With the Fourth of July holiday this coming weekend, this is usually parish festivals season too.\u00a0 This is the time of the year I’d normally ask school leaders, “What are you doing to make your school visible in the local Fourth of July celebration or at your parish festival?”<\/p>\n
Here’s how that question has historically been answered:<\/p>\n
“But you don’t understand.\u00a0 School is finally over for the year, and we need a break!\u00a0 Especially after this year, because of (insert any situation encountered that cause plans to be derailed), and now with (insert any economical hardship), we need time before we have to revisit those conversations again.”<\/p>\n
Indeed, everyone needs “a break;” but “taking a break” for a month isn’t helpful to your school’s continued existence anymore.<\/p>\n
If you’ve read some of the articles on this site, recall that Marketing is Education, and Enrollment is Sales.\u00a0 There’s a phrase that’s ingrained in the sales professional’s mindset – “If a shark stops swimming, it dies.”<\/p>\n
Sales professional are often chided by their families because “they’re always working.\u00a0 They don’t know how to relax.\u00a0 They have no life.”\u00a0 Well, they do have a life, and the consummate sales professional’s life is always looking out for better ways to serve their customers.\u00a0 As school administrators, “taking a break” may mean that you miss 10 parents that have called the school wanting more information about enrollment or want to schedule a tour.<\/p>\n
But even Jesus needed a break at times, and would go off to a deserted place from time to time to pray or to be renewed, and encouraged his followers to do the same.\u00a0 If you’re still “around,” you’re going to be continually drawn into the work that needs to be done.\u00a0 With our “constantly connected” ability today via the Internet and cellular technology, it’s important to find some time to go to that deserted place of our own, and today, that may mean turning the iPad and mobile phone off.<\/p>\n
But not for a month.<\/p>\n
There are some key opportunities to market your school during the summer, like a parish festival or a parade – especially if people come from miles around to participate in the festival (and they do) or to watch the parade.\u00a0 Sponsoring a booth at the parish festival, and having information about your school available while visitors come for the food, fun and fellowship is a great marketing tactic – something to put on the calendar and plan for the summer of 2026.<\/p>\n
There’s a lot to do to make something like this work, especially if you’re thinking of a booth at a parish festival for future years.\u00a0 The point is that you can’t do it all yourself.\u00a0 You need a team of people who are, if you will, the “disciples” of your school.\u00a0 How many people should be on your school’s marketing committee?\u00a0 Perhaps 12 would be a good number to start with.<\/p>\n
In about 6 months, you’ll have a great opportunity to market your school to a very large group of people – those attending Mass or the services around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.\u00a0 Will you have representatives from your school on hand to welcome families coming to Mass in the parishes that support your school, or the worship services at churches where your families worship?<\/p>\n
Or will you need a break then too?<\/p>\n
\u00a9 Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2010-2025 (Original Publication Date: 20100628)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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