Are You Talking or Communicating?

Nothing is more exhausting than when you ask someone a question, and the person talks for several minutes without actually answering the question you asked them. We see this in interviews for teaching and administrative positions at times, which should send an immediate red flag. But if you asked those same people if they felt they answered all your questions completely and thoroughly, I bet many would say, "Absolutely."?

And that is the difference between talking and communicating with your respective audience.?

Sometimes, people can talk a great deal without actually saying anything. We have all been guilty of this at times. So, how do we avoid falling into this trap without faculty, families, and students? Here are a few strategies to provide effective communication throughout the school year:

Let Your Families Know How and When You Will Be Communicating to Them

I remember the school newsletter going home each week on yellow paper when I was in school. It was a one-page document that told parents everything from upcoming events to the scores of the gym class games. (That was a big deal to the kids!) The school let parents know this is how they would get information to them, and they would send it home every Friday at the end of the day.?

Times have changed! Schools have so many options for communication now. Many schools send home a weekly newsletter in the students' backpacks. Others use online services to deliver their weekly communication to families. Additionally, social media has made getting information out quickly and timely. Want to see this in action? Announce on social media that your school is closing for inclement weather, and see how many likes and reposts you get in 15 minutes.?

Whatever method you choose, let parents know how you will communicate with them when they tour your school or enroll, and get their contact information to add them to the list. Even if a family is in the stages of discerning whether they will enroll in your school, adding them to the communication list allows you to continue your marketing efforts by showing them the happenings at your school to let them get more and more excited about being part of them in the future.?

Do What You Said You Would Do

Once you have shared with families how and when you will communicate information, you must do it. If you tell parents they can count on a newsletter coming out on Friday at 2:00 pm, but the newsletter arrives on Saturday at 3:00 am, families will grow frustrated at the inconsistency. If you say the newsletter will be published at a time, it speaks to the integrity of your school to release it at that time to maintain the integrity of the school.?

I want to note that sometimes, things happen beyond your control. The software you are using has crashed, or the internet went down. When this happens, politely explain to parents in the newsletter why it is going out a few hours later than expected. People will understand this. However, if you have a weekly disclaimer on why the newsletter goes out later than promised, the problem may not be the problem.?

Be Clear in What It Is You are Trying to Communicate

I wrote earlier about rambling on and on when you talk. The same can be said when writing things in a newsletter or communication. There may be three paragraphs about something, but the main point has yet to have been communicated to the audience. Schools can find challenges with this regarding financial matters, such as tuition increases or where the funds from the annual fundraiser plan will be spent. If your communication led to more questions than answers, your message could have been more straightforward to the people you were trying to convey.?

One last piece for being clear in your messaging is ensuring your grammar and spelling are on point. As a Catholic school educating the next generation, using there instead of they're is not a good form. It has to be the principle for the principal to ensure this takes place.?

Make Your Content Relevant

Families will look forward to your communications when they are relevant to their interests. If your communication is full of fluff and stuff, this is a surefire way to get the reader to skim or, even worse, maybe not even read it.?

You can track what items families want to know about by seeing what links were clicked or what sites were visited from your newsletter, should you have that capability. (If you do, pay attention to this important information!) If you do not, explore options that allow this or explore other ways to find out what areas are of most interest in your newsletters.?

Pull a group of parents and teachers together for a communications audit over the summer. Review the communication methods and what you hope to obtain from them. Their feedback will give you a great jumping-off point for the future and how you choose to convey information to your community.?

Think Ahead

Sometimes (not often), there are slower weeks for information that must be conveyed. Here is where thinking ahead can be a big help to you. I had a group in key leadership roles who would come together once a week for 30 minutes to discuss the next four weeks' worth of information we would be conveying. Week 1 was the upcoming week, Week 2 was two weeks out, and so on.?

The team would look at what information was necessary to go out in our newsletter, on social media, the church bulletin, teacher communication, and other avenues. If there were something the group felt carried extra importance, it would be something I would highlight in my section of the school newsletter to parents. The meetings ensured everything was on track with us, like the end of a quarter or special event we wanted to invite parents to attend. Doing this allowed us to always look ahead with a minimal investment of time.?

You Can't Be Everywhere, But You Have to Be Somewhere

There are two mistakes I see schools make all the time. The first is trying to be in too many places. You can't be on so many social media sites that you can't keep up with them. It can lead to inconsistencies in messaging and information, but also spending all your time trying to update your social media accounts. It's not a wise investment of time or resources in any way. Pick and choose your spots and focus on them. As Andrew Carnegie once said, "Put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket."

The flip side of things is that you have to be somewhere. Spoiler alert: If your only social media platform at your school is MySpace, let's have a conversation. Your school must have some online presence. One of the best ways to do this is to look at what audience you are trying to reach through each avenue of communication. If you use your website as your only means of communication, you may be missing a large portion of your community from getting information.?

One last word on your website: It is most likely a landing spot for new and prospective families and parents looking for something specific. Examples might be the school calendar, the handbook, or a physical form. If your school relies on parents to visit the school website to see a newsletter, you are likely missing a large portion of the audience you wish to communicate information to.?

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Trying to update newsletters, social media accounts, and websites, you won't be able to keep up. So, work smarter, not harder.

Pick a time each week to do your communications for each outlet. Monday from 10:30-11:00 is when you will do social media outlets. You can schedule when a post goes live to an outlet on the site or through various scheduling tools. Many of these tools are free or purchased for a very low cost. When it comes to the price, think of the cost and value. If spending $10-20 a month saves you 5 hours a week, that is a phenomenal investment!

Communication can be a great asset to your school but can also become an unfortunate liability. Be consistent. Be clear. Doing so will keep your community informed and engaged, which can only help move your school forward for years.?

Need help with your school's communication plan or other strategic goals? We can help! Visit?www.elementaryadvancement.com?to schedule a virtual cup of coffee.?