AOP - Marketing Your Christian School

Marketing For Christian SchoolsFree Webinar Series

Starting With the Basics

Who Am I and Where Do I Want to Go?

Tim Carlson, Marketing Director

What is Marketing?

Marketing is the process of getting and keeping customers

Why Does It Matter?

You want to increase enrollment and improve student retention

How Does It Work Best?

The most effective marketing is accomplished by presenting a clear VALUE proposition through a compelling message or story to a closely targeted audience

You Have a Challenge

People Need to Know

•Who You Are

•Why You Exist

•What You Stand For

•What You Have To Offer

•Why Choosing You is the Best Choice

You Need a Plan

A goal without a plan is just a wish. Antoine de Saint-ExuperyFrench writer (1900 - 1944)

He who fails to plan is planning to fail. Winston Churchill

Prime Minister, United Kingdom

Planning is C-R-I-T-I-C-A-L

Where there is no vision the people perishProverbs 29:18 (KJV)

Creating Your Plan

Six Key Ideas to Address

•Vision

•Mission

•Core Values

•Objectives

•Strategies

•Action Items

Your Vision

How will your Christian School make a difference?

to your students

to your community

to your world

Your Scripture

Is there a passage of Scripture that helps define you or is your “call to action”?

HeinzTo be the world’s premier food company, offering nutritious, superior tasting food to people everywhere

ChevronTo be the global energy company most admired for its people, partnership and performance

SearsTo be the preferred and most trusted resource for the products and services that enhance home and family life

Alpha Omega PublicationsChanging education for the glory of God

Your Mission

Why does your Christian School exist?

What do you want to accomplish?

What opportunities or needs can you effectively address?

AflacTo combine aggressive strategic marketing with quality products and services at competitive prices to provide the best insurance value for consumers.

CVSWe will be the easiest pharmacy retailer for customers to use

ADMTo unlock the potential of nature to improve the quality of life

Alpha Omega PublicationsEducate, inspire and change lives

Darden RestaurantsTo nourish and delight everyone we serve

Your Core Values (“Guiding Principles”)

What are the principles that guide your Christian School?

What matters most?

What things are non-negotiable?

What attitudes and behaviors are directing your efforts?

Johnson & JohnsonWe believe our first responsibility is to the doctors, nurses and patients, to mothers and fathers and all the others that use our products and services.

WalmartEveryday low prices

GoogleDon’t be evil – Great just isn’t good enough

Alpha Omega PublicationsTo promote academic excellence and Christian values, our mission and vision will continue to guide our company, our employees and our decisions for the future

Your Objectives

What are you going to accomplish?

How will you measure success?

VERB + NOUN + DATE = Objective

Objectives?

Increase enrollment by 15% - by 8/31/12

Launch redesigned school website – 4/30/12

Develop community outreach program – 7/1/12

Increase donor base by 10% - 12/31/12

VERB + NOUN + DATE = Objective

Your Strategies

What will make your Christian School successful?

How will your Christian School be built?

Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. (en.wikipedia.org)

Your Action Plans

What specific actions will you take to achieve objectives?

What is on your “to do” list?

Action Plans Examples

Email marketing

Print advertising

Church presentations

Community projects

Website SEO

Direct mail recruitment

Fund raising events scheduled

What’s Next?

1. Decide to DO IT!

2. Assemble a team

3. Prayerfully consider

4. Write it down

5. Communicate message to stakeholders

6. Monitor results

7. Review and revise

To Do’s

Get started tomorrow (or later today)

Be concise

Show leadership

Be positive (“We will . . “)

Be realistic

Think BIG (Faith)

To Don’ts

Procrastinate

Over think

Be too committee-ish

Over reach

Limit God

Coming Up – Webinars (all FREE)

January 18th 2012  @ 12:00PM CSTTopic: How to be a Successful Teacher in an Online/ Virtual Environment

February 7th 2012  @ 12:00PM CSTTopic: Marketing Your Christian School – Cost Effective (Free or Nearly Free) Marketing Tips Everyone Can Do

March 15th @ 12:00PM CSTTopic: Making the Mastery Learning Approach Reach Various Learning Styles

April 11th 2012 @ 12:00PM CSTTopic: Marketing Your Christian School – Fun in the Sun – Using Summertime to Set You Apart

May 16th 2012 @ 12:00PM CSTTopic: Reaching Out of the Box – Including Family & Community in Christian Education

Thanks For Your TimeLet Us Know How We Can Help!

Please fill out the survey – so we can better serve you.

Tim Carlson, Marketing Director - [email protected]