SchoolAdvancement

A decade ago, the original thought behind this article was to “start” a monthly eNewsletter, rather than typing one, printing it on paper, and sending it home in your students’ backpacks to their parents. That strategy was a main reason why many families never received their monthly newsletter. They were either found crumpled at the […]

Remember that commercial – “How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?”  The owl counts to three, then bites his way to the center. Even though it’s meant to poke fun at the wise owl, it contains three powerful marketing messages: first, we may have seen […]

Chances are you’ve heard about the Million Man March.  It was an event held on October 16, 1995, where African-American men were encouraged to gather in Washington DC to promote African-American values and family unity.  But this isn’t a million, it isn’t about men, and it’s not about that kind of march. This article has […]

I was going to call this, “If You’re Not Asking For It, You’re Asking For It,” but I thought that would be WAY too confusing – especially if you’ve just started school. You need a little less confusion right now. But remember when you were a kid, and you kept “pushing” your mom by some […]

I’ve heard from several folks who have responded to the previous Marketing Matters, saying that while they can understand that change is necessary, changing everything will 1) cause too much confusion and 2) it will be really difficult.  If one thing at a time is tried, then the result of that change can be measured […]

Last week, it was suggested that change must be planned. But change can take three directions (there are always at least three  involved, isn’t there)… Change can go smoothly, as planned. That’s the best we can hope for. But usually, there are two other things that happen, even after careful planning. The first is that […]

…but not for the school year that’s less than a month away, or, for some areas of the country, that started today! Plans for this year should have been formulated long ago, so that they are now in the implementation stage. Now is the time to start thinking about changes you’d like to see for […]

Over the past 10 years, I’ve visited hundreds of schools, and keep hearing the same things, which are reinforced by the daily newscasts: gas prices keep rising, causing food prices to rise, while at the same time we seek alternative energy sources, and the research involved is expensive; five yeas ago the stock market was […]

We’ve all heard this wise adage. It’s usually used to encourage us to curtail excessive behavior – limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages, avoid overeating, live a well-balanced life, etc. The emphasis is always on “moderation.” After all, as another wise adage says, “You can’t do everything.” Or, as Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” once said, […]

To whom are you directing your marketing materials?  An article by David Mastovich, who publishes “Light Reading” as part of his “Massolutions” eNewsletter, stated the following:

Marketers, historians and writers love to coin catchy phrases to describe generations with similar life experiences, values and attitudes. An entire column could debate the segmentation and descriptions of various generations. Instead, let’s focus on the communication challenges created as a result of four generations working side by side for the first time in American History, including:

• The Silent Generation, born between 1933 – 1945 (ages 73-85)
• Baby Boomers, born between 1946 – 1964 (ages 54-72)
• Gen X, born between 1965 – 1976 (ages 42-53)
• Gen Y, born between 1977 – 1989 (ages 29-41)

The current talk seems to be about the difficulty working with Gen Y.  Since similar angst occurred when Baby Boomers and Gen Xers entered the workforce, we might want to acknowledge that it could be, as Yogi Berra famously said, deja vu all over again. Each generation has similarities and differences.

USA Today, Time Magazine and other media outlets describe Gen Y as nurtured, programmed and pampered by parents more involved than those of previous generations. Academicians note Gen Yers grew up in the era of ‘latchkey kids,’ daycare and high divorce rates. This combination makes Gen Y the most independent generation to date, with a sense of security, optimism and in some ways, entitlement. Their technological expertise, multitasking skills and educational experiences also make Gen Y more prepared to enter the workforce.

You may realize some truth to the description of generations, although debate exists as to where Generation X ends and Generation Y begins.  If you notice the yearly breakdowns, you’ll note that some of the generations indicated above are between 11 and 18 years in length.  Personally, I like to think of a generation spanning 18 to 20 years or so (as is reflected in the above description of the Baby Boomers).  Similarly, we can see attributes of the Generation Y, more commonly referred to now as “The Millennials,” as present in our current ehigh school students – so either Gen Y is has a later “end” date, Gen X is longer than 11 years, or both.  It will still be a few years into the future before we can determine a more clear line of demarcation

However, for argument sake, let’s think about the ages of the children in our K-12 experience today – 5 years old through 18 – which would make them different from any other generation that has gone before them, as are their parents.  Let’s take a closer look. Read more about X Marks the Spot? Not Anymore – Y Does! …

This week’s “Marketing Matter” comes from an initiative set forth by a school in Western Pennsylvania. The principal set up meetings with several parents who were receiving financial aid, yet whose aid application showed they were not in need of as much financial aid as they were receiving. Full-tuition was broken down into a daily […]

Ten years ago, I posted a Marketing Matter article called “Cell Phones Keep You in Contact.” Back then (in the Dark Ages of technology), not everyone had a cellular phone (as they used to be called). It was the year I went from a Samsung flip phone to a Blackberry, never thinking I’d get used […]

A while back in a newsletter from the NonProfit Times, the lead article headline stated, “Mail versus Online: It’s Lifestyle, Not Generational.” At first glance, one can think that this applied to marketing. It’s a headline, and since it’s a NEWSletter, this is big news from recently completed research. As one reads the article, however, […]

Here’s an idea from St. Clement Regional Catholic School in Saratoga Springs, New York. The school does its own talking! When parents drive up, they’re encouraged to tune their car radios to a particular frequency to hear about the school. It uses the technology of “The Talking House,” a concept used by realtors to tell […]

For most of the nation, “School’s Out!” Time to take a well-deserved break from all the hard work and the successes, as well as the disappointments and the stresses of the school year, right? Wrong. (But you knew I was going to say that.) This is where the work begins! As an example, I’ll point […]

As summer gets underway, here’s something to think about to grow your enrollment. Actually, many schools do this already – offer a “finder’s fee” for new students. Capitalizing on the axiom “Parents talk to parents,” good “buzz” about your school from parents that lead to other parents enrolling their children can be rewarded. Some schools […]

Memorial Day has taken on a renewed meaning since our nation has been constantly engaged in military operations in the fight against terrorism.  Usually thought of as “The Start of Summer,” or the day when the pool is opened, Memorial Day has once again become a day where we remember and honor those individuals that made the ultimate sacrifice […]

Let me begin by saying that BOTH perspectives are important in a Catholic, Christian, or any-faith based school. However, since this is a “Marketing Matter,” and its intent is to bring your school more students, dare I suggest “Leadership” would be the correct answer. If we consider Faith, Hope and Love as more important, as […]

This is the second of four Marketing Matters that speak to several juxtapositions that our school administrators, board members and pastors grapple with as we move further into the 21st Century. Last week’s Marketing Matter, “To Whom Does Your School Minister?” asked school administrators to consider that although faith-based schools are viewed as a business […]

As May begins, many schools are beginning to “wind down.”  At least a few (if not more) children have started their countdown toward summer vacation, and high school seniors already have their minds on graduation and beyond. But this time of year is also fraught with anxiety in many Catholic and Christian schools. In media […]