half of what your announced tuition is, delivering that message to parents during their Pre-K 4 year is too late.

Pre-K programs, at least in many Catholic schools, have more enrollment than Kindergarten - for the simple reason that the vast majority of public schools do not have the advantage of Pre-Kindergarten programs. To maximize the effectiveness of the Pre-K presence for your elementary school program, here are three suggestions:

1) Begin to educate parents about Kindergarten as soon as the children are in the 3-year-old program. Consider the fact that applications to Kindergarten will begin about 3 months into their Pre-K 4 year, to wait until a child is in Pre-K 4 to expose the parent to your Kindergarten program is too late. Also consider the high school to college recruitment process. High School Juniors are seeking out their colleges, and take their SATs toward the end of their Junior year. Many of them receive their acceptance letters at the start of their Senior year. This process must be mirrored on the other side of the K-12 experience. Taking this concept a little further, if you want them in your Pre-K 3 program, you must start the education process with the parents - yes - right after their child is baptized as an infant. This process sets the stage for life-long learning, too.

2) While parents have their children enrolled in the Pre-K program, consider them to be a part of your school.  Invite them to PTG meetings, ask them to chair committees and get them involved in the life of your school.  There are some schools that have told me that their Pre-K program is totally independent from their K-8 or K-6 program, and then wonder why many more of the student in Pre-K don't come to the Kindergarten program, especially when the tuition isn't that significant of a jump.  The reason is that it's not all about the money; it's all about the "experience."  If you're ignoring parents in the Pre-K program, they translate that into how they will feel once they're enrolled in the elementary school.

3) If parents are making the decision to enroll in your Pre-K 3 program purely because, as some parents have said, "It's cheap daycare," then another strategy may be helpful in your planning.

Let's say your Pre-K program has 72 children - 36 of them are in Pre-K 3 at $750 and 36 of them are in Pre-K 4 at $1050 as specified above. Perhaps you have two teachers (perhaps you have more?) that share the Pre-K program responsibilities. Let's do the math, assuming that each Pre-K teacher makes $25,000 in salary and benefits. 36 x $750 = $27,000; 36 x $1050 = $37,800, for a total income of $64,800. The teachers create an expense of $50,000, leaving the school with a $14,800 advantage.

However, if you increase your Pre-K 3 tuition to $1500, and your Pre-K 4 tuition to $2100, suddenly half of your parents may choose another program. This leaves your school with 18 Pre-K 3 students and 18 Pre-K 4 students. If you have only 1 Pre-K teacher, your income remains the same, yet your net advantage increases to $39,800...AND you attain the ability to create a waiting list.

The interesting thing about a waiting list is that it creates demand for your product.  If parents can enroll their children "whenever" they want to because they believe that you'll accommodate their requests or have room for additional children, the call to action is not very compelling.  Once a waiting list is created, there is an increased demand for a product or service.  It also helps determine which parents are passionate about having their children in your school, distinguishing them from those who are simply evaluating your school as "just another option" in their decision-making process.

The other advantage to this strategy is that a jump to $3000 or $4000 for a full-day Kindergarten program is not out of line with the increased tuition structure, and you may matriculate a higher percentage of your Pre-K students to Kindergarten.

Plus, if you've aligned your Pre-K curriculum so that they're receiving religious instruction, as well as preparing them to be able to enter Kindergarten, how much more of an advantage to the children (and their parents) is your program? That's value - for a values-based education.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070219)

Free Samples

Research shows that companies that offer consumers free samples of their product have a very high chance of attracting new customers. Some of you may have even known that, either from reading the research, or from your own personal experience.

So how does that effect Catholic Schools? This may be the most overlooked way of increasing your enrollment. To use the words of the Paul McCartney song, "Let 'Em In."

This article is being posted in February, and timing is essential.  Catholic Schools Week is history, and budgets are being formulated for the next school year.  Perhaps you've toured many families through your school, but here comes a parent who really wants to enroll their child in your school NOW! Here's your chance to give them a "Free Sample." In other words, let the child enroll. If the parent wants to pay ANYTHING, accept it. As long as there is an empty desk in the classroom for the child, it's costing you nothing to add one more student.

Combine this with the power of word of mouth, and you may find your enrollment increasing by several students during the late winter and early spring. Just be sure that these parents understand that they will be a part of the financial aid process for the coming school year (you can even have parents apply for financial aid at this time for the upcoming school year, especially if funds are a concern to the parent). Then, be sure the student has such an excellent learning experience, the parents will see the value of their decision.

Remember that increasing enrollment IS "JOB ONE!" A school can have all the spiritual, parent, and even financial support it can handle - but if there are no children in the school, it will close. The decision to merge or close a school begins with an examination of the enrollment, the enrollment potential and the enrollment pattern.

The way to keep a school's tuition from spiraling out of control is to increase enrollment, even more importantly than increasing development efforts (which is why development is "JOB TWO"). Here's why: Just five more student in a school where the average tuition paid per student is $2000 results in a $10,000 increase in income. It takes quite a bit of effort and a lot of people working together to conduct an event that raises that much, and a long history of successful events to bring in more than that in operating expenses. Just one new child in every grade in a K-8 school will raise $18,000 with quite possibly no increase in costs.

In schools with a cost-based tuition/needs-based aid structure, an increase in enrollment is even a way for tuition to DECREASE over time.

The Gospel tells us, "Knock, and the door shall be opened to you." This is the time to open the door. THAT's marketing. The same Gospel passage says "Ask, and it shall be given to you" - THAT's development.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070212)

Weekly School Masses

As Catholic Schools Week 2012 comes to a close, I was struck by a Catholic school's particular events for one of their "Celebrate" days. It was a Mass - but it wasn't held at the start of the day like most school Masses are; it was the final event of a week of invitational events, sporting competitions, "come to school in your pajamas" days, parent/community/parishioner/business supporter appreciation breakfasts, and special entertainment. A fitting way to close the week with the children thanking God and praising Him for their gift of life, of the sacrifices their parents make for them, and the gift of a Catholic school education that they are receiving.

But Mass in the afternoon? Why not!!! If your school is concerned about improving its identity as a Catholic school, but there isn't a weekly liturgy for your children, this may be a place to start.

Think about your children. They're coming to school prepared for a big test, excited to see their friends, worried about their assignment their parents couldn't help them figure out, etc. - and then , rather than going to class, they go to Mass, where they're expected to pray, worship and sing together. If children are fulfilling special ministries in the Mass, then it's last minute rehearsing, positioning, and assuring that everything is ready to go when the procession begins. Mass is supposed to be a time of communal prayer and reflection on the great gift of the Eucharist and the power of the Word...but there's no time to calm one's self to get into the proper mindset for praise when the chaos of the morning rush slams head on into the celebration of Mass.

Consider some of these benefits of an afternoon Mass for a School's Mass:

• Regular morning Mass attendees can keep their usual seats, and remain in church for the usual duration of the Mass;
• If a priest is unavailable in the morning due to saying a Mass at his parish, he can come to your school in the afternoon;
• Children can prepare during the day for their special ministerial roles;
• Children can get their classwork out of the way for the day, so they can truly be present for active participation in the celebration of the Eucharist;
• Children will have had lunch, and their time to socialize with their friends and be active. A natural "lull" point then occurs after lunch and right before the end of the school day.
• Children are then given the great commission to "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord" - and then they get on the bus to fulfill these words, and put their faith into practice in the real world.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070205)

Celebrate Catholic Schools

Happy Catholic Schools Week 2012!

When I was still working for a Diocese five years ago, it was at this time of the year I made the bold statement that we needed to change "Catholic Schools Week" to something a little more positive.  While some folks thought I had finally gone over the edge, the reason was that we live in a "soundbite" society, and the human brain understands by what it hears.  The non-verbal aspects of how words are communicated are more powerful than the actual words are spoken.


One of the most powerful aspects of marketing is to connect seemingly incongruous ideas together to reinforce an image.  In the language of education, it's the same effect as making the connection between the right and left hemispheres of the brain.  For instance, if you want to describe your emotions (right brain) to someone so that they can be understood, create a word picture (left brain) for them by relating a situation where the other person was in an emotional state.  For example, you could say to someone, "Do you remember how you felt when you made that basket that won the State title game for our school?  Well, that's how I feel today."  Genuine understanding is fostered by using this technique.


Because it takes creativity to link two seemingly incongruous ideas, marketing uses this technique to make a message memorable.  The result can be powerful - both positively and negatively.  A positive example would be the marketing tag line "Uplifting" for a local ski resort that used that slogan several years ago.  The picture that accompanied the line was a ski lift.  Even though it was the ski lift that was lifting the riders up the mountainside, the experience of skiing can certainly be an "uplifting" one.


May I be so bold as to suggest that "Catholic Schools Week," especially when the three words are presented without context, presents a negative image.  Not only is the celebration held in the dead of winter (forcing the rescheduling or cancellation of events in the various regions of our nation), but our culture's need for "headline news" has influenced the ways that messages are conveyed.  In this case, the phrase itself sounds exactly the same as if the printed words were "Catholic Schools Weak," its homonymic quality sending a subliminally perceptive, yet detrimental message - especially when the completely opposite result was intended.


Consider other historic cultural celebrations that used to last only a week.  "Black History Week" used to be celebrated in the month of February.  It was not long before the celebration period was changed to "Black History Month."  Similarly, "Hispanic Heritage Week" used to be celebrated in March; soon after the first event, the celebration was extended to a month-long time period.

A "Catholic Schools Month" would give ample opportunities for recurring events as well, rather than trying to compact activities into a span of 7 days.  If a month is too long, then modify the headline-style phrase to "Celebrate Catholic Schools."


Therefore, this week, I encourage you to "Celebrate Catholic Schools," or, more appropriately, celebrate YOUR school, as in "Celebrate Queen of Angels School!"  Continuing to make connections among your parents, parish and community on an on-going basis throughout the entire year strengthens your school's image as an asset to the community more than any week-long campaign will.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070129)

Word of Mouth Marketing

The "professional football championship game" is on the horizon!  Everyone knows the name of the event, but since that name's been copyrighted, I don't want to risk printing it.  Maybe I'll just start referring to it as PFCG.  Just like last year, the hype surrounding the commercials that will make their debut, and, sometimes more newsworthy, is the amount of money that corporations will pay for 30 seconds of airtime to expose their product or service to the year's largest group of television viewers.   But even thought advertisers pay a premium rate for placing ads in great locations where "exposure" to the message takes place, and repeated exposure "brands" the image into the viewers' mind, that's still no guarantee that the prospect will act on the product or service they've been exposed to.

If the message is made "personal" - that is, it's delivered by a person - the odds that someone will act on that information increase exponentially.  It's why movies, plays, restaurants and other artistic creations (think a restaurant isn't art?) rely on the "critics" to generate "buzz" about the latest and greatest.

It used to be thought that if a person is positively impacted by an experience, they'll be sure to tell at least three people.  That didn't seem like much, but thousands of dollars were spent to impact those same three people through other means - like radio, television and billboards.  "Word of Mouth" is considered to be the most effective, and the least expensive, marketing strategy.

And although it's the best, Word of Mouth is the sharpest double-edged sword out there.  A person with a negative experience used to infect 9 others with the message.  It may not be true, but that doesn't matter.  It's true in the mind of the customer.  It's the perception of the experience that counts.

Today, with Internet, smartphone, wireless, social media and cloud-based technologies changing the landscape of communication virtually every second, a persons good words can share that they "like" something with thousands of others, and since bad news is more viral than good news, a negative experience can be seen by tens of thousands!

That means that more than ever, faith-based schools, as well as private schools, need to be authentic to their message.  If we say children will have a positive experience, we have to make sure they do.  If we say parents will be treated as individuals in order to help build their experience of community, we have to find ways to do that, and not just focus on the classroom.  If we say we exude academic excellence, we be prepared to provide evidence of student achievement.  If we say children won't be bullied, we need to make make sure they're not by helping children learn to interact with one another.  If we say children will grow in faith, then they need to be able to share it by their actions.  This authenticity will continue to make Catholic, Christian, and other faith-based schools invaluable - not only to the community, but to the whole of society.

Will we be criticized?  Sure!  Will we be crucified?  Yes!  But will we have done our best, so that parents will continue to talk about our school to other parents, sharing the good news about our school to their friends? 

The business world calls it, "Word of Mouth Marketing;" we call it, "Evangelization."

(C) Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement.com, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070122)

Carry Your Cards With You

We're always looking for good ideas, and it's great when someone shares an idea that can benefit our schools.  One of the former principals at The Cardinal Maida Academy in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania developed a business card to refer new students and parents to the school.  Visit Recruitment Cards to check it out.  (You must have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to access this form (a .pdf file).  If you do not have Adobe Reader installed on your computer, click here to download it.)

You can copy or save the template, and then paste it to a Microsoft Word Document.  Modify the document to fit your school, and then print them on the perforated blank business cards that are sold at retail office supply stores.  Print on both the front and back of the business card blanks.  Separate them, and you're ready to recruit!  You can feel free to modify some of the information to capture data specific to your school's requirements.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070115)

Things We Knew Are New For Others

We hear so many things over and over again that some of them become ingrained in our minds - which is actually the end result of a process called branding.  Branding, as well as any other types of repeated messages that have an effect on us, create a mindset.  For instance, I may really like the automobile that I drive, and the continued repetition of a message from a competing brand, or "end of the year sales" cease becoming advertising messages and enter into the realm of annoyances.  If the automobile I'm driving all of a sudden begins to have problem after problem, my mindset has shifted...changed, if you will, and now those commercials that were annoying are now attractive, as they tell me life can be better with one of their cars, rather than the bucket of bolts that I'm currently saddled with.

A danger is that once we become "branded," we think everyone else is "branded" too, and they are, therefore, also annoyed by continued exposure to the message.

But this is not the case.

A new parent in your school is not necessarily accustomed to its patterns and habits, or its culture and tradition in the same way that a parent of a 6th grader might be.  Or, parents that have moved here from out of state enroll their 6th grader, and are overwhelmed by the level of involvement expected - since all the other 6th grader parents have been together for 8 or 9 years (through PreK and Kindergarten too!).

The school my children attended had a "buddy system" in place.  Moving into the community, I thought that was a wonderful attribute to help students build respect for each other.  Even though the school was located in an economically disadvantaged community, bullying was never an issue.  When I asked why nothing was in the school's marketing materials about the "buddy system," I was told that it was simply part of something they did, and "everybody knew about it."

Obviously, as parents that moved into the community, and were parishioners a year before our oldest daughter entered Pre-School there, we didn't know about it.

Remember that there's always someone that has not yet heard the message you want to convey about your school.  Those who have already heard it can consider hearing the message again as reinforcement.  Those who have heard it time and time again will eventually graduate from your school, leaving a whole new group of people that need to hear the message - AGAIN!

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012 (Original Publication Date: 20070108)

Where Are You Going?

The opening line to "By My Side" from the musical "Godspell" is a phrase that comes to mind at the start of a new year.

While many look to the new year with joy at the chance to begin anew, others look at the road ahead with fear and trepidation.  If we find ourselves in company with the latter, let us recall the the first words that Pope John Paul II spoke to the public after his election to the papacy - "Do Not Be Afraid."  These were the same words the angel said to the shepherds over two thousand years ago, and the same words the angel said to Mary when he greeted her at the Annunciation.

It is the lessons learned from our past and our decisions made in the present that will determine where we are going.  Recalling the motto of the Seton clan of Scotland (from which came St. Elizabeth Ann Seton), "Hazard, Yet Forward," our road may not be smooth - but we must continue our journey in fulfilling out God's plan for us.

As sales champion Jeffrey Gitomer puts it, "If you really want to know where you're going, you have to understand where you've been and recognize where you are.  Where you've been, or the past, provides you with knowledge and experiences, successes and failures, as well as opportunities and obstacles.  Where you are, or the present, is what happened during the past 30 days, what's happening today, as well as what's going to happen in the next 30 days.  Where you'll be, or the future, is a combination of your experience, your being open to opportunity, your goals and dreams, your tolerance for risk, as well as your determination and focus.

This first week of the new year might be a good time to reflect on where you've been and where you are in order to determine a course for the future.  If you need some inspiration - take some time to rent the movie, "The Pursuit of Happyness," starring Will Smith.  Based on a true story, it shows the power that a dream possesses - and it also shows that no one's going to just hand you your dream.

Jesus' mission was to show the world the power of God's love, and we know what happened to Him.  As His followers, why should we expect our road to be different?  By following that road, we can also look forward to the rewards.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007-2012