Your Quick Summer School PR Guide to Beating the Competition

The main thing I remember from all of marketing classes in college are that you have to market during the good times, and you have to market during the slow times. For us as communicators in education, it is crucial that we conduct our business during the school year, but it is especially important to concentrate our efforts during the summer months as well.

Why is this the best approach? Because most of us don’t do it. By putting in the extra effort during the summer, you can beat your competition that is sleeping in and not working on Fridays.

In this article you’ll get a quick guide to rock your marketing during the summer off-season.

Here are six quick tips to out-market the competition:

1. Interview 10 Parents at 30 Seconds Each

Your parent ambassadors our critical to win over other families. What better way to broadcast the positive message about your district to the masses then by recording quick videos?

Videos are playing a big role in visual storytelling. Not only are they getting big views on traditional video platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo, but they are also doing really well on Facebook. Native video has taken Facebook by storm. Posted videos are in the top categories for user engagement and do really well in their Edgerank algorithm.

The key is to get honest, positive experiences from your parents.  In this day of cell phone videos, your recordings don’t have to be anything fancy. Just have them tell their story. Film 10 Stories that you can post for each of the ten weeks of summer vacation.

2. Fifty Dollars to Target 15,000 Eyeballs

There is no better way to target a specific audience than doing social media advertising.  Facebook seems to be the best when it comes to targeting specific cities or addresses. We have used this many times to narrow our reach. We have found that most traditional advertising can’t be as specific as Facebook and Twitter.

By boosting existing posts, or creating a specific Facebook ad, all you need to do is spend $5 a week to reach an estimated 1,500 people. Numbers will vary depending on the addresses and demographics you choose, but tell me a better plan to target specific groups with specific messages and I will make the switch. It’s a cheap way to reach who you want to reach.

Make it a goal to boost or buy a $5 ad each week during the summer. By targeting these groups when most districts are on vacation, you will get great traction for converting some parents to your school district from theirs.

3. Build a Landing Page for a Specific Program You Want to Promote

Programs can be the life-blood to differentiating your district from the competition. We all have special programs that make our schools stand out. By having a webpage for specific programs, you can create a central location to brag to potential parents.

In my district we created a stand-alone website for our STEM programs and classes called CFBSTEM.com. The landing page offers a brief introduction to STEM and STEM in our district, and then we offer links to our specific STEM programs.

The key addition we added to our website is the link for the parents to request additional information about our programs. In the form we have them fill out their name, child’s age, current school and what program they have an interest in.  By having this form, we can create a database of interested parents. We can then use that database to send them specific ads or content we have created about our programs.

4. Content Marketing Outside Your District

We are focusing on content marketing quite heavily in my district.  Our thinking is that if we help our parents, they will look at us as the experts in education. During the summer months, it is a good idea to have a broad range of topics. Give your parents some things to think about when they are home with their kids.

Our most popular blog post this summer is our write-up of how to have a “staycation” in Dallas for under $50. Our parents loved it. It drove traffic to our blog and our website.  In 24 hours we had over 15,000 impressions and 30 new people liked our Facebook page. We got great numbers from a simple, fun article.

It worked because our parents are thinking about more than education during the summer.  They had a need to fill, and we helped them fill it. Ten weeks is a long time to entertain kids.  Hopefully we provided our parents with a week of inexpensive activities to do with their kids.

5. Send a Phone Call Home with a Checklist

Four weeks before school starts, send a phone call home reminding your parents or important dates and information they need to start the school. Be excited when you record the message. Get your families pumped up about coming back to school.

Some things you might want to include in the message are forms they will need to start the school year, dates and times of major district events, and a list of new procedures that are in place for the new school year.

6. Study Your Insights and Analytics

Always be checking your analytics. You need to determine what is working and what is not working. Study them closely. Look for the trends that will help you develop a strategy for the upcoming school year.

Do you have any other tips or suggestions? Leave them in the comment section below.

'And so it began'… How Jaws Can Change Your Marketing Strategy for the Better

Or How I Started to Love the Shark and it Changed my World

Are you looking for your next blockbuster marketing campaign?

Could your marketing strategy use a jolt of energy?

In this article, I will explore the principals that made Jaws a success, so you can use those concepts in your districts marketing campaigns and communication strategy.

The summer blockbuster was born on this date 40 years ago as Steven Spielberg launched a great white shark onto the world.  Or better yet, he did not launch a shark onto the world (the shark was broken). His film, more of an exploration into the human mind, used suspense to become the highest grossing movie of all time back in 1975.

Now you can apply the same techniques Universal Studios and Spielberg used for box office success in you school district’s marketing strategy.

1. Social Media Target Ads Before Your Event

In PBS.org’s Frontline article Jaws - The Monster Who Ate Hollywood they write about Universal’s advertising strategy before the launch of the film.

Before the summer of 1975, Hollywood studios traditionally did not advertise their movies on network television. It was simply too expensive to do so. Shortly before the release of "Jaws," Columbia Pictures (where Peter Guber was studio chief) bought 42 prime-time TV spots for another film, the Charles Bronson vehicle "Breakout." Despite the advertising expenditures, which reportedly cost $3.5 million, the box-office results for the film were disappointing. Then, for three nights preceding the release of "Jaws" on June 20, 1975, Universal saturated the networks during primetime with 30-second trailers for the movie. This time, for whatever reason (some combination of marketing savvy, timing, and national media exposure), it worked: The film easily surpassed the $100-million mark at the box office and broke the previous records set by "The Godfather" and "The Exorcist." Ultimately, the movie would gross $260 million in the U.S. alone.

Now we have a very strategic approach that in my opinion is better than traditional advertising in some cases. Facebook allows you to target cities and neighborhoods to get very specific about the your strategic areas and audiences you want to send your message to. With Facebook advertising, your district can reach parents with elementary school age children or senior citizens that might be voting in the next election. This is a great approach for specific campaigns or initiatives.

Let’s say you are having an open forum about gifted education in your district which is open to parents with children in pre-school. A week before the event, you can target those parents with a specific message which includes an invite to the event. This is much better than putting in ad in the newspaper that might or might not reach your attended audience.  Think of a mass mailing blast that is digital and on a medium where people are use to interacting.

Here is a great article about how to be successful with Facebook advertising by SocialMediaExaminer.com: How to Get Results From Facebook Ads on a Budget

2. Make Your Marketing an Event

It takes a village to create a successful marketing campaign.  You can’t just rely on your communications department to build your campaign. You need every department in your organization including teachers and administrators to spread the word.  Make your marketing campaign an event with huge energy from multiple stakeholders.

Jaws and Star Wars were the first true "event" movie going experiences. Not only did audiences want to see the movie, they wanted to stand in line and have some fun. People dressed in costumes, they played games in line and they interacted with other fans to create the ultimate summer experience.

You must do the same thing with your campaigns. Don’t just sell the campaign… sell the entire experience.

Have your school mascots dance in the parking lot. Play music to get your audience in the mood to have fun.  Have student ambassadors welcome your guests to the event. Have your school cheerleaders create a cheer to kick-off the event.

It’s all about the experience. Have fun, and your audience will have a blast.

3. Sometimes Suspense is Better than Showing the Monster 

Jaws is full of suspense. We don’t even see the shark to the last part of the film. Not showing the shark created one of the most suspenseful films of all time.  And this was created by a mistake because Spielberg could not get his robotic shark to work properly in the Hampton’s waters. Because of sheer luck, Spielberg created a new way of making movies.

You can do the same with your marketing.  Sometimes building suspense and exclusivity into your campaigns can pay huge dividends in the end.  Not giving away the payoff can get your audience very curious. The more you don’t tell them, sometimes gets them wanting more.

You need to be very careful with this approach. Due to the Internet and social media, we are an information driven society.  This can backfire if you are too secret about your campaign. However, if you are creative, like requiring a password to attend an event, or hiding a message in a puzzle, you can heighten curiosity and have your audience wanting more.

Jaws is one of my favorite films.  I love its approach and I love the colorful characters that inhabit the story.  Now it’s time to create your own story and wow your school district’s audience.

Do you have any questions about this strategic approach? Leave your questions in the comment section below.

10 Periscope Ideas for Your School PR Department [Bonus Post]

Are you currently using video for school communications? If you are not, you are missing out on a great visual storytelling medium.

Broadcasting live might make you nervous, but streaming video could be key in increasing engagement with your audience.

In this quick bonus post, I will list ten ideas for using my streaming app of choice Periscope. Periscope is owned by Twitter, which makes it more appealing than Meerkat in my book.

10 Uses for Periscope in School PR

1. Valedictorian Speeches – not everyone can make graduation. Showcase your brightest student using live video.

2. College Signing Day – not every athlete signing is a five-star recruit whose decision is going to be broadcasting on ESPN.  Add some excitement to the event by airing it over Periscope.

3. Twitter Chats – add an extra punch to your Twitter chats by streaming them live.  Have your district experts answer questions in real-time over video.

4. Guest Speakers – it’s hard to fit an entire school in the auditorium.  Stream it live so the whole school can learn.

5. Fine Arts Performances – just like graduation, sometimes it is hard for parents to attend every event. Allow them to watch it from work or home. Be careful of copyrighted material.

6. Athletic Events – broadcast games live to your fans. Make sure to follow your athletic organizations rules for showing live games.

7. Test Reviews – have teachers give a video review the night before the test.  Students might have some last minute questions they need answered. Get some press by showcasing the dedication of your teachers.

8. School Closings – give some comfort to your parents by announcing school closures by video.  Be careful, there might be a lot of questions from your viewers.

9. School Tours – give a quick tour of your facilities using streaming video.

10. Major Announcements – have a big announcement for your district? Promote it throughout the day, and then announce it live with your own Periscope press conference.

Do you have any other ideas for using Periscope for School PR? Leave your suggestions in the comment section below.

Why Young Professionals Should Learn Yoga Instead of Golf

Want to take your networking to the next level?

Curious about where you should be hanging out to meet your mentors and business contacts?

The golf course has been the meeting place of choice for many business executives for the past 5 decades, but not anymore.  According to Sports & Fitness Industry Association data, golf has waned over the past five years while Yoga and Running Clubs have grown to record levels.

In this article you’ll learn why young adults need to learn the ins and outs of yoga and running before the pick-up a golf club.

Where are the Young Professionals?

I know as I write this young golfers such as Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are making a name for themselves on the links, but 18 to 34 year olds are not following in the footsteps of these young prodigies.

The study by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association shows that around 5.6 million people between the ages of 18 to 34 are actively playing golf. The only sport with a worse decline year over year is bowling which stills commands 15.5 million participants. Running/Jogging Clubs (24 Million) and Yoga (11 Million) are on a steady rise showing great growth over the past five years.

Go Where the People Are

So why not go where the people are? Why not find that next job promotion at your local yoga class?

To quote Bob Dylan, Times are a changin’. Not only do young professionals not want to take the time for a four hour round of golf, they are finding more added benefits to other recreational activities. They would much rather spend their time at an hour long Yoga class, and then donate their time to a local coat closet or soup kitchen. Making a difference in their body and community.

Value Your Pocketbook and Make a Decision

Golf can also be very expensive.  A set of clubs to get started is not always in the budget for a young professional. They have to make big decisions… a 3 Wood to make par on the back nine, or pay off their student loans for the month. Yoga and running are the fraction of the cost, unless you get the trendy yoga pants at high fashion boutique, golf is going to command a higher price tag.

No Matter What… Make an Effort

If you choose golf, yoga or running, the key is still to break out of your shell and strike up a conversation. Ask what the girl next to you in Yoga class does for a living. Join a Young Executive Running Club and make some contacts. Or, if you still love the game of golf, invite a potential mentor to join you on the golf course to ask some questions between holes.

Whatever you do… Always be growing yourself.  Set some goals and get busy.

3 Marketing Lessons for Public Education from Jurassic World

Synopsis About Jurassic World Before Reading my Article

Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is created to re-spark visitor's interest, which backfires horribly. - [imdb.com]

How Jurassic World Can Help Your School Marketing

Jurassic World opened in the summer of 2015 and became the second biggest film opening of all time, banking over $204 million in just three days. It’s entertaining, but also has lessons that a school district can use when planning a new marketing campaign.

Remember, with any big project, always ask yourself a simple question…  

Will this bring us a return on our investment? ROI.

It’s not about being cool, it’s about getting results.

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” - Dr. Ian Malcolm

3 Marketing Lessons from Jurassic Park and Jurassic World

1. Stop to Think if You Should

Just because your communication team can create really cool messages, doesn’t mean you should. Always study your audience and stick to your strategy.

The lesson from the original Jurassic Park, and the newest Jurassic World, relates to Dr. Malcolm’s quote from the above. Strategy must be your first priority!

For example, think of New Coke debacle. It's ranked as one of the biggest mistakes in business history. The Coca Cola Company was feeling major pressure from Pepsico’s Pepsi Challenge* Pepsi claimed that people across the globe prefer the taste of Pepsi over the taste of Coca Cola.

Coke rushed to their scientist and had them change their iconic, 100 year formula. They wanted Coke to taste more like Pepsi. It was a massive mistake. The company forgot that people had a relationship with Classic Coke.

They might have preferred the taste of New Coke, but that does not mean they wanted to throw away their 100 year relationship with Coca Cola. Don’t chase the flavor of the month, or jump on the newest trend, without studying your marketplace and your customers.

2. Don’t Take the Small Dinosaur for Granted

There is a scene from the original Jurassic Park where Newman, I mean Wayne Knight, encounters smaller dinosaurs that spit a poisonous mucus. At first, he thinks they’re cute and won’t cause any harm, but when he interacts with the dinosaur it's a very different story. He is ultimately blinded and eaten by the smaller dinosaurs.

Don’t make the same mistake in your school district. Small charter schools might seem harmless, but they can eat away at your student population. Sometimes being smaller is their biggest asset.

Always study all of your competition. Form a game plan. Sharpen your offensive and defensive strategy when it comes to your competition. Always be strategic. Learn more. Win more.

Kill the small dinosaur, or be killed by the small dinosaur.

3. Birds Evolved from Dinosaurs

To truly grow, and fly above the competition, you have to evolve.

Not moving forward and doing the same thing never works. Many in School Public Relations are guilty of this. They don’t think they need to evolve because everyone has to go to school.

However, with so much competition from private schools, charter schools and home schooling, public education needs to evolve now more than ever.

Be strategic. Study your competition. Look for trends. Evolve from a dinosaur, and soar above your competition. 

Cue the Dramatic, Happy Ending Music

Think, respect, and evolve.

It sounds very simple, but in reality, it can be very difficult.

Public education needs strategic marketing more than ever.  Be great in all you do.

And in the words of Samuel L. Jackson’s character in Jurassic Park, “Hold onto your butts”.

We would love to hear your feedback. Drop us a question in the comment section below.