When I work 1-on-1 with a Christian school (if you want more information about how, click here), one of the first things I ask them is about their sources of new families coming to their school. While some find you via searching Google and others may discover you from a magazine ad, the #1 source of new families is 99% indisputable . . .
. . . Word-of-Mouth!
So if families referring their friends is by and large the best way to get new families, I always follow up my question with this:
“So if this is your best way of getting new families, what specifically are you doing to generate these referrals?”
Crickets.
Silence.
The major problem is that while word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing is the most popular source of new leads, unfortunately, schools just operate by the mantra of “it just happens.” However, while marketing folks love organic, grassroots and unplanned attention, schools must be more intentional about creating a micro-system about referral marketing (or some may call it a “subset”). You need mirco-systems about recruiting, retention and referrals, what I call the “3 Rs of School Marketing.”
In the world of referrals, there are some realities of referrals. Understanding these 5 realities will help you jumpstart word-of-mouth marketing at your school:
People love to make referrals because we love to share what we love. It’s bred in us to talk about what excites us. When we experience a great burger, a wonderful hotel, a surprisingly honest mechanic, etc., then we tell our friends. This is advantageous for schools when parents, students, board members and alumni love to tell their stories about their experience at your school.
People don’t make referrals because they are too risky. While we want to share with our friends, sometimes we may hold back on telling the world about it. This is especially important when the investment is significant and emotional. If I tell you about a $3 carwash that ends up being a bad experience for you, then our relationship can withstand this variance of experience. However, if I tell you about my kids school (and therefore suggest they pay tens of thousands of dollars for it like I do), but they do not have a good experience, then there is a possibility that our relationship may hit a glitch from which we can’t recover.
People make referrals when they consistently benefit and see results. The key to overcoming #2 is consistency. When we have a great hotel experience one time, we might give them a 5-star review but likely we may want to wait and see if they have the same experience more than once. If you enjoy the new Italian restaurant, it is likely that you will tell your friends only after you visit the restaurant the second or third time.
People do not refer meaningless, mundane or mediocre. Seth Godin, marketing guru and author of books like “Purple Cow”, says it this way, ““if people aren’t talking about you, there’s a reason. You’re boring – your products are boring, your services are boring, your message is boring, your marketing is boring . . .” When it comes to private education, you must consistently show evidence that you are making an impact, you are equipping and preparing students for post-secondary success and that a parent’s investment is more than worth it.
Schools cannot rely strictly on a passive approach to referral marketing. As I mentioned above, the “it just happens” approach to referral marketing will you a few referrals, but an intentional and systematic approach will generate a steady stream of ideal families who will then bring in new families as well.
Referrals are critical to your school’s word-of-mouth marketing efforts. But the question is is whether you are passive about it or intentional about helping current families send you more ideal families.
In my 1-on-1 consulting engagement, I can help you install a customized marketing system for your school.
Jaclyn Day is the Director of Marketing and Communications for RenWeb. She oversees messaging and branding strategies, inbound marketing efforts, and content marketing. Prior to joining RenWeb in 2009, she worked in Washington, DC, where she specialized in public affairs and digital strategy. Jaclyn received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication with a concentration in Public Relations from Washington Adventist University. She still lives and works in the Washington, DC area. She’s on Twitter @renwebpower.
The vast majority of my consulting work is with PK12 Christian schools. While there are things that any private school can garner from this post, I do admit the target audience for this article is a Christian school.
Whether you are reading this during “Pastor Appreciation Month” (traditionally in October in the U.S.) or any time dduring the year, I share these ideas so that your school can improve its relationships with local pastors and ministers.
REALITY (as I have heard it expressed to me repeatedly by Christian schools around the country for the past 5 years): while Christian schools were once the education “darling” of the church, in recent years, independent Christian schools (ones that are separate from any church or denomination) have seen less support coming from pastors, minister, and youth staff. Even some have said to me that the relationships have gone “cold” or “antagonistic”.
Why?
From what I can tell, this stems from the classic categorization of the Christian school as a “bubble” – isolated from the rest of the community. For evangelical churches, isolationism is the enemy of evangelism and I believe too many Christian schools have not done enough to recharacterize their school image so that pastors see them as reinforcement institutions rather than as institutions that perpetuate a disconnect between the Christian community and the people they want to reach.
I do not have time in this article to prescribe exact solutions to specific situations that some of you are facing. However, it would serve you well to reinforce your relations with the pastoral community. I once worked with a Christian school who had not had a sit-down conversation with any local pastor in over 5 years. I am not advocating some sort of manipulation game or relationship schmoozing. Schools that are intentional at cultivating strong relationships with the pastoral community seek to do so to improve church relations, establish camaraderie between the pastoral staff and the members of said church who send their kids to your school, and see themselves within a fellowship of impact players in the community.
USE OUR SPACE – other than liability constraints that might exist, consider opening your campus facilities to the various churches in your community. They may not have a gymasium where they can play their organized basketball league (they might even have the opportunity to create one if they had the space). Invite churches to use your performance hall for interdenominational youth gatherings. Even better, have your school host a monthly or quarterly gathering of area pastors for a time of prayer for ALL area schools and a meal. Consider inviting an inspirational speaker that will feed the minds of these ministers who need a neutral place to receive encouraged.
SOLICIT THEIR ADVICE – I never have met a pastor or youth minister who wasn’t looking for additional audiences with which to share their wisdom and biblical counsel (I know from experience that preaching and teaching lessons leave a lot of material on the cutting room floor simply because the clock says there’s no time to share it all). Invite pastors to speak to your student assemblies or chapel programs. Bring them in to inspire your staff (when your own words seem to fall on deaf ears). Utilize youth pastors as character coaches on your football teams. Host events for parents who need wisdom on “empathaizing with teens” (believe me, this is not natural as a parent – youth staff have a special place in heaven because they know how to do this). Extend an invitation to a local minister to write on such topics on your school blog or rotate interviews with area youth pastors who could deliver some relevant content to parents via a Head of School podcast (here’s why your Head of School should have podcast in Part 1and Part 2 of the School Marketing Podcast).
TREAT THEM SPECIAL – especially during the month of October (again, “Pastor Appreciation Month” in the U.S.), consider hosting a luncheon for area pastors and youth ministers. If some of their congregation’s youth attend your school, invite the students to attend the luncheon and speak on “Why My Minister Is Amazing” (cheesy title, but you get the point). Take pictures with the students and their pastor(s) at the luncheon and post them on Facebook and Instagram (if your school prides itself on being multidenominational, this is a great way to demonstrate that evidence). Send customized appreciation notes from your Head of School to every pastor and/or youth minister of every church represented at your school. Have your Student Council visit area restaurants or coffee shops and ask them to donate a free meal or latte (especially the local, non-franchise spots will be eager to do this to advertise their business to new customers). Customize a T-shirt for the youth pastors that say “_________ Christian School Students Like the Free Food I Bring Them When I Speak At Their Chapel” (or something witty that compels the youth pastor to where it for fun).
Especially for Christian schools, pastors and youth ministers need to be a part of your word-of-mouth marketing network. Perhaps they are, but are they saying good things about you?
