Festivals and Parades

With the Fourth of July holiday this coming weekend, and parish festivals springing up week after week, I'll ask the question that seems to strike fear into the hearts of school administrators at this time of the year - "What are you doing to make your school visible in the local Fourth of July celebration or at your parish festival?"

"But Mike - School is finally over for the year, and we need a break!  Especially after this year, with all those rescheduled storm days.  And with the economic difficulties we've seen this past year, we need a little bit of time before we have to revisit those conversations again."  You know, if you've read some of the information on this site, you'll recall that Marketing is Education, and Enrollment is Sales.  There's a phrase that's ingrained in the sales professional's mindset - "If a shark stops swimming, it dies."  Sales professional are often chided by their families because "they're always working.  They don't know how to relax.  They have no life."  Well, they do have a life, and the consummate sales professional's life is always looking out for better ways to serve their customers.  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.

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.  But what did He do when he needed a break?  He took a "vacation" - and left the area.  If you're still "around," there's work to be done.

The opportunity to market your school during a parish festival or a parade is phenomenal - especially if people come from miles around to participate in the festival (and they do) or to watch the parade.  Sponsor a booth at the parish festival, and have information about your school available while visitors play "pick a ticket."  Or create a banner for your school and have families march in the parade.  After all, your school is a vital part of the community..isn't it?

Isn't this a lot to do?  Indeed, it is.  The point is that you can't do it all yourself.  You need a team of people that are, if you will, the "disciples" of your school.  How many people should be on your school's marketing committee?  Maybe...12 to start?

In about 6 months, you'll have another great opportunity to market your school to a very large group of people - those attending Mass on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Will you have representatives from your school on hand to welcome families coming to Mass in the parishes that support your school - or will you need a break then too?  It's time to start building the team.