Throughout the year we stay busy with ministry in churches throught the country. I have been working on scheduling more events in the elementary schools during the fall and winter. I have read through some different materials that have to do with promoting yourself in public schools and other areas. It seems to me that there are all kinds of advice to sift through. I was curious what books or resources are highly recommended on this subject of marketing yourself.

Have a Great Day,

Dan Montgomery

Dan, would you please background a guy from north of the border. In Canada we have public schools and also religious schools( i.e. thousands of gov't-funded Catholic schools plus a multitude of non-gov't funded schools for a range of denominations of Christianity and other religions). Thus in a religious school one doesn't have to worry about offending by teaching a religious theme. So my question is whether your ministry would be in a school which allows religious discussion? This(especially if one emphasizes denominational theologies) would be oh so tricky and probably verboten in most of our public schools. I'll wait for your answer and respond with my suggestions on media manipulation, curriculum tie-ins and the type of doughnuts to buy for the staff room! Thanks, Ron

Ron:

I am speaking of regular public schools. I would not be tying in any christian emphasis in the public schools as it would not be allowed. I have done some public schools and have developed routines emphasizing character development, getting along, ect...What I am looking to do is too fill up my dates that I don't have scheduled in churches which mainly falls off and on throughout the late fall and winter. Most of the marketing material I have seen deals with direct mail. I am still in the process of working out what works best to get the school administration's attention. Any ideas are appreciated.

Have a Great Day,

Dan Montgomery

Thanks Dan. First, teachers and adminsitrators are usually stressed, overworked and generally being told that there is a new educational wave they must surf. In general,they're trying to put ten pounds of whatever into a five pound bag. My first idea would be to go on line or get(from a state politician) a copy of the curriculum guide. Key in on the subjects which stress drug education, character development etc. Then rework one of your routines to fit. In atown of 20 thousand or less there is always a friendly reporter(educational beat person if available) one can cultivate. YOU must do all the legwork. Perhaps this person can suggest a teacher/school which is hip to media exposure. Then I would prepare a brief written presentation which shows how my FREE routine ties in with a particular curriculum subject. Then I would make an appointment with a principal at a quiet time and make your pitch, present a printed copy. Advise YOU will set up the media coverage. The key is don't add any onerous work or expense to school or reporter. Egads! I've got to be at work for 8:00am. We'll talk about evergreens(media) and doughnuts another tome. Ron

Ron:

Thanks for your input. It is much appreciated. I was really interested in hearing about the donuts though.

Have a Great Day,

Dan Montgomery

Good luck on the schools. Getting into schools is extremely difficult, because of budget cuts and the changing of the personnel who choose assembly speakers each year. You can pay for advise from Steve Taylor at www.stevetaylorpro.com. Either a conference call or recorded material. Judy Buch will also do a conference call with you. Typically it is $50 per hour, but then all your questions will be answered specifically!

You can easily get school addresses from www.usadata.com (or any other business address, such as churches in a certain zipcode, etc.). Or you can buy Microsoft Streets and Trips and do a radius search for schools in the area where you will be ministering.

There is a book out that Steve Axtell used to sell. I forget the name of it, but it has a black cover. That should narrow it down! I think it was called Making Money in Schools. It suggested that you get your name on some local and state wide Arts organizations.

I find that a mailout will elicit about a 1/2% response. And if you point them to a website that says Ministries you may not get that. I don't want to discourage you, but I will say that you'll be spinning your wheels much less if you go after the daycare and preschool market.

You can also try to join up with an agent, who will try to book you. Never go exclusive with them, but they may bring something in.

The book is called "How to Make Money Performing in Schools". You can ask Steve if he has any in stock. steve@axtell.com

Tony:

Thanks for the advice. I actually have purchased the book from Axtell, "Make Money Performing in Schools." It is by David Heflick. It is actually a good book. I also have the book from Judy Buch enbtitled, "Mastering and Marketing Your Performance." All great stuff from individuals who know what they are talking about. I am sure that it is different from state to state.I have thought about the arts listing that you mentioned (but am not sure exctly how to take that approach. I do agree on the direct mailing about the response rate as I have done quiet a bit of it with a small percentage of interest returned.

I know that our current web site is mainly ministry oriented with exception for a section that educators can click on. I know the tension that exsists when an educator hears that you are a ministry. I have thought of creating a new web site totally just for educators, ect...

I am learning that this thing is a trial and error project. If one thing doesn't work, just keep trying. Well, I want to be sure that I am trying smartly. We are blessed in the ministry area and churches contact us quiet a bit. I am just looking for some avenues to fill in gaps of time throught the year where our ministry slows down (considering this is how we make our living.).

Your advice is greatly appreciated.





Have a Great Day,

Dan Montgomery

Different school districts (city and county)sometimes require a performer to be on a list before they can speak at schools in their district. Even if they just have a "suggested" list it is very helpful. You can ask the local PTA president.

For Red Ribbon Month (It is no longer 'week') you would send a letter to the Healthy Kids' Advocate, promoting your healthy assembly. This is often a different person than the one who chooses the other assemblies and they usually have some extra funding just for Red Ribbon month, though they don't always spend it on assemblies.

Character assemblies and bullying assemblies are always good topics. You'll have to do your homework. Find out if your state likes a particular character curriculum and reinforce that.

Libraries help fill in some of the days. The plus is that they book well in advance and once they like you they let others in their county know about you. The minus is they don't pay as much and by booking too far ahead they may rob you of a week's ministry somewhere else. 80% of my library requests are in the summer.

Once you do a public school then use Microsoft Streets and Trips to write to the other schools near them. In a cover letter say, "I was just at Woodbine Elementary in Sacramento for the kick-off for Red Ribbon Month. Feel free to call ___________ and ask about the student and teacher response! If I can be of service for your assembly needs I have the following topics still available for this school year...

And Childcare services that take place on the public school campus look for entertainers during the vacation weeks (Christmas to Jan. 1 and Spring Break) Once you find the name of one you can get a list of all of them in your area. They will only pay about $150 but it's usually during the slowest weeks.

David Ginn has a book, "The Only 3 Ways to Market". Essentially they are call, send a letter, or stop in with a press book.

I am planning on designing a Thank You card that lets them know that my business grows primarily by word of mouth. I would then ask them to pass my website on to others.

Please visit www.schoolassembly.net.

-Tony Borders

Dan..England has its pubs; Germany its beer gardens; France its cafes;the Excited States its bars and ten-pinbowling alleys (many with bars). Canada has its curling rinks(most with bars,) 5-pin bowling alleys and Tim Horton's. Now away from the sociology to the higher level. You wanted to know about doughnuts. Well, I'll focus on the Canadian classics. This soon may read like the script between Bubba and Forrest Gump on the recruits' bus. There's apple fritters, dutchies, maple dip, chocolate glaze and of course, cruellers and the aforementioned timbits. This list may seem trite but it's not half as brutal as Mr.Border's time joke about his bad back. Ron

I must have missed the bad back joke.

Have a Great Day,

Dan Montgomery

Some day..Tony will tell us more about his bad back. Ron

Sorry to not have gotten back to you, but I've been having back trouble. You see everytime I try to get away from the Axtell site I use the back button to go back to it. And then I get tempted by the new stuff like the Big..Baby he posted a notice about. I'm drooling over the trumpet player. I can even do the trumpet ventriloquially. And I can see myself growing old with Granny Gertie. I may stick my neck out and buy the giraffe or turle, but if my wife finds out I'll have to find a hiding place like the ostrich! But once I write a good routine for the puppet she reminds me of Laughin' Louie! (Her laugh, not her looks.) Christmas is coming up and I'd like to put Axtell's Santa under my tree (about a month early so I can put him to work). Otherwise he only works one day a year! (Unlike ventriloquists who use Axtell puppets.)

I've added the kangaroo to my Red Ribbon show as she talks about exercise and eating right and making sure her babies get good milk. (My son likes chocolate.)

Grannie Gertie..ask him about his bad back...he has to repeat the joke!Ron