Image Builders or Breakers

Image Builders or Breakers
Presented by Together--Good afternoon! I’m Dorreen Dembski, Public Information Coordinator of the West Bend School District and President of WSPRA, and I’m Dr. Mabel Schumacher, retired from the Fort Atkinson School District and WSPRA Executive Director, and we would like to welcome you to today’s training, Image Builders and Breakers. While your district is fortunate to have staff with excellent customer service skills, we also recognize that we all can benefit from additional training in this area. Today’s workshop was developed by the National School Public Relations Association and the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association specifically to address the important role that education office professionals play in forming the community’s image of our district and our schools. In many instances, you are the person at your school or the district office with whom the public most comes into contact. As a result, the public’s opinion of the school, and even the entire district, can depend on your competency, courtesy, warmth and interest. This afternoon, we will explore your role in your district’s public relations and image, identify your internal and external customers, rate your service to those key publics, review the ABC’s of customer service and most importantly, learn ways to excel in mass and interpersonal communication. As this is a 2-hour workshop, we will take a break. We will utilize a combination of presentation, worksheets and group exercises.

Oconomowoc School District September 28, 2007
Dorreen Dembski Director of Public Information West Bend School District Mabel G. Schumacher, Ph.D. WSPRA Executive Director

There is not a guaranteed future for public schools
“Every institution exists at the will of the people. If those people are not satisfied, there is no guarantee that the institution will continue.” - John Wherry, President The Parent Institute In this day of school choice and budget difficulties, we unfortunately have no guarantee that public schools, as we know them, will survive. As John Wherry has said, “every institution exists at the will of the people.” If people become dissatisfied with that institution, there is no telling what will happen!

Competition is here to stay!
Those who have children in school have many more options from which to choose than they did just a decade ago. -Parochial -Private -Charter Schools -Home Schooling -Virtual Schools Every time a child leaves our district it costs thousands of dollars District newcomer packets, District recruitment CD, marketing plans, etc.

We serve a changing clientele
1970—4 million more school-age children than adults Today—136 million more adults than school-age children (According to 2000 US Census data) We all recognize the changes that are taking place in society today. When we talk of people understanding schools and their mission and having a vested interest in the future of schools, it is critical that we understand this piece of information: Today there are 136 million more adults than school age children compared to 1970.

Today the average American adult can go a full week without a single contact with a child under the age of eighteen. This can even happen to those of us in the school district. Many of us who work at Central Office can go days or weeks without having contact with a child.

Strategic Inflection Point
…when change is so powerful that it fundamentally alters the way business is done. --Andy Grove Former CEO Intel Corporation Public education may well be at its strategic inflection point.

Creating the right image is everyone’s job
What is Image? ½ -Perception of how your publics see you ½ -Perception of how you see yourself An image gap is created when these are out of alignment Madison Avenue sends us 2,000 images a day through radio, television, billboards, magazines, the Net, tc. We have to sort through all those messages to distinguish which messages have real meaning for us. We must make sure that every message we send closes the image gap. Think about one word that describes how the public sees your role—what one word describes how you see yourself?

Why is image so important?
The brain cannot hold two images simultaneously. Brain research tells us: Your brain will not allow you to hold two images simultaneously. You have a choice—you can see yourself as a very important person in the most important profession in the world—educating our children or you can see yourself as struggling along for ___ more years. (You will in the blank until you reach retirement age. Believe me when I say that every person at your school is a teacher and everyone contributes to the bottom line: student achievement. You can choose the image you want to project!

Image comes from… Price/Value Program/Product Place People
Price/Value: At tax time do our customers think our service is worth it? Programs/Products: Can you sell something nobody needs? No! We need to train every person in the school family about who we are and what we have to offer. Place: Does our building friendly? People: 7% of your message is delivered by the words you say 38% of your message is delivered by your tone of voice 55% of your message is delivered by your non-verbal signals

You market your schools every day!
Your district can’t publish enough articles or capture enough airtime to make people think your schools are great Trust and confidence build relationships Relationships build the image YOU ARE THE KEY! One of the greatest marketing companies in the world is Disney Every employee, every hour of every day, is a marketing representative for that little mouse Disney employees would never tell you not to load up your car and travel down to Orlando in the middle of July because its going to be 95 degrees with 100 percent humidity—they are going to tell you that you will have 100 percent fun—the experience of a lifetime! We have something way more important to market—our kids and their future!

Who is the most credible person in your school district?
Who is the best known person in our school district? Perceived as the most credible?” Use flipchart to record information given by the audience as they respond to validate.

Being on the Front Line... Secretary Custodian Food Service Bus Driver
School Nurse Teacher/Teacher Aide Principal Superintendent School Board Member Source - National School Public Relations Association The secretary is often the first-line contact for the public when they call our district. Show slide. There are certainly a variety of professionals at our district that can provide a first impression, image and source of information about our schools. (Name a few on the slide) The correct answer is that each person who works for our district plays a very important role in public relations and their contact with the public. Whatever any staff person says or does is important and paints a picture about the school district.

Being on the Front Line... “The schools belong to the public. They exist to serve the public, not to tell it what to do or dictate what is best for it. But if the public is not informed about education, its ignorance can destroy the schools.” --Patrick Jackson Here’s a quote from Pat Jackson, a leader in school PR with the National School Public Relations Association. While he is no longer with us, his words still ring true.

Public relations is everyone’s job!
Everyone has a role in public relations. The public relations professional is responsible for strategic leadership and the management of public relations function, but our image is built on the individuals that deal with the public on a daily basis.

PR…People Relations Individual Classroom/Office Community
There are many factors that provide impressions about our district--our individual first impressions, school buildings, what people hear about our district in the media or in discussions in the community. It’s a fact! You can help shape our district’s image. What people in the community think about our district or your school may be largely determined by you. If you are pleasant and helpful to first-time visitors, they’ll figure your school is the kind of play that just naturally sprouts winners. If you’re not, they may go quietly, but they likely will be thinking negative thoughts, not only about you, but about the school and the district. And, they will repeat those thoughts to others in the community. It’s the same with telephone callers. Is your school’s telephone answered by a voice that is warm and friendly, or one that puts off the caller-or worse, puts them down or on a interminable hold? How does your building handle voice mail? Summer messages? How long does it take you to return voice mail calls? Whatever happens, the caller gets an impression of our schools that --- sticks like glue! Our goal must be to be responsive to the community--to parents and non-parents. They all want and need to know what children are learning, what results are being achieved, and how we are spending taxpayers’ money. Effective communication that is two-way, open and honest provides opportunities to build support for our schools. But this only works when every staff member, no matter what their position, understands that they are a highly respected member of the district and a PR image-maker and ambassador for our schools--that is what this workshop is all about. DEEDE SHARPE Story---Mel Community School Building District

Emotion Sells “We’ll leave the light on for you.”
“You’re in Good Hands…” “The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love.” “When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best.” “I Don’t Want to Grow Up…” “What Happens Here, Stays Here.” “Zoom, Zoom, Zoom…” “Be All That You Can Be.” When the US Army offered its new marketing message, enlistments went up 40%. What were they selling? PRIDE How about you? Do you have a tagline that says what you’re all about? People love to support success and they love to have an emotional feel for something they support.

Marketing… “It’s the right message to the right people through the right media at the right time resulting in action.” -Deede Sharpe Deede Sharpe is a well-known public relations expert. Sometimes when we hear the word “marketing,” we think of something negative that schools really aren’t involved in. However, when we think about what she has to say about marketing we realize how true it is. Marketing is something that school people can identify with.

Image of Public Education
Let’s talk about the image of public education today. Can you name some words which the public might use to describe it? Use flipchart. We discuss these ideas out loud. If we hear enough responses skip the info below-- EXPENSIVE Addition of programs Classroom technology [slide projectors vs VCRs Special education / guidance / technology LACKS QUALITY/NOT AS GOOD AS IT USED TO BE It takes 72 years of paying property taxes to pay for two children going through school. The image of public education is not good and we need to education the public to change the perception. As the best known people, you are key people in communicating the truth. HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE JARGON AND PROCESS. We need to ask ourselves what we can do to improve the community’s understanding and image of our schools.

Customer Service Inventory
The Worst List three businesses you have personally used which you believe need tremendous help with customer service. What makes their service so poor?

Customer Service Inventory
The Best List three businesses you personally use which you believe epitomize quality customer service. What makes them so outstanding? Let’s talk a bit in groups about a best company scenario for customer service. Take a few minutes and at your individual tables see what positive customer service stories you can remember and discuss. We’ll call back the group and see if any we can share up to three. What are some characteristics that makes these companies so outstanding? Try to get some characteristics to chart on flipchart. People form opinions through personal experiences or through experiences of people they know.

What do people expect from public schools?
High Standards Safe Schools People who really care about kids Strong basic skills instruction Open, inviting school environment --Public Agenda

Customer Care Basically, customers want: Friendly, caring service
Flexibility Problem Solving Recovery (admit when we've made a mistake) One company that has consistently had a positive image is Disney. They note that “When you sign on to work at Disney, you lost the right to have a bad day.” Here are some characteristics that customers want. Talk about the 4 characteristics that people want.

The school business is a service business

Research tells us… That on any given day, 20% of the community are unhappy with the job we are doing. That means that 80% of the community are happy.

Research also tells us that…
Neutrals—tell no one about it Positives—tell 2.5 people about it Negatives—tell 12.5 people about it We have to get those happy people to tell more people about us! We have to WOW! them every time! It’s not enough to reach a level of customer satisfaction, we have to reach a level of customer delight.

People form opinions through experiences—their own and those of the people they know.
Steve Albrecht in his book Service, Service, Service writes that every time a customer has an experience with us it begins the cycle of service—a cyclical experience with a starting point, a mid point, and an end—with moments of truth throughout that will influence the bottom line of whether the experience was GOOD or BAD! Walk through the cycle of service. Use movie example. The Cycle of Service says that at every juncture in dealing with the public there is an opportunity to exceed, meet, or fail their expectations. I use the movie analogy and ask people to talk their way through all the different little junctures of the movie experience where there's an opportunity to make judgment about the entire experience based on the little things such as: Parking Ticket takers Refreshments Cleanliness of the Rest Rooms Cleanliness of the Theater Temperature Appropriateness of the Previews Sound, video clarity Opportunities for refills on refreshments Ease of Exit All these things create an experiential feeling--and all this is aside from the basic element--the movie you came to see.

Every time you interact with someone is an opportunity to build your personal image and the image of your school, your district, your community. Public school employees must promote public education—if we don’t do it, no one will.

Why Customers Quit 1% die 3% move away 5% because of their friends
9% for competitive reasons 14% because of product satisfaction 68% because of a negative personal experience Do Cycle of Service Model with your School

Be glad they told you… 96% of unhappy customers never complain
91% of those who don’t complain will not do business again with the business that offended them The average unhappy customer will remember the incident for 23 ½ years Be happy when people complain. We cannot improve without feedback. How do you look for feedback? --parent survey --community engagement --school newsletter feedback --Key Communicator Networks

We expect high quality service
An employee having a bad attitude at a fast food restaurant is one thing. An employee having a bad attitude when you’re 35,000 feet in the air is another matter entirely. If we expect high quality service when we are being served, we must assume that our constituents do too. We must go beyond Customer Satisfaction to Customer Delight and WOW service!

You want people who love their jobs flying that plane.
You want people who love their jobs teaching and caring for your children. You want people throughout your school system who love their jobs enough to… All of us are teachers and role models for the children we serve. Parents want to see the same high quality standards they expect in any other arena taking place in our schools. When in doubt ask, “What would a Nordstrom employee do?” Read the Nordstrom Employee Handbook page. Welcome to Nordstrom We're glad to have you with our company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them. Nordstrom Rules: Rule #1: Use your good judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules. Please feel free to ask your department manager, store manager, or division general manager any question at any time.

…promote: Their school Their district Their community

Infuse customer delight into everything you do
Be There Choose Your Attitude Make their Day Play Source: FISH! Charthouse Learning Corporation There is a wonderful fish shop in the state of Washington. The employees there have developed a way to make their jobs thoroughly enjoyable. Perhaps you have seen the shop on television. They’re the ones who throw the fish across the counter and expect the clerks to catch them. They have developed a four point philosophy: Be there Choose you attitude Make their day Play

Where do you fit in? What are your personal assets and opportunities--how would customers describe you? 1, 2, 3 Let’s evaluate ourselves individually. Take a few minutes to read through the Assets and Opportunities worksheet found in your worksheet packet. Put yourself in the shoes of others--parents, students, community, senior citizens, chamber of commerce, business world. How would they describe your customer service skills? What is your image as you are approached….at your desk or when you are contacted by phone? ACTIVITY: Read through the list of assets again and chart where you stand with a rating of Back-to-School, Ups and Downs or Super Star. Be honest, this worksheet is for your personal use only and will not be shared collectively.

You Are the Image of the Schools
…Wherever You Go Place of worship Athletic events Grocery stores and the mall In the neighborhood At the local coffee shop One thing we can be sure of is that the image of the district is a perception created by our staff where ever they go.

Who are our publics? Internal External those with whom we work
those in our building External those outside our building those who do not have regular contact with our school 4 School districts, individual schools, professional and support staff members communicate daily with a host of publics--not THE public. In public relations this is broken down into two categories--internal and external publics. Internal publics are (read slide) and external are (read slide). Pick a table leader. Each table should take a few minutes and individually complete our next packet sheet,” Who Are Our Publcs.” The table leader should compile the list. Then do the same for the external publics in the next few minutes (watch the clock and let them know after a few minutes to move onto external). Tell them then when they report back we’d like to hear from the table groups as to their top four priority internal and external publics. Call back together and ask: Are we presently communicating with all these publics? Do they know what is happening in our classroom, department, school or district? (Put a check mark on the duplicates -- you will have at least 8 internal and external publics!) As we proceed, be thinking about how we can better serve and gain support from external publics and what it is important to know about our internal publics’ roles in order to help them do their job better.

Key Opinion Leaders Someone with an interest in a subject
They have a following They are positivists—“Can-Do” People The are activists They “Get Around” Others come to them for advice They are trusted Too often we spend 80% of our time on the small percentage of people who will never come around or on the 20% of people who will always support the school district no matter what. The school relies on your ability to identify key internal and external publics and some of the people who are leaders in those groups.

Lead and influence others
Key Opinion Leaders +5 40 40 - 5 Always on board Reasonably positive; but not influential Reasonably negative; not influential Negatives; people don’t listen for long 8-10 Lead and influence others

ABC’s of Customer Service
A = Attitude B = Behavior C = Communication When serving our various publics, it is important to note three ABC’s of customer service--attitude, behavior and communication.

Attitude “People don’t care how much you know until you show how much you care.” Let’s talk about some ways in which attitude is important. There is a vast amount of research about how people form attitudes. The most important factor in attitude formation is our own personal experience with a product or place. This causes us to form attitudes quickly and hold them over a long time. The second most important factor in attitude formation is the personal experience of other people we trust. Lacking our own personal experience, we are likely to believe what our family, friends and others we trust tell us. If those we trust have had an unfavorable experience with a product or place, we are likely to adopt their attitude. If we hear, “That school is awful,” we are likely to believe it from our credible source. The third most important factor comes from reading or listening to research information from a source we trust, such as a publication or group we respect. Thus, people form attitudes about our schools largely on the basis of their own personal experiences, or the experiences of others they trust.

Ritz-Carlton Hotels The Ritz-Carlton provides the finest personal service and facilities throughout the world. The atmosphere is warm and relaxed and the ambiance embraces the uniqueness of the local culture. The variety of services offered will enable you to create your own experience. --Ritz-Carlton Home Page According to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel web site, their philosophy of service is comprehensive. How does the Ritz-Carlton philosophy translate into action?

Practice at Ritz-Carlton
Be the first to give a warm greeting Ask about the guest Call them by name Know things about the guest Give them a fond farewell Let’s take a look at some of the actions we might expect from an employee at a Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Greeting Be interested in guest as a person Name Know things about them Fond farewell Can we do these things in our schools?

What is the practice at your school?
Talk with your staff members about these: Are our schools friendly and do they send the right message to parents and visitors? How do you know? What do observers thing when they watch our school board meetings? Do our schools have appropriate signage in front of them? Do we keep our website up-to-date? Is it welcoming and user-friendly? Do we have a standardized way we are to answer the telephone? How are community members without children connected with our district and our school? How does the district say “thanks” and show appreciation to staff? How does your school? How do our schools welcome people? What’s the first impression when entering your school?

“It’s not just WHAT you do,
Behavior “It’s not just WHAT you do, but HOW you do it.” Human Resource officials tell us that people who possess the following personality traits (getting along with others, strong listening skills, and an ability to deal with conflict) will be hired over people who have the necessary skills. It is easier to teach the skills than it is to change someone’s personality. These abilities come from within. The fact is that every school employee is helping to form attitudes about our schools at home, work, where ever they go daily. The job of earning favorable attitudes is a tremendous one and the reason why each of us must be involved in order to succeed. Remember that whatever your job, you are considered by your friends and neighbors as an “authority” about the school.

Behavior 5 P’s for good service Be Proud Be Professional Be Polite
Be Prompt Be Personal Behavior is another major factor in providing customer service. Whether in person or on the phone, choose your attitude to be positive and think about these 5 P’s for good service (state them). Take a moment and go to our next handout, “Three Basic Qualities of Good PR” These have some wonderful tips for improving your own personal public relations skills. Think in terms of ways you can improve your office climate, listening skills, avoid listening blocks such as lack of interest, review the keys to good listening and project a positive image.

Behavior Treat everyone as a customer
Greet people with a smile—in person or on the telephone

Behavior Treat everyone as if you had to live with them in a very small box for the next 30 days Remember, over time the content fades but the relationship remains

Communication “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” “Each impression you make will—temporarily, at least — be your last. So make it strong.” Harry Beckwith, Selling the Invisible Communication occurs easily when old friends meet at the supermarket. It’s less easy when acquaintances talk over the phone, and still less when a person is speaking to an audience of dozens or more--like today. Yet, all of this interpersonal communication is preferable to one-way, mass communication, which occurs through the media and district publications such as parent newsletters.

Using key messages Communication
First, to define a key message, it is a positive statement about your organization that through repetition, will be identified with your organization’s image. It can also be in response to a negative situation to turn the image positive. For example, in a crisis situation with our district, we always say “We keep the safety of students and staff as an utmost priority. It is important to have key messages about your school to make such statements to promote positive feelings in difficult situations. These are often picked up by the media in interviews as well: Another key message is your district’s mission statement. This is an excellent one to commit to memory, and can be printed on everything from letterhead to the School Performance Report and bumper stickers. Perhaps your school has a specific message as well or you have a personal one. Your district’s core values of honesty, caring, cooperation, respect and responsibility could be incorporated. Student information/privacy A good message is, “Our ability to give more detailed information is limited by laws of confidentiality governing juvenile matters.” When you don’t have info: “I do not have that information, but I will put you in touch with someone who can help,” (or) “I will get it for you and call you back.” Crisis Protocol and Snow days - These include the key message, if parents do not feel it is safe for their child to come to school, by all means they should keep them home.

Communication is two-way
The Message Communication is two-way Talk/ Write “People need to listen at least as much as they need to talk. Too many people fail to realize that real communication goes in both directions.” --Lee Iacocca Listen/ Read

Communication MIND + FACE + BODY What we say How we say it
What we say is just as important as how we say it. For example: Research shows that there are issues with social distance - standing close to person -- how do you make them feel? Different ethnic groups also have different feelings about interpersonal communication and space. But communication may also include what you hang on the walls of the school, entrance to school, exterior of school, and your work area. For example, if someone has food at their work area, which is viewed by the general public, what image does that give to the organization? MIND + FACE + BODY

The Delivery Nonverbals Paraverbals Facial Expressions Gestures
Proxemics Paraverbals Tone Cadence Volume How information is delivered is as critical as the information itself. Non-verbals and paraverbals define the delivery.

I did that yesterday. Have the group say the sentence four times, emphasizing a different word each time. Discuss the difference in message that is implied with each version. I did that yesterday.

The Delivery… Four physiological faces… Smile Closed Neutral Open
At every opportunity Closed Frown, eyes narrowed “You’re angry Neutral Nothing moves but the mouth Open Intentionally create horizontal lines by raising eyebrows slightly “I care”

The Delivery… “A gesture is the communicator’s
equivalent of a handshake or a hug.” -Arch Lustberg, Communication Consultant The four “NO” positions Fig Leaf Hands in pocket Hands behind back Arms crossed

The Delivery… Proxemics = personal space {An area around the body (18-30 inches) that is considered an extension of the body.} To honor another person’s personal space: Stand a leg length away Stand at a 90 degree angle Keep hands visible

How you say it matters 7% of your message comes from the words themselves 38% of your message comes from the speaker’s tone 55% of your message comes from your non-verbal signals Message 7% from words 38% from tone of voice 55% from non-verbal signals Gestures, body posture, facial expression, proxemics, eye contact

The Challenges… Angry parents Questioning parents Protective parents
Critical parents Chronic complainers Anyone in the school environment has to deal with challenges… anger questions protective parents criticism complainers

The Challenges…DO Approach parents with an attitude of respect and a willingness to listen. Remain calm. A calm response can defuse an upset individual. Use the individual’s name. Be attentive. Responses to the challenges should be respectful willingness to listen calm use of person’s name attentive

The Challenges…DO Address specific complaints with ideas about what you can do together to find a solution. Exercise empathy. Try to gain an understanding of his or her perspective. Be honest. Focus on the child. Document. Address specific complaints Work together to find a solution Empathy Honesty Focus on the child Be sure to documnent

The Challenges…DON’T Let it become personal.
Leave things unresolved—set a time for another meeting; agree to something. Speculate. Don’t… Let it be personal (it’s not an attack on you) Let things drag on unresolved Do NOT speculate

Confidentiality is Critical
It’s the law: FEPRA, HIPPA, Special Education regulations Ask yourself: Who needs to know? Why? Written information Conversations On the telephone On the computer screen

Effective Communication
Builds trust Establishes positive relationships Is tied to student performance results and accountability Creates and maintains a welcoming climate in your school Districts that are successful at the polls and/or budget hearings are those that have a program of year-round communication and involvement. Success is built on trust and it must be built the old-fashioned way--by earning it one day at a time. Communication is the key, not just to good PR but it is the key to motivation. A positive work environment is based on the cumulative attitudes of everyone that works in that department. The role of the school secretary is such an important one in bridging communication gaps and developing positive relationships. Your efforts are tied to student performance and accountability just as the teacher or administrator. You know that troubled student and can let them know you care. You can provide that worried parent with the proper access. You can let the senior citizen know that we appreciate their volunteer support and the community member who is complaining that we are a quality district of professionals who serve.

Mass Communication Mass-produced, non-personal letter
Brochure or pamphlet (direct mail piece) Article in newsletter, magazine News carried in popular press Advertising in newspapers, radio, TV, magazines Listserv, group , blast fax Web site Cable access Other (billboards, pens, ‘giveaways’) But mass communication also plays a role in forming people’s attitudes and opinions about our schools. Think of ways you or our district may have a role in some of the following. How is the district impacted by inaccurate information or typos in say a parent newsletter, a flyer or brochure? What about our internal publics? What is the impact that comes from an to our schools that lacks professionalism, or is curt? For example, the ease of can cause difficulties in getting messages across properly. Take time to reread before sending. Do you have greetings and endings? Is the information clear, friendly and professional? _____________________ Go to the next worksheet, “Mass/Interpersonal Communication.” Reads # 2 on feedback and listening. She says, “Take a few minutes as a group to complete the bottom portion on feedback and listening and list the ways that your friends might state the way we get feedback as a district. Call them back to share and chart their ideas on a flipchart.

Interpersonal Communication
One-to-one, face to face Small group discussion/meeting Speaking before a large group Phone conversation Handwritten personal note Typewritten, personal letter Computer-generated personalized letter communication Let’s look at these forms of communication. Which are you responsible for? Research shows that the most effective form of communication is “one to one and face-to-face.” Effective communication involves listening as well as speaking.

One-on-One “Research has proven that we cannot change
attitudes with the printed word. It is only through interpersonal communication, two- way, one-on-one, that we build trust, change attitudes, and ultimately behaviors.” --Patrick Jackson

People Programs Beat Paper Programs Every Time!
Research has proven that we cannot change attitudes through the printed word. It is only through interpersonal communication, two-way, one-to-one, that we build trust and can change attitudes. That’s where you come in.

Building Relationships
It takes significantly more time to acquire a new advocate than it does to take action to keep a current advocate. Most parents sever ties because of poor relationships, not educational results. Dissatisfied people tell more people about bad news than satisfied people spread good news. Think about the negative impact of the following: Janitor undermining referendum by telling others the remodeling was not needed. Teachers telling parents about a bad decision or no need for a referendum. Ripple effect - you may respond to only one person, but that person will spread the news. Does anyone have any examples they might like to share about how you can or have turned a negative impact into a positive? --chart ideas. It’s worth noting that communities learn/make decisions in these percentages: 3% = Printed Materials 7% = Talking to Others 90% = Talking to Employees, Students; (being part of a relationship)

How communities make decisions…
3% From printed materials 7% From talking with others 90% From talking to people inside your school system

The Toolkit We’ve put together a toolkit with some additional information for you to refer to in the future. We will touch on some of these points briefly.

Toolkit contents Telephone tips Frontline communication tips
Survival kit Basics of good PR Looking at the climate Dealing with angry or difficult people Dealing with complaints s Newsletters

Telephone Tips Answering the phone Your voice Your language
Your approach Transferring calls Taking messages Voice mail Speaker phone Toolkit-pages 1-3 Continue to read bullets

Frontline Communication Tips
Knowledge Attitude Behavior Communication Tool Kit – page 4 KNOWLEDGE Know important facts Know people you deal with regularly Know the processes – share when parents ask for assistance ATTITUDE Treat everyone like a board member Don’t act superior Be empathetic Let people know you care and have pride in your job BEHAVIOR Acknowledge people immediately Don’t appear to protect or cover for anyone Avoid gossip COMMUNICATION Don’t give opinions Report rumors to your supervisor / seek clarification

Survival Kit Map of district / attendance areas
List of significant people Administrators Board Members Department Chairs Club Sponsors School Calendar Current Enrollment Information Total school Grade levels Tool Kit – page 6

Basics of Good PR Creating the climate Listening
Listening versus hearing Blocks to listening Keys to good listening Projecting a positive image Tool Kit – page 7 CLIMATE Students / parents Support staff Teachers / administrators Community members LISTENING Hearing = physical; listening = emotional – search for meaning Listen with eyes, ears, intellect, personality BLOCKS TO LISTENING Inability to relax and concentrate Preconceived ideas Talking too much Thinking of responses while other person is talking Lack of interest in conversation

Take a look at the climate Conduct a “communication walk” through your building
Page 8 Look at the ABC’s of customer service that Tom DeLapp (President of Communication Resources for Schools in Sacramento, CA) references Tool Kit – 8-9

They arrive at YOUR door…
Within the first ten seconds: What do they see? What do they hear? How do they feel? Toolkit – pages 8-9

The “Communication Walk”
Appearance Personnel Building Grounds Communications Verbal Non-verbal Confrontation Dealing with the “difficult” Toolkit – pages 8-9 A – Appearance Professional appearance Office School building Name plates B – Basic Communication Verbal Non-verbal C – Confrontation How do you deal with difficult customers? Are you conveying the right message Page 9 Checklist of areas to review as part of the communication walk

Dealing with Complaints
Gathering Information Procedure Research Personal Contact Keep a Record

Dealing with Complaints
Responding Timing Factual but friendly Vocabulary Positive approach No promises

Dealing with Difficult or Angry People
Attitude…your approach is critical Listening…be active and attentive Responding…be aware of all levels of response Toolkit – pages 10-12

Attitude Calmness Acceptance No joke! Protect yourself (don’t personalize) Toolkit – pages 10-12

Listening Attentive Active No interruptions What do they want? Toolkit – pages 10-12

Responding Know your options Language Small talk No promises Toolkit – pages 10-12

Proven Stress Reducers
Planning Reducing stressors Your approach to work Positive attitude Coping strategies Toolkit – pages 13

PR for the School Professional
Profile Social savvy Communicator Juggler! Tool Kit – page 16

Perfecting E-mails Critical How-to’s No bad news No “flaming”
Limit the length Clear desired action Easy response Tool Kit – pages 17-20

Perfecting E-mails Clean up your writing Natural language
Short sentences Headings Active Voice Important information first Check grammar/spelling Sign from a real person Tool Kit – pages 17-20

Perfecting E-mails Outgoing e-mail Relevance Less is more
newsletter? Links Subscriber comments Opportunity to unsubscribe Tool Kit – pages 17-20

Perfecting E-mails Incoming e-mails Don’t forget personal attention
Answer s Remember— s are a LEGAL DOCUMENT! Develop a system of filing folders to organize Tool Kit – pages 17-20

E-mail Etiquette Keep business communication business-like
Choose your words carefully Favor clarity over complicated responses Tool Kit – pages 17-20

Newsletters… Publish on a regular schedule.
Aim it toward interesting readers. Write in language people can understand. Design it clean and simple. Use pictures. Distribute widely. Build in feedback method. Tool Kit – page 21 If you are the person responsible for creating newsletters, this information is great to review when you are working on these projects. Parent newsletters are still the most widely used form of written communication by parents -- a whopping 97% gain their information and perceptions of your district this way.

The Next Step Key positive messages about your school
A month from this date My Personal PR Plan... Workbook- page 5-7 We are going to wrap up with our final worksheet in your packet--a personal PR plan. Take 10 minutes and go review your last worksheet entitled Your PR Plan. (With time remaining or if out, say, list a PR activity that you would like to develop and then complete # When you have completed this exercise, we would greatly appreciate your completing an evaluation form for us. In addition, a certificate will be sent to you recognizing your completion of this program. Angel and I will also be happy to stay afterwards and entertain any questions you may have. Please also feel free to send us additional ideas or comments on . Thank you for coming!

With special thanks to:
Charthouse Learning Harry Beckwith Patrick Jackson Deede Sharpe Jackie Price National School Public Relations Association Mary Pat Pfeil, WSPRA Past President Mary Ellen Marnholtz, WSPRA Past President

Thank you for your participation! www.wspra.org

Image Builders or Breakers

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Image Builders or Breakers"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

Image Builders or Breakers

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Image Builders or Breakers"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback