We offer a "rigorous" curriculum . . .

Below is the definition of "rigorous" from Dictionary.com.

rig·or·ous

  [rig-er-uhs]  Show IPA

adjective

1.

characterized by rigor; rigidly severe or harsh, as people, rules, or discipline: rigorous laws.

2.

severely exact or accurate; precise: rigorous research.

3.

(of weather or climate) uncomfortably severe or harsh; extremely inclement.

4.

Logic, Mathematics . logically valid.

Not sure the words "harsh," "severe," and "extreme" are the ones I would want to associate with my curriculum.

Words matter, so choose them carefully.

houston@figment-consulting.com

I expect you will listen to me. I hope you will hear me.

Listening to your customers merely means you are paying attention to them in order to hear what they have to say. That much they expect of you.

Hearing them goes much deeper where you perceive, discern, apprehend, and even comprehend.

You can applaud yourself for all of the ways you listen to your customers, but if you never hear what they are telling you, it only creates frustration.

Focus on hearing them, on discerning what they are telling you, on understanding their wants that they are trying to convey. If you can serve their wants, you can delight them.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Celebrating failure . . .

. . . may be exactly what you need to do.

If everything has to be done perfectly, then new ideas and innovation will suffer.

On the other hand, if failure (with good intent) is viewed equally with success, then you might just change the world.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Want referrals? Build relationships.

Ask any virtual school and they will tell you that word-of-mouth is the greatest asset to increasing their enrollments. Friends sharing their experience with others, inviting them to learn more, those are what show up time and time again as the number one driver for new students.

And yet, these same schools continue to increase their media costs by focusing on digital, television, radio, and even print ads while ignoring the potential for referrals. Of course, asking for referrals means you have to have built the relationship prior to the ask, or else it will fall flat.

Perhaps this is why virtual schools rely on the traditional media strategy, trying hard to find more leads to toss into the top of the funnel with the hope of more falling out at the bottom after being sifted through, while existing families leave at an alarming rate each year.

Building real relationships with your families and students requires vulnerability, authenticity, care, concern, time, effort, commitment, and desire. It is easier to sit in an office and develop a media strategy from afar, reading the data points, analyzing emerging trends, and searching for ways to increase click through rates by another .05%.

The problem though is that it is also riskier. Media strategies will not build loyalty. Relationship Strategies can. It is not a play on words, and understand that media plans arise out of Relationship Strategies, but the focus, the intent, and the outcome is different.

Relationship Strategies open you up to the potential of building authentic bonds with your students and families. And, as you strengthen these bonds with each and every touch point opportunity, it becomes only natural for you to be able to ask your families to share their experience with others.

Imagine a virtual school web site that said, "95% of our families say they would recommend us to a friend. And, 95% of them did."

What is your goal? "Would" or "Did"? A well-defined, genuinely-executed Relationship Strategy can move you from "would" to "did" when it comes to referrals.

www.figment-consulting.com

Find another way, and you will be wealthy

As I write this I am currently sitting in an airport (yet again) watching airlines delay and cancel flight after flight. Passengers are increasingly becoming frustrated, and airline employees working feverishly (and hopelessly) to do what they can to help the stranded. And, if that is not enough, the Starbucks cannot take orders due to their machines not working.

My last four flights have either been delayed or cancelled due to weather primarily, but also to mechanical issues. If there is a trend emerging, this is it -- waiting, delays, cancellations, and frustration.

And yet, I see advertisements from airlines saying things such as -- "Building a better American," United has evidently resurrected "Fly the friendly skies," and Delta tells us they want to "Keep climbing."

American has to build a better one, because right now the one they have is far from great.

United? Friendly skies? Wouldn't know for sure, every time I have to fly with them, they seem to cancel their flights. So, their skies may be friendly, but they can't seem to get me there.

Delta? They can keep climbing, just not sure where they are headed on that journey. Perhaps next time they can chart a destination before they start the climb.

My preference would be to see airlines focus on performance rather than slogans. Until then, their advertising lacks authenticity.

Actually, my preference would be to have someone develop a true alternative to flying. If someone could find another way, they would be wealthy. Instead of launching another airline with the promise of "on-time departures and arrivals," "expanded seating," "friendly agents," and more, someone please find a completely different way to take us from Point A to Point B.

And, when you do, can you make sure your Starbucks can serve coffee. I need a Venti right about now.

www.figment-consulting.com

The human connection

Technology is not the answer.

Technology gives you a shot at reaching students, and technology gives students a shot at learning.

Rather than build your virtual school around the technology, build it instead around the student. Remember, you are in the "human connection" business, not the online learning business.

www.figment-consulting.com

The school of possibility

Is it possible to inspire students to learn instead of teaching them how to memorize a base of common knowledge?

Is it possible to embrace the curiosity inherent within children and guide the learning process instead of mastering dates, times, and events for a test?

Is it possible to develop the individual child instead of teaching to the middle?

Is it possible to foster the skills of finding solutions instead of seeking correct answers?

Is it possible to measure the growth of each child individually instead of comparatively?

Is it possible to celebrate failure as part of the learning process instead of only rewarding correctness?

Is it possible to pursue individual dreams instead of group compliance?

Is it possible to learn the child instead of teach to the test?

Is it possible to place value on the question instead of just the answer?

Is it possible to have learning environments instead of classrooms?

Is it possible to stimulate the mind instead of numbing the senses?

Is it possible?