This is part two of three items from Seth Godin’s book, “The Dip” (New York: The Penguin Group, 2007).\u00a0 The idea behind “the dip” is that everything worth doing starts out as a new challenge with excitement and enthusiasm…but then the going begins to get tough, for a variety of reasons: the economy, demographics, increased choices, other interests, etc.<\/p>\n
The premise of the book is that too many excellent ventures quit when they start to experience “the dip.”\u00a0 To quote the text:<\/p>\n
The Dip is the secret to your success.\u00a0 The people who set out to make it through the Dip – the people who invest the time and the\u00a0energy and the effort to power through the Dip – those are the ones who become the best in the world<\/em>. (Godin, 23).<\/p>\n I believe Catholic, Christian and other faith-based schools are experiencing a “dip.”\u00a0 Chances are your school is one of them.\u00a0 In the territory that I serve, while the number of closing and merging schools has declined over the past ten years, there are schools that are being reconfigured under centralized management structures, and some that are seeing enrollment success after emerging from the pandemic.\u00a0 There’s a very interesting dynamic that’s happening in those schools, and if you’d like to read my thoughts about why this is happening, send an email to me at schooladvancement@gmail.com with the words, “Why are schools growing after the pandemic?”<\/p>\n And, as usual, there have also been some schools that have been given another year to try to “make it through” their dip.<\/p>\n How do I know this is just a Dip and not a “cliff,” as the book refers to it?\u00a0 Because there are those Catholic, Christian and faith-based schools that are successful, evidenced by increased enrollment, unique and robust curricula focused on 21st Century skills, excellent donor support, engaged parents, community recognition, and awards.\u00a0 There are even some schools that are building structures to house special programs, and others that are now trying to figure out how to expand their school.<\/p>\n How can this happen, especially when what it seems like so many schools are experiencing difficulties?<\/p>\n Because – and this may be difficult to comprehend at first – the Dip creates scarcity, and scarcity creates value.<\/p>\n Here’s another quote from “The Dip” –<\/p>\n Who doesn’t already know that the secret to success is to be successful, that providing a great product or service is the right thing to do, and that you shouldn’t quit in the face of adversity?\u00a0 You don’t.\u00a0 That’s the bad news.\u00a0 The good news is that your boss and competitors don’t know either.\u00a0 When it comes right down to it, are you quitting any project that isn’t a Dip? Or is it easier not to rock the boat, to hang in there, to avoid the short-term hassle of changing paths?\u00a0 What’s the point of sticking it out if you’re not going to get the benefits of being the best in the world?\u00a0 Are you over-investing time and money so that you have a much greater chance of dominating a market?\u00a0 And if you don’t have enough time and money, do you have the guts to pick a different, smaller market to conquer?<\/em><\/p>\n For many, these are harsh words (and I take comfort in the fact that people said that very same thing about Jesus’ teachings).\u00a0 For many schools, “If only” is the quote of the day.\u00a0 If only there were more students in the school.\u00a0 If only more people came to the open house.\u00a0 If only all parents participated in the fundraisers. If only we had more money.\u00a0 If only there were this few if “only”s.<\/p>\n But here’s some good news.\u00a0 If you have your set of “if only”s, you have\u00a0just set goals for how to get out of the Dip!\u00a0 The thing is that they’re not magically going to happen…you have to make them happen.\u00a0 Here’s\u00a0some help:<\/p>\n “If only there were more students enrolled in the school…”<\/p>\n Want\u00a0to get more students in the school? Have current students invite their friends – all on the same day!\u00a0 Invite their parents, too!\u00a0 People will get the sense of what it’s like to have a school full of kids again!\u00a0 If you can’t demonstrate the experience, create the experience.<\/p>\n “If only there were more\u00a0people\u00a0at the open house…”<\/p>\n Serve food – not cookies and punch either.\u00a0 Ask a local caterer if they would donate some really nice appetizers, coffee, iced tea and water.\u00a0 And schedule at least four or five open houses.\u00a0 You might not get a whole lot of people for the first one, but when those who come talk about the food offered, you’ll get requests about the second one.\u00a0 And the next one.<\/p>\n “If only\u00a0all parents to participate in fundraisers…”<\/p>\n Give them some personal credit (credit, NOT money or discounted tuition) for it.\u00a0 Remember, you’re now dealing with Millennials who have student loans to deal with in addition to tuition costs for their kids, and perhaps even are helping elderly parents to have residential or medical care.\u00a0 So rather than 100% of the proceeds of fundraisers benefitting the school, have 50% of the proceeds benefit the school, and 50% can be stored in an account as “points” (that are not connected to dollar amounts) to be used for tuition reduction for the next<\/em>\u00a0school year for that family.\u00a0 If the child is disenrolled, the parent forfeits the points.\u00a0 Such a plan encourages retention, too.<\/p>\n “If only we had more money…”<\/p>\n If you’re an Advancement Director for a school, your school may not be asking this question.\u00a0 If you’re a school leader, and you’re asking this question, chances are your school doesn’t have an Advancement or Development Director.\u00a0 This person’s role is to function outside the school, making connections and engaging constituencies…and if principals or other personnel are expected to be working within the walls of the school, that’s a problem.\u00a0 Remember the phrase about “thinking outside the box?”\u00a0 You also need to act outside the box – and the box can be your school building.<\/p>\n While those are just a few things to help you get through the Dip, you may have read this and thought, “Oh, but that’s just sooooooo much work…and my teachers will never go for it,” then ask your teachers if they’d rather do all these things to get your school through the Dip, or get their resumes ready for the next step of their journey?\u00a0 There’s usually no gray area here.\u00a0 As it says in Deuteronomy, “I set before you life and death…choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live.” (Deut 30:19).<\/p>\n \u00a9 Michael V. 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