Free Samples
Research shows that companies that offer consumers free samples of their product have a very high chance of attracting new customers. Some of you may have even known that, either from reading the research, or from your own personal experience.
Now how does that effect Catholic Schools? This may be the most overlooked way of increasing your enrollment. To use the words of the Paul McCartney song, "Let 'Em In."
Remember that this article is being posted in February - Catholic School Week is history, and budgets are being formulated for the next school year. You've toured many families through your school, but here comes a parent who really wants to enroll their child in your school NOW! Here's your chance to give them a "Free Sample." In other words, let the child enroll. If the parent wants to pay ANYTHING, accept it. As long as there is an empty desk in the classroom for the child, it's costing you nothing to add one more student.
Combine this with the power of word of mouth, and you may find your enrollment increasing by several students during the late winter and early spring. Just be sure that these parents understand that they will be a part of the financial aid process for the coming school year (you can even be sure they apply for financial aid at this time for the upcoming school year, especially if that's a parental concern). Then be sure the student has such an excellent learning experience, the parents will see the value of their decision.
Remember that increasing enrollment IS "JOB ONE!" A school can have all the spiritual, parent, and even financial support it can handle - but if there are no children in the school, it will close. The decision to merge or close a school begins with an examination of the enrollment and the enrollment potential.
The way to keep a school's tuition from spiraling out of control is to increase enrollment, even more importantly than increasing development efforts (which is why development is "JOB TWO"). Here's why: Just five more student in a school where the average tuition paid per student is $2000 results in a $10,000 increase in income. It takes a LOT of effort and a lot of people to conduct an event that raises that much, and a long history of successful events to bring in more than that in operating expenses. Just one new child in every grade in a K-8 school will raise $18,000 with possibly no increase in costs.
In schools with a full-cost tuition/needs-based aid structure, an increase in enrollment is even a way for tuition to DECREASE over time.
The Gospel tells us, "Knock, and the door shall be opened to you." This is the time to open the door. THAT's marketing. The same Gospel passage says "Ask, and it shall be given to you" - THAT's development.
© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007
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