Really? Branding? That doesn't sound very lutheran...
Once upon a time children came to Lutheran Schools because, well, the family attended the church that ran the school, and it was simply what you did. We were Lutheran, so of course our children went to the Lutheran School. It was simply natural.
In case you haven't noticed, that ship has sailed. When a family today is making its school choice for their children, they are very commonly doing research. They visit the local public school. They attend school fairs. They search online to find school websites and school review sites. They poke around Facebook and other social media sources to see what they can learn.
And they talk to their friends. More than anything else, they talk to people whose opinion they value, and often, despite any other facts they may uncover, the word-of-mouth testimony they discover carries the most significant weight of all.
So, what are people saying about your school? Not your "mission statement," most likely. What are the most foundational impressions you are making on students and families? That's what they are sharing. Most critically, is it what you hope they are sharing?
"Branding" is a term out of the corporate world that most certainly applies to our mission in Lutheran Schools. In this sense, branding is about taking intentional action as a school to make the impressions and shape the experiences for our families so that they evangelize for us to the community. We want them so satisfied, so pleased, and so emphatically happy with their Lutheran School experience that they just have to share all those good things with others. It needs to be news too good to be kept to themselves.
There are so many things, both large and small, that we can do, and I posit should do, to help brand our schools effectively, so that word-of-mouth testimony more powerfully allows us to reach an increasing number of families, both in our own congregations and from throughout our communities. This blog will attempt to share thoughts and ideas that may help inspire change in your school ministry. I pray that the Lord bless your efforts, and that the gift of Lutheran Schools may have an increasing impact.
In case you haven't noticed, that ship has sailed. When a family today is making its school choice for their children, they are very commonly doing research. They visit the local public school. They attend school fairs. They search online to find school websites and school review sites. They poke around Facebook and other social media sources to see what they can learn.
And they talk to their friends. More than anything else, they talk to people whose opinion they value, and often, despite any other facts they may uncover, the word-of-mouth testimony they discover carries the most significant weight of all.
So, what are people saying about your school? Not your "mission statement," most likely. What are the most foundational impressions you are making on students and families? That's what they are sharing. Most critically, is it what you hope they are sharing?
"Branding" is a term out of the corporate world that most certainly applies to our mission in Lutheran Schools. In this sense, branding is about taking intentional action as a school to make the impressions and shape the experiences for our families so that they evangelize for us to the community. We want them so satisfied, so pleased, and so emphatically happy with their Lutheran School experience that they just have to share all those good things with others. It needs to be news too good to be kept to themselves.
There are so many things, both large and small, that we can do, and I posit should do, to help brand our schools effectively, so that word-of-mouth testimony more powerfully allows us to reach an increasing number of families, both in our own congregations and from throughout our communities. This blog will attempt to share thoughts and ideas that may help inspire change in your school ministry. I pray that the Lord bless your efforts, and that the gift of Lutheran Schools may have an increasing impact.