by Dan Kennedy, Kumveka Executive Director
Every Christian school faces limited resources. The successful ones see it as an opportunity to focus their marketing efforts on the right stuff. Here's how:
1. Start by defining what matters.
2. Do those things unbelievable well.
3. Stop doing other stuff.
Let’s unpack each and why they’re important to consider right now.
Do you know what motivates new families to apply? Chances are it's about hearing a great referral from a friend and getting those families on-site to personally experience what's special about your school.
Some good questions to ask yourself: Have you made it easy for existing families to share about your school (perhaps through a short online intro video?) Have you thought through your Open Houses and School Tours as marketing events? Is your messaging in each directly tied to what you know is important to new families? And have you documented all of this so it's repeatable?
Make a list of everything your school does to reach new families. If anything isn't directly tied to what you defined in #1, put it on hold and get your leadership's support.
This process should be repeated for each of your key audiences: existing families (for retention), donors, faculty/staff, recruits, etc. Along with that, it's always good to write it all down and make it known to your internal team. Then you can evaluate new ideas through this grid to see if they warrant your time and school resources.
So, is this helpful? What other advice would you give to your peers in Christian schools? What other topics can we cover that would serve you? Don't hesitate to let us know!