Personalization is Key to Communication
By now, you have certainly noticed the move toward "personalization." In fact, the world we live in seems to be both expanding and contracting at the same time. Globalization points to the ability to examine the consequences of our actions with a world-wide perspective. We can communicate with people across the country and half-way around the earth with the click of a mouse button.
However, if you have a person in your home who is receiving information from various colleges, take a look through them. Although they look like mass-produced catalogs, they mention your high school soon-to-be-graduate by name!! Indeed, we have discovered the power of Scripture, especially the verse, "By Name I Have Called You." The personalization of technology also continues, as ipods, personal computers and cell phones allow individuals to communicate when and where they want to, IF they want to. The general population will come to this realization (if they haven't already) when television channels 2 through 13 disappear from internal TV tuners in order to make room for more wireless communication possibilites. It will effectively be the end of "broadcasting" - sending a message out to a broad audience - and solidify the presence of "narrowcasting."
How can you take advantage of this trend to help your school? Personalize your letters to parents. It's already been stated that THE PRINCIPAL MUST PERSONALLY SIGN ALL CORRESPONDENCE, and do it in BLUE INK!! The BLUE INK stands out against a black text, showing that you have taken some time to actually sign a letter (rather than inserting a computer-generated signature that will print in black).
But everybody does that, right? You want to REALLY stand out!! Then consider including a picture of the child on a letter that's addressed to the parent!! This idea came from Dr. John Kuntz, principal of The Cardinal Maida Academy in Vandergrift, PA.
Schools routinely take school pictures, and parents have to sign publication waivers. Therefore, whenever a letter to a parent must be sent, include the picutre of that child on the letter. There's nothing a parent likes more than to see their child. It is, after all, a reflection of them; and, it shows that you understand that concept as well.
© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2007
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