Escape Being the Best Kept Secret
Today, there is just one message I wanted to pass on to you dedicated readers.
Because leaders are readers and readers are leaders.
People need just one reason to start following you, but many reasons to keep following you.
Six years ago, when I was just starting Leaders Building Leaders, I hired a sales coach because let's be honest, in the world of education, words like sales and profit are dirty words.
Most educators do not see themselves as sales people, or like asking people for things, but they do it every day.
We were four or five sessions into our sales coaching sessions and my sessions were not productive.
My coach asked me one simple question.
"What is your story?"
I went on to share my experience as an exceptional children's teacher, principal, my doctorate in education leadership and time as a state wide consultant who developed many state wide initiatives to open and improve public charter schools. How on the last day in the Office of Charter Schools I walked out of the doors with a cardboard box and a burning desire to serve. I shared with him my vision and dream for how we would bring leaders together from across the globe and learn from each other and build leadership networks.
He said, "Tom, how is it possible that we have had five sessions now and I am just finding out that you were a principal and state consultant? Do you not think the principals you want in your program won't want to know you stood in their shoes? Or that experience as a State Consultant might separate you from other consultants?"
"Are you trying to be a secret agent salesman for your business?"
I know as educators we do not always like to toot our horn or give pats on the back.
However, it is the wrong thinking.
- Charter schools are a business.
- Charter school principals are CEO's of multi-million dollar companies.
- Charter schools depend 100% on student enrollment to drive their revenue.
- Charter school teachers and employees are sales teams when they are on the job and in their community.
- Charter school students are products of the product.
- Charter school families are spokespersons of the product.
- If you have yet give them a voice, to tell their story, the school's story, start today.
People want to be part of a winning team.
So give them role in the championship game.
In the next 120 days or so the charter school you lead, work in, govern will re-open the doors to children.
The school will feel different. The school may look different.
The school might be full of children or it might be short enrollment.
The school will be ready to serve students in multiple learning methods, or it won't.
One of those stories will be told.
It's up to you.
One easy solution is to get a copy of our Easy Changes to a Fully Enrolled Charter School Workbook and learn specifically how to build and market your brand. How to create platforms and messages to continually share with your current and prospective families. How to ensure on the first day of school you will know the exact number of students who will walk through that door.
Eliminate the guesswork from your first day of student enrollment!
Get your workbook today! Click here
Read through and begin giving people on your team a story to tell, and a platform to do so.
Join Our Daily Thought List!
Get daily inspirational messages and updates on our events and programs.
