ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN EDUCATION MARKETING ON A CONFERENCE LEVEL

1. ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN EDUCATION MARKETING ON A CONFERENCE LEVEL Larry Blackmer, Vice President, North American Division

2. No More Prizes For Predicting Rain; Prizes only for building arks.

3. Looking for other right answers • Other ideas, resources, blueprints, and ways for building arks. • Looking at the same thing differently.

4. The Challenge of Change “The challenge of change is to make something new that is built on the values of the old, to take a long look at what is at the core of our lives and churches, and to do something better and more Christlike, clearer and more refreshing and vibrant. We cannot run from the future, so let’s get specific now about change and what we need to do to make a difference.”

5. North American Division 60,542 Students 45,198 K-8 15,344 9-12 966 Schools 123 Academies 164 Jr. Academies 679 Elementary 5,077 Teachers

6. General Conference 5,404 Schools 906,755 Students 45,614 Teachers

7. What is marketing? Relationships Relationships Relationships

8. Definition of Stupidity: Doing the _______thing, over and over again, and expecting __________ results! Marketing Strategies Finding other right answers for doing something different while building a plan for success

9. What is marketing? Relationships Relationships Relationships

10. Practices Establishing a list of potential students and making contact with those families not sending their children to your school. Ben Smith Joe Black Susan Hitchcock Frank Jones Mary Sterns

11. Practices Home Visitations

12. Practices Church Appearances

13. Practices Utilization of marketing materials and methods

14. What is marketing? Relationships Relationships Relationships

15. A Good Idea Establish and nurture a working relationship with your pastor that includes consistent communication

16. What is marketing? Relationships Relationships Relationships

17. Pastors Be involved in the school These are your students/parishioners Three opportunities for ministry Students Staff Parents Evangelism is more than a series of meetings

18. Five assumptions • Jesus really is coming again soon • Between now and then EVERYONE would be happier if they were a converted Seventh-day Adventist • All teachers are youth pastors • The work of the church and the school are the same – personal relationship with Jesus • The school is an important part of the church • Every student is either a missionary or a mission field, either a soul winner or in need of having their soul won • We have each group of students for a short time • Have a plan

19. Working the Plan  The week after school is out, gather your list of names of families who did not sent students to your school. Send letters to SDA & non-member families who made inquiry about your school during the school year  Follow up with a phone call to those families who received letters  Develop a visitation list from your phone calls  Visit homes/families with the pastor – close with prayer  Visit current students if/when in the area  Send the families visited a thank you card for their time  A follow-up phone call to those undecided

20. Explore all options • Visiting community churches • Quality radio ads • Newspaper ads • Yellow pages ads • Signage and banners • Memorandum Of Understanding with Home School families • Newsletters/posters/photos in church(es) • Regular communication with non-attendees • Invitations to school programs, etc.

21. Staff Involvement • Staff should have membership and attend the church(es) that directly support the school in which they serve • Staff should attend school functions at all costs • Staff could send cards before school starts to “make a connection” with incoming students

22. What does the plan do? • Restores confidence in the school program • Establishes a partnership with the pastor(s) who are the most important factor in getting students to your school • Establishes relationships with families visited • The Lord does bless our efforts

23. Have You Heard This? “You are the best kept secret around!”

24. Brag! Test Scores Certificated Teachers Coordinated Curriculum Part of a world-wide educational system Alumni give back significant service Over 80% go on to college Spiritual/Safe learning environment Spiritually Safe learning environment CognitiveGenesis

25. Marketing Socially Acceptable “Professional” way to brag Takes coordinated effort Program is what consumers “Feel” it is We still suffer remnenants of “we’re here, they’ll come” Take us to the “next level” “Cutting edge” schools Waiting lists

26. MARKETING ON A CONFERENCE LEVEL Benefits of Marketing as a Conference: Marketing an Adventist Christian Education System a. set level of excellence b. economies of scale c. whole greater than the sum of the individual parts d. raise level of importance

27. MARKETING ON A CONFERENCE LEVEL Administrative Challenges: 1. We have two separate systems that need to be put back together - Churches and schools function separate - President: of churches & schools, pastors and teachers - Deliberate contact w/ schools & teachers - Both needed for healthy growth

28. MARKETING ON A CONFERENCE LEVEL 2. Society has changed the way they think about purchasing a product - people today want more choices - people today demand more customer service - people today want not just a product/service but an experience - people want best quality that their money can buy Don’t confuse me with the facts…….

29. MARKETING ON A CONFERENCE LEVEL 3. Demographics 4. Old School Thinking 5.Finances are stretched 6. Facilities are oldest in Conference 7. Members less committed to Adventist Christian Education 8. Mindset that our schools will not survive till the end of time 9. Mindset that we cannot grow a church and a school at the same time 10. Mindset that being good is enough

30. Remember! • Good is the enemy of Great!!!! • Good is not enough! • We are representing Christ!

31. Ontario Conference Education Vision “We envision in the next five years that we will improve the perception, attitude, and ownership of Adventist education in the Ontario Conference as we ignite in our membership a passion for children and youth. We will all work together—as pastors, teachers, and members—to produce excellence in spirituality, academics, funding, facilities, location, and marketing. We envision our schools becoming a bridge, not a moat, to the world.”

32. Supporting the Vision ►NAD Marketing Seminar - Fund 2 individuals from each school community ►Create “Think Tank” brainstorming group ►Board of Education Planning ►Initial planning - begin with educational brochure and DVD

33. Rationale  Set out to purposefully change a mindset  Be more intentional of Informing and educating the constituency Make very public the vision, mission and goals of Ontario Conference education  Set in motion a 3-5 year process for positive long term results

34. Results? Another conference  First year of big push – Approximately a 2½% Increase in enrollment Second year a 1½% decrease  Third year 3 % increase Transitioning Mindset – As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Planting new schools

35. Our Goal? Change a mindset and increase enrollment through education and marketing

36. IF… If Adventist education is as important to us as we state, then we must: Continue looking for other right answers for doing something different while we continue to build a plan for success It will be a focus of MAJOR collaborative efforts between the church-school-conference We must Keep on keepin’ on!