IN 2020, WHAT WILL BE NEW IN YOUR SCHOOL?

So, we thank God for this year. We pray for a better 2020. It will be better by God’s grace. But I need to tell you a few things. Let me tell you what parents tell me. They want excellence, even where they can’t afford it. Isn’t that interesting? The game has changed.

The only way to remain or stand any chance e of thriving in this business is to prove that you deserve to be there, that your reason for running a reason is bigger than money, your present size irrespective. The bigger your school, the bigger your competitors, the more imperative it is that you separate yourself from every possible clutter and hence the the more important it is you take on new innovations that will keep your name on the lips of all and sundry. The more people talk good about your school in your community, the better for you.

Recently, I watched a teens talent reality TV show on Africa Magic, I discovered that one particular school in Lagos is a major (if not the main) sponsor of that show. That school has gained prominence because of that show. If you know, you know! There are many creative different ways to spend money. For all you care, that sponsorship may not cost them more than 5 students’ annual school fees, but the impact will be nationwide. When I talk, I mean business. Please ask yourself – what exactly will be new in my school come 2020.

Many schools now write CBT exams on Thinkally School Management Software, Nigeria’s Largest School Management Software With about 2 million students (https://thinkally.net). For such schools, It’s something new and trust me, their parents now value them more than ever.

Get the book – The 4-Legged School Growth Strategy – https://bit.ly/35JMO9i

Whatever you’re going to be paying for, in 2020, demand for something new, or at least, the latest version, from that supplier or manufacturer or publisher or school furniture maker or consultant. Even SOF now has new courses for heads of schools. And if you cannot come up with anything new for your school, you could at least change the colour of your school gate. That sdrawerget people talking.

Here’s the psychology of it. When something new appears in your space, your stakeholders and your critics will talk about it. The more novel is looks, the louder and longer people will talk about it. The more the noise about it, the more the publicity you are having. Now if you don’t stop adding new things, your name becomes an integral part of people’s discussion both within and outside your business place, in your estate, your street, in your parents’ and non parents’ living rooms and dining tables and in fact everywhere. One of our member schools in LEKKI has keyed into this principle. I will not tell you what she did, but I was greatly impressed.

Your 2020 must not be the same as 2019. What new thing or idea or project or stunt or strategy or building or what exactly will be new in your school come 2020? If you don’t already have it by now, chances are, your close competitors who already have that will execute theirs before you’re done thinking about yours.

Ok, you’re waiting to see how much money you’ll collect in school fees by January before you know which of the proposals lying in your drawer, you will approve. Right! Oh! You still allow the aggressive marketers proposals determine what exactly you are or aren’t buying. Well, don’t fall into traps in 2020. Lying dormant across schools are facilities whose essence and usefulness are neither ripe nor exigent, but found their way in because an aggressive marketer played his pitch right. I know someone, in an area where there’s no light, who bought Interactive boards when there is no reliable Power Generator to power them. Some people have just equipped their computer labs with hundreds of low end computer desktop boxes whose generation has passed, just because they allowed some desperate ICT guy play a fast one on them! I’m always on the field, you have no idea what errors many school owners commit ignorantly. One simple question will save you – WHAT’S NEW ABOUT THIS?

Get the book – The 4-Legged School Growth Strategy – https://bit.ly/35JMO9i

Many school owners pay people on impulse – because by December they fail to plan for January, because they fail to honour the law of – What-will-be-new. Edu-resource providers will sell to you what they have, but ask yourself and ask them- what will be new?

Now, i will start with what you already know and perhaps already practicing, to what what of course you know, but are ignoring thinking it doesn’t matter and then to what you may not have actually crossed your minds till now.

I don’t need to emphasize the essence of colours, beauty, and creative touches on the appearance of your school, its workrooms and its workforce, no matter how, big or mega. We overlook many things. Innovation is creating solutions when there seem to be no problem yet. Asking ourselves – is this the best this can be? Can it be better?

It amazes me that we would allow parents visit our schools over and over again and there’s no visible change. Nothing has changed. The gate remains blue, and double-leafed, the windows remain yellow and flower-taped, the reception desk remain marbled and L-shaped, the long corridor flowers remain entirely Cameroon Vicus, Your exercise books have worn the same designs for years, your set of toys have been arranged exactly the same way for so long, You’ve planned and executed your events – PTA, valedictory, Culture, Graduation Inter-house sports – exactly the same way for so long

Get the book – The 4-Legged School Growth Strategy – https://bit.ly/35JMO9i

That everyone seem to be OK with your style does not mean you can’t tweak it. Not because you’re being threatened by any competition, but because you’re continuously positioning to raise value. When you tweak an existing protocol, and make it strike a different cord of impression and paint a fresher colour of perception, you’re certainly on your way to changing it’s value in the minds of your partners.

Generally, parents thinking is that – why should we pay more when nothing appears to be different than it used to be.

But your own argument is : Don’t they know that the economy has changed? Things are now more expensive…..and all that stuff.

I’d be candid with you. Please stop all that argument, and complaints…increments or additional premium (more money) answers only to value, not to sheer reason or sentiment!

Now you may say: But I’m adding value to the students, I’m giving them quality they cannot get elsewhere. Who tells you? If it is quality education, others will give that too. Afterall that’s our primary responsibility. So that is too cheap a basis to demand more. The best thing you can do is to retain the good patents you have and drive up your value so they give you more without having to complain or compare. And the cheapest way to doing that is to improve incrementally, every term, adding new things and new concepts to your operations.

Get the book – The 4-Legged School Growth Strategy – https://bit.ly/35JMO9i