"Now Is The Acceptable Time"

     So many times, we forget to do things; other times, there are circumstances that just get in the way of our ability to do things (such as when your computer crashes and you get it working a week later - as just happened to me).

     But there are just SO many things today, and today, Catholic school administrators and staff are asked to wear more and more hats.  As I speak to schools in the northeast, I hear, "Now just isn't a good time."  But as we all know, there's never a good time for any type of change, extra work, different strategy, etc.  There's an African proverb that states, "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best time is now."

     If we bring logic into it, we can change our mindset.  Remember the phrase, "If you want something done, give it to a busy person."  If you think that there's never a good time for anything, then all time is equivalent, and the task or change we're considering is irrelevant.  Since all time is equivalent, then there's never a bad time either, so that now is just as good a time as any.  Scripture supports this thinking in 2 Corinthians 6:2 - "Now is the acceptable time."

     If we can pray and discern (finding out as much information as we can), then the next step is deciding what to do and doing it.

     So how does this relate to marketing?  I've heard so many people say that they're waiting for Catholic Schools Week to start their marketing for the next year.

     Wrong.

     NOW is the acceptable time!  (Oh, but we're so busy with an annual appeal around thanksgiving, and then Christmas comes, and then we'll get ready for the next school year when we come back from Christmas break.)

     If you're not securing your enrollment for next year NOW, then January might be too late.  After all, high school seniors (most of them, anyway), know what college they're going to by the time the Christmas break rolls around.  They're not just applying then.  Today's parents know that, after having gone through the college process themselves, and have usually decided where their children as going to school next year based on what's happening this year.  That said, the best possible time to plant marketing seeds for next year was two months ago - the next best time is now.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2008 (Original Publication Date: 20081117)

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