*UPDATE – SEPT 2014 * – Facebook has made many changes, so the actual steps below are likely outdated. HOWEVER, please go down to “Now here are 5 cool things you can do with your new super identity” – those still apply when you act as your page (not as your personal profile).
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One often overlooked feature of Facebook Page administrators is the ability that Facebook gives you to log in, not as you personally, but as the school. It’s very simple to do:
First, login to Facebook as you normally do using your personal email and password:
Next, you will want to click on your school’s official Facebook Page. You will know you are on the right page if you see the “Edit Page” button in the upper right corner (see checkmark in the image below). Then notice the red circle on the right side where it says, “Use Facebook as . . .” (with the text highlighted in yellow + your official organization’s Facebook Page title). Click on the “Use Facebook as . . .”
Now once you click “Use Facebook as . . . (your page) . . .”, you will likely see very little difference on the surface. But if you look deeper, you’ll see different “Notifications” and “Likes” up in the upper left near the Facebook logo.
Now here are 5 cool things you can do with your new super identity: (more…)
Now, a new video is popping up all over education-related blogs and anyone who loves creative activity in the classroom. I know the intent was not likely to drive almost a half-million hits (at the time of this writing), but it was more likely to keep the students awake in class! Seriously, I applaud the teacher for utilizing a creativity in his classroom.
I love user-generated content – especially those done by students of your school (of course, this STAFF-produced video from a school in Texas is pretty cool, too!) A few reasons why this is such high-quality content:
“Word of mouse” (borrowed term based on how easily such content is shared online) is widely popular because you get raw, non-slick productions that usually score big on the “authenticity” scale. Friends share friend’s stuff (as do parents and grandparents!)
Whether it is a video, a blog post or an online review for your school, the passion of the student comes through loud and clear to your audience ensuring a strong connection. Even the most well-written brochure often falls flat because the reader assumes it is typical promotional propaganda which is often ignored.
The idea for this post stems from a recent article by Brendan Schneider, Director of Admission & Financial Aid at Sewickley Academy in Pennsylvania. Brendan gave a student this assignment with a simple guidelines and the result is pretty phenomenal. Read Brendan’s post and watch the results for yourself!
PS – Here’s a student-created video from a local student at a private Christian school in Colleyville, Texas – pretty impressive! This was not intended as “school marketing” content, but the word-of-mouth buzz happens because they school gets to showcase the creative talent of one of their students. I found it posted on the school’s Facebook page.
Your school’s academic offering is not a differentiator. It’s just not. The public school down the street can teach your students to read, write and do arithmetic. (Sure, you think that you do it “better” but “better” is never a differentiator – NEVER). If it’s not tremendously different than what a family can find at the public school two blocks away from their house, then you’ll never create life-long families for your school.
In order to cultivate an atmosphere of referrals and word-of-mouth and to ensure loyal retention, you must be intentional about fostering a remarkable consumer experience for each family at your school. Consumers consume alot of things, but they don’t repeat or refer unremarkable experiences. They won’t continue to give you $10K+ (per child) if the experience is not truly remarkable.
Highlighting your school’s unique experience can be masterfully created in a different ways, but sometimes the experience can be pretty basic (but often overlooked). (more…)
