More than 30 years ago, I left my job as a math and science teacher in a Catholic elementary school to become the Program Director of a public radio station. Since the station was licensed to a university, the station used students in many of the key roles in the operation of the station. In my college days, I was one of those students, and was excited about the potential to help students while guiding the station in the new direction the general manager had envisioned. When I accepted the position, he said, “You may think you’re leaving education, but you’ll be teaching people more than you are now.”
In the position I had before retiring in January, I was building relationships with school administrators and financial managers, providing them the tools they need to capture tuition effectively, while giving parents school-controlled options in order to fulfill their tuition and fee payment obligations. Prior to this, I worked in a Diocesan educational administration setting, focusing on raising funds through Development strategies and guiding schools with tools to increase their enrollment. Just as I learned that I wasn’t leaving education when I returned to radio, I found that I was using sales strategies in my Development and Enrollment work.
Development and Enrollment are processes that are focused on building emotional relationships with your school. You can’t establish strong relationships with just one contact. Strong and lasting relationships are built over time. The relationship between a school and its parent community involves spending time together, communication, and even arguing in a spirit of wanting what’s best for each other. In much the same way, schools can’t go to an alumnus they’ve been out of touch with for a number of years and ask them, “You went to All Saints School, right? Would you consider making a six-figure donation?” (Well, maybe you can, but most of the time, a request like that would be met with either laughter, a “no,” or both).
Sales professionals know there has to be an interest in the product or service they’re selling (which happens through marketing), then they need to provide a presentation and/or a demonstration of the product or service. If the sale is not made, there are quite a few follow-ups that need to take place until they receive either a “yes” or “no” from the prospective customer. And, as many sales trainers will attest to, “no” sometimes means, “not now.”
Harken back to your younger days. Kids are great sales professionals. One of their greatest times of joy is when they wear down their parents from a “no,” to a “we’ll see” or “maybe” answer. The asking, doesn’t stop there, either.
Development and Enrollment are both sales processes. Marketing has to happen to drive BOTH processes….and they are different marketing processes. The message you send to parents of prospective students are not the same messages you send to potential donors, businesses and alumni. After meeting with a potential donor for an “ask” event, or giving a tour to a parent of a prospective student, there needs to be follow-up. How much follow-up, and when do you follow-up are questions sales professionals ask themselves all the time. It helps to understand that all “customers” are different, and may need to be followed up differently.
As you begin this new school year, start making preparations for the next by implementing these types of processes for your Development and Enrollment activities. If you need help in setting them up, ask a sales professional.