How To Boost Your Communication To Parents

PA-RENTS…I mean…we got to love them, but sometimes it’s a struggle. Even those of us who are parents have a hard time serving them, especially when it comes to communication.

What works for one parent doesn’t work for others. You shoot an email, put a flyer in the bulletin and the response is mediocre at best. You wonder, “What do I need to do differently?”

The answer is BUILDING a strategy and getting INTENTIONAL about how you communicate. To get started you building a strategy you need to:

FIGURE OUT HOW THEY BEST COMMUNICATE

Some parents need an email, others will find it on Facebook and then you have some who still need a good old letter. While you cannot communicate in every possible medium, you need to know what works best.

Fortunately, there are several programs that make this possible. For:

• Email software like MailChimp and Constant Contact have click and open tracking. 
• Social media platforms have analytics and so do social media scheduling software like Buffer and Hootsuite.
• Then there is church specific software like Flocknote and Planning Center Online to name a few.

You don’t have to be a communication marketing master to use them. But, they are extremely helpful in figuring out the best way to communicate. Also, check out my buddy Tom Pounder, from YM Sidekick who is always talking about the latest in technology and ministry. Check out his site HERE

REACH OUT INDIVIDUALLY 

Email blasts, bulletin posts, and pulpit announcements will get the word out, but the most effective means of communication is one on one. It’s effective because it makes your interaction more personal.

Making a phone call, sending out a personal message to a parent or interacting with them after Mass says that they are more than a number. Parents will appreciate the time you are taking to get to know them by name.

When you reach out individually you can also gain feedback. If someone isn’t responding to a form request or signing up for a program it gives you the opportunity to ask if they got the message. Use those interactions as a way of growing in the relationship.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO OVERCOMMUNICATE

There is so much noise in a person’s life that we can’t expect one email to do the job. Being creative will allow you to figure out new ways to reach people, but consistency will build momentum.

• If you create a newsletter make sure it’s going out the same day every week.
• When you send an email don’t be afraid to send a followup.
• Post on all your media outlets and make sure the details are consistent

If people start to complain that you are overcommunicating then it means you are being effective. Until then, don’t assume that everyone has heard.

The bottom line is that you need to be persistent with your communication strategy. Look for different ways to communicate and analyze the data. The better you learn to communicate the better the response from parents.

WHAT BEST PRACTICES ARE WORKING FOR YOU? WHAT RESOURCES WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

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