Relationship Strategy v Marketing Strategy

A marketing strategy is a funnel-down system -- drop as many leads as you can in the top, sift them as they flow down to the bottom, and hopefully the ones who emerge as customers will stick.

A Relationship Strategy turns the funnel on its side, focuses first on existing customers and allows them to use the funnel as a bullhorn to help share your story.

A marketing strategy is about brand messaging.

A Relationship Strategy is about sharing your story.

A marketing strategy is developed around a conference table.

A Relationship Strategy grows from customer to customer.

A marketing strategy is all about which channels to use to broadcast the message and try to reach as many people as possible.

A Relationship Strategy is about determining why you exist, who you can best serve, then laser focus on sharing your story with them.

A marketing strategy focuses on leads and enrollments.

A Relationship Strategy focuses on right-fit students.

A marketing strategy focuses on the start of the school year.

A Relationship Strategy focuses on the end of the school year.

houston@figment-consulting.com

When virtual school families experience buyer's remorse

Many virtual schools utilize email nurturing campaigns, or behavioral campaigns, to help move new leads toward purchases (or enrollments when it comes to virtual schools). The level of sophistication associated with these campaigns is astounding. Thousands, even millions, of dollars are spent on these campaign efforts to increase conversion rates for new students.

And when the new leads convert?  -- the sound of silence occurs. It could be weeks or even months before families hear from the schools. And when they do it is typically school-related information provided to families in a cold, dry manner - meant to inform not to inspire.

Retention rates at virtual schools are astoundingly low heading into the academic year because so many of these schools forget there are two "buying" seasons. First, the new family goes through the initial decision process -- to enroll or not to enroll? Once they do commit, the new family then undertakes an entirely different route centered on the concept of remorse, specifically buyer's remorse.

Virtual schools that understand this, and truly care about their new families, will not only conduct a nurturing campaign to convert to enrollment, but they will also conduct one that helps families overcome their remorse in "buying" the virtual school. And remember, with virtual schools being free (tuition-free) it is much easier for families to step away from their recent decision.

The first step in developing a buyer's remorse nurturing campaign is to understand the key fears families go through when experiencing this remorse.

Do you know them? If not, don't start your nurturing campaign just yet or else it will be a waste of time and money.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The IF Factor

Add if to what and the dynamic is radically altered.

Replace should with if and it opens wide the doors to possibilities.

Let if stand alone and imagination is unleashed.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Change perspective and perspective can change

Much of what I write about, and do in my consulting business, has to do with challenging perspectives, and changing them. It allows for fresh ideas to occur -- sometimes they work brilliantly and sometimes they do not.

One of my mentors is author and creative thinker Michael Milchalko. I found his book Thinkertoys at a Barnes & Noble years ago, and it has been a constant companion of mine since then. Fortunately it wasn't the only book he decided to write. I have had the good fortune of being in contact with him over the years and continue to enjoy his thoughts, his perspective, and his writings.

In addition to authoring books, he puts out a regular blog dedicated to creative thinking. You can read his latest post here.

In it he will challenge you to change your perspective in order for your perspective to change -- allowing you to see things in new ways.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Behind the curtain

"I was told that it would only take 6-8 hours each day for the schoolwork to be completed. But, now I am finding out that in addition to the 6-8 hours of schoolwork, there is also more to be done with teacher meetings, test prep, and other online meetings -- this means our days are more like 8-10 hours. Not what I was told."

Cyber (virtual) school mom

A friend shared this Facebook post with me as we were discussing the idea of how easy it is to "peer behind the curtain" and see what is really going on. With Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and other social avenues, prospective families can easily and quickly determine if what you are telling them is true or not.

Not too long ago it was simpler for companies to create a false front and craft the story they wanted to tell. Today, your customers play an integral role in sharing that story of yours. So, make sure it is authentic from the beginning because they can easily see behind the curtain.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Delight or fear?

Will you overwhelm me with delight, positiveness, and tell me a fascinating story that makes me want to buy from you?

Or, will you try to strike fear into me and motivate me that way?

Which one builds long-term loyalty? Which one do you care about most? - short-term sale, or long-term loyalty?

houston@figment-consulting.com

Two ways to build customer loyalty

1. Continuously exceed customer expectations and delight them consistently.

2. Recover beyond their expectations when something goes wrong with #1.

Most companies focus on #1 but tend to ignore the opportunity that exists with #2.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Think outside the box.

Think outside the box has come to symbolize the point in the conversation when people are going to think creatively. As if prior to that point everyone has been thinking inside the box.

Who brought the box to the meeting? Whose box is it? Do we each have our own box? Is my box different than yours?

What if we threw the box away? What if we never had the box in the first place?

Let's quit placing parameters on ourselves and embrace the concept that if you can think, then you can think creatively.

Open your mind to the possibilities and understand that you don't have to come up with a great idea, just come up with any idea. Ideas tend to breed other ideas. Once they start growing then you have the potential to develop one, or two, or three, that can be great.

Don't look for a "Eureka!" moment. Be on the lookout for the "Wow, that's interesting." moment.

As for the box, let it serve as a container of supplies, not ideas.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The Power of the ENO Story

It was fascinating to watch. No, not the fireworks display though that was our primary reason for being there among the thousands.

What was really fascinating to witness was the number of people who came up and asked my kids what they were hanging out in. You see, when we arrived for the holiday festivities, we did not bring lawn chairs, instead my kids brought their Eagle’s Nest Outfitters -- otherwise known as ENOs for those already in the tribe.

ENOs are basically hammocks on steroids, and the younger generation has claimed them as their own.

So, instead of sitting on the beach, our kids found trees to hang their ENOs, climbed up in them, and enjoyed the evening while several feet in the air.

What was fun though was to see the line of people stop, look, and ask our kids what they were. Clearly they looked like hammocks but everyone knew there was something different about these.

And, as each person asked, the story of the ENO spread. One-by-one they each asked them where they could get one like that. Kids wanted to swing in them, and each went away asking their parents if they could have one.

No marketing dollars were spent yet something remarkable was happening -- an experience was being shared. It was a reminder to me that in order for a story to be shared, it first must be worth sharing.

Spend your time building a product, a service, a school, a business that is worth talking about, worth sharing. Then, build a marketing plan that shares the story already being told to those who want to hear it.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Needs or Wants

The answer is both really. You provide for their wants and solve their needs.

While needs can be emotional, wants are very seldom intellectual.

Wants typically go deeper than what the customer says. Discover that playground within your customers, and live there. Then, you just might do something that matters, and is worth sharing.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Mission Statements of Virtual Schools

Peruse many Mission Statements from companies and organizations, and it does not take long to understand why morale is low, turnover is high and results are tepid.

At K¹², our mission has remained steadfast: To provide any child access to exceptional curriculum and tools that enable him or her to maximize his or her success in life, regardless of geographic, financial, or demographic circumstance.

The mission of Connections Academy is to help each student maximize his or her potential and meet the highest performance standards through a uniquely individualized learning program. 

According to an article from Entrepreneur.com, a Mission Statement is the "essence of your business's goals and the philosophies underlying them." The article (from 2003) provides some nice tips on developing a Mission Statement for your company, organization, or even school. It does so by providing some questions for you to answer to help identify key aspects to share within the statement.

One question missing though is "Does your Mission Statement inspire anyone?" If it does not inspire those who work for you, how do you expect your employees to do inspirational work? And, if your employees are not inspired, how do you expect them to inspire your customers?

Employees want to know that the work they are doing is making a difference, that they are part of something larger than themselves. If they are there only for the paycheck, then perhaps you need to look for other employees. But, before you do, make sure it is their lack of inspiration rather than you not giving them something to be inspired by.

Virtual schools carry with them the promise of so much more than "providing any child access" or "maximizing potential" (whatever that means). Virtual schools have the opportunity to change the world of education. Why not make that your mission?

Why not be a school "dedicated, even obsessed with nurturing the passion within each child to never stop learning, growing, and developing a life of significance."

Inspire us with your mission and support it by your actions. Then, watch it spread.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The "meconomy"

We live in a world today that allows companies to talk to each customer individually, and tailor messages related to their individual needs.

More importantly, today's customer now expects this type of relationship more and more. It's what I call the "me economy" or "meconomy." Programmatic or transaction emails are fine as long as they are not emails but memails. Customers want the relationship to feel like it is a one-on-one interaction yet know they are part of a larger tribe too.

It takes energy, effort, and even thinking differently but companies need to understand the meconomy is here, and it is here to stay.

houston@figment-consulting.com

An agent of darkness

My wife and I have home educated our four kids since our oldest started kindergarten over 14 years ago. She is now in college and doing a summer internship in Israel before studying in Switzerland this next academic year. Our youngest is starting Kindergarten this fall. We say home "educated" instead of homeschool (or home school) for a reason. For us school is four walls, desks, blackboard (or whiteboard now), and too much rote memorization. We do not believe that public schools are evil, and that there are many teachers doing great work in educating the next generation. For us, educating our kids at home was a personal choice, not a mandate or flight from something else.

It was just over 10 years ago that I spent much of my time traversing the country and unveiling a new concept of home education known as virtual schools. There are stories worth sharing from each state I traveled -- from the questionable hotels before I started booking my own lodging to the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho, and from sea to shining sea as the song goes.

I spent winters in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and summers in Florida and California, which seems to be the wrong timing I know. It wasn't my plan, that's for sure.

One of my fondest memories was just outside of Columbus, Ohio where I garnered my first nickname, the "agent of darkness."

It came after I gave a presentation to a packed room of families interested in learning more about the Ohio Virtual Academy, during its infancy. And it occurred during the Q and A time at the end.

He was a nice guy, yet when he posed his lengthy question (which was really more of a monologue as I recall), he framed it with the comment that "you come into our state as an agent of darkness, spreading all of these lies, and you know nothing about homeschool."

It wasn't easy standing there allowing him to "ask" his question, and he must have ignored my first part of the presentation where I covered the fact that my wife and I were home educating our own family. What I did find myself doing though was recalling something the great sales trainer Zig Ziglar had said a few years prior that related to situations like this.

Zig was at a conference, speaking with a fellow presenter who asked him, "Zig, what do you do about the man in the front row who is falling asleep while you are talking? What can you say that will convince him to pay attention to you?"

Zig, in his famous drawl answered, "Remember, you are not here for that man who is sleeping on the front row. You are here for the person next to him who is giving you their full attention. That is who you are speaking to, so talk to them."

I did the same thing that evening just outside of Columbus once the gentleman finished posing his question. I acknowledged his question, shared that the school was probably not for his family, and then answered his question for the rest of the room (at least for those who were there to listen), understanding that I was there for the other families and not for him.

Too many times we spend all of our time and energy trying to convince a prospect to listen to us when clearly they are uninterested, or even antagonistic at times. Sometimes you can't get away from them, however, you don't have to engage them.

Spend your time and energy finding those prospects who want to hear what you have to say, then share your information. Sharing is much more effective than convincing, even though both are considered activities.

And, thanks Zig, for all you did while on Earth.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Givers and takers

Do your company policies talk more about what you can't do for your customers, or what you can do?

Do you seek out ways to delight your customers, or monetize your services?

We all know of companies who are takers. They charge a fee for everything, they set up obstacles to ensure they do not have to interact with you, and their policies are in place to protect themselves.

We also know the companies who are givers. They are the ones that treat us in such a way that we willingly spend more with them.

houston@figment-consulting.com

It's also how you say it.

In my previous blog I made the argument that it really does matter what you say. Having established that, we can move on to the next point and understand it also matters how you say it.

Taking time to choose your words carefully could make all the difference in how you make your customers feel.

What are your "signs" saying to your customers?

houston@figment-consulting.com

It's not what you say . . .

. . . actually, it is.

Telling a student she can move at her own pace when the reality is far different.

Promoting an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) designed for each child to ensure a customized program that fits each child's unique strengths, weaknesses, learning styles and aptitudes -- when the reality is far more generalized.

Telling parents the program is flexible when mandatory requirements apart from courses are increasing each year -- class connects, teacher office hours, test prep sessions, diagnostic tests, and more.

We first have to focus on what we say long before we address how we say it. Want to stand out from the crowded field? First, be authentic.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The trust investment

Trust cannot be purchased but it does come with a price.

Are you willing to pay it?

If not, you will neither earn it, or worse, you will break it. Once broken, it is difficult to restore.

However, if you invest in earning the trust of your customers you will understand that the value in doing so far outweighs any price you must pay.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The culture of service

Companies looking for a competitive advantage will struggle to develop a reputation for excellence in customer service. Instead, those that are recognized as stalwarts in this area (Amazon, Disney, Marriott, Tom's, and others) understand it must be ingrained within the culture.

Putting customers first, putting students first, putting guests first, must be more than a headline supported by a strategy. It requires authenticity, commitment, and treating each one differently.

Develop a culture of service and the competitive advantage emerges all on its own.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The Proctor & Gamble Problem of Virtual Schools

Proctor & Gamble creates products for the masses. As stated in their "Purpose & People" -- We will provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the world's consumers, now and for generations to come.

P&G has no desire to innovate, alter the paradigm, challenge the status quo, or transform the market. They simply want more market share -- more consumers. As a result, consumers will reward us with leadership sales, profit and value creation, allowing our people, our shareholders and the communities in which we live and work to prosper.

One would argue that it is working for them. However, for their purpose to continue, they will constantly have to spend their way to have more shelf space, invest in advertising, interrupt more people, attempt to grab more attention, offer steeper discounts, and tout the features and benefits of their products with the hope that more people will buy. Perhaps, when it comes to consumer products, this strategy will sustain them for some time.

The problem though is that too many virtual school providers carry this same mentality, and their playing field is education, not consumer products. Let's create mediocre products and services for the masses, interrupt as many people as possible, invest in more advertising, and hope that more of them are still there at the bottom of the sales funnel.

A quick glance at K12.com under "Who We Help" indicates they want to help everyone. Peek under "What is K12" and they tout their desire to "fulfill the promise of an education for every child." The same is true for Connections Academy, and others.

Notable pursuits no doubt. However, not only can it not be accomplished, one could argue they would be more effective if they limited who they want to serve, and serve them exceptionally well.

Instead of being a Proctor & Gamble (which in reality is much like traditional public schools), why not be an Apple? Create a product and service that changes lives, and let marketing amplify that story.

In the world of education we do not need more mediocre products and services. What we need are paradigm-altering learning experiences that challenge the status quo.

houston@figment-consulting.com

How to reach homeschoolers, and other questions from readers.

Since launching this blog I have received a variety of questions via email related to my posts, and have answered each one directly. However, I thought some of them that are broader in scope might be of interest to others - whether my answers are also of interest is to be determined.

Below are just a few of the recent ones I have received.

1. How can we reach homeschoolers?

I have written about this in several of my blogs already:

Why homeschoolers are not listening to you
Marketing to homeschool moms
What is the common core to homeschoolers?
Why homeschoolers are not listening to you (Part 2)
Reaching homeschoolers in 2014

I won't rehash all of those blogs here, but the main item to keep in mind here is that this is really such a vague question. "Reaching homeschoolers" carries with it the assumption they are all the same, and they all think alike. Just because you carry the title "Mom" doesn't mean you think and act like all other women who also happen to be mothers.

So, the first thought here is to understand what homeschoolers you are wanting to talk to, because you cannot reach all of them due to their diversity of thought.

2. Are all homeschoolers conservative?

Short answer is No. There is a homeschool spectrum that exists with conservative ones on one side, and liberal ones on the other side. Between the two lies the full array of thoughts and beliefs that mirror the overall population. There are secular homeschoolers, Muslim homeschoolers, and so on that make this community a true mosaic.

Even within the "conservative" side of the spectrum lies diversity -- young-Earth Creationists and old-Earth Creationists. There are some who believe the Bible instructs them to homeschool while others homeschool by choice, not mandate.

3. Why do all homeschoolers distrust the government?

First of all, not all homeschoolers do. (see the answer to #2 above) Just because a group is loud does not mean they are a majority, it just means they are vocal.

However, for those that do distrust the government, it is a very emotional issue that cannot be addressed satisfactorily with logic or reason.

4. Do homeschoolers really perform better on standardized tests than their public school counterparts do?

Research indicates that those homeschoolers who take the standardized tests do perform better on average than their public school counterparts. However, it could have as much to do with selectivity as it does with performance because not all homeschoolers take these tests.

5. Do you believe the Common Core will lead to further growth in alternative education such as homeschooling?

Fear is a great motivator (election cycles remind us of this all the time), and change breeds fear many times. An issue as galvanizing as the Common Core could actually lead to an increase in homeschoolers because parents will move toward safety -- when homeschool becomes safer than Common Core in the minds of families, it could lead to greater movement to the former.

6. What do you mean when you say "mainstream homeschoolers"?

My use of the word "mainstream" has more to do with the reasons behind their choice and the way they interact in the world than it does with any philosophical, spiritual, or political bent. In my view you can be mainstream and Christian, mainstream and Muslim, mainstream and agnostic or atheist.

There are over 2.4 million homeschoolers in America, and growing. My contention is the majority of them are quietly educating their children at home because they believe that is best for their situation. For them, education is the primary motivator in the decision though faith and values are also important to them -- whatever their faith may be.

And, they engage with the world in manners similar to what we find across all other target markets -- they shop online; they visit local zoos/aquariums; they go to movies; they shop at Target, Macy's, or even Wal Mart; they participate in sports, activities, and clubs; they own multiple computers (even iPads) and carry Directv or DISH -- in essence they do what everyone else does, they just happen to homeschool rather than private school or public school.

More questions to come in the future. Now back to our regularly-scheduled blog post.

houston@figment-consulting.com