Episode 20: Use The Power Of Storytelling To Increase Student Retention And Recruitment

About once a week, I ask my wife the same question, “Hey do you wanna know what song is stuck in my head?”

She always says, “not really” and then I tell her anyway. It is usually some 80’s pop song unless it is the morning after the Middle School Dance and then it might be The Cupid Shuffle or Love Story by Taylor Swift.

Why do songs get stuck in our heads? It’s because our brains HATE open loops and our brains will do anything to close an open loop. Our brains will even finish an 80’s pop song.

The elements of storytelling are incredibly powerful because a compelling story opens a loop and then holds your attention until it closes the loop. On today’s episode, you are going to learn how to open a “Story Loop” for current and prospective parents and the only way to close that story loop is for their child to graduate from your school.

Donald Miller wrote an excellent book called Building a Storybrand, which was a Wall Street Journal Bestseller. Miller describes the 7 components of a great story. We are actually going to discuss just 5 of those:

A Character

Has a Problem

And Meets A Guide

Who Gives Them A Plan

That Ends in Success

So many great stories follow this framework, including: Star Wars, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Odyssey, Interstellar, Beowulf, The Lord of The Rings, Moana, Marvel’s Spiderman, The Wizard of Oz and thousands more.

You are going to learn how to use these elements of storytelling to increase enrollment and retention at your school!

Thank you for taking me along with you when you are walking the dog, driving to school or running errands. I appreciate you and what you are doing for the lucky kids and teachers at your school. Thanks so much for listening and thanks for making a difference!

Mark Minkus

I’ve created a FREE RESOURCE for you called “The Top 6 Ways To Protect Your School From a Lawsuit”. This is an 8 page pdf that will help you to keep your staff and students safe and help keep your school out of court. Litigation is expensive, time consuming and extremely stressful. This common sense guide will help you to be more intentional and proactive when it comes to protecting your school. You can grab “The Top 6 Ways To Protect Your School From a Lawsuit” at www.theprivateschoolleader.com/lawsuit. Thanks!

Please check out all of the free resources on my website that can help you serve and lead your school community. There are "Plug & Play PD's" (45 minute webinars with guided notes) as well as Top 10 Lists of Leadership Books, Productivity Books and TED Talks over at www.theprivateschoolleader.com/resources. You can grab the show notes for today's episode at www.theprivateschoolleader.com/episode20

Please write a review of this podcast and help push this content out to more leaders. I would love to get your feedback about the podcast, ideas for future episodes and hear about how you are implementing these strategies in your life and at your school. You can email me at mark.o.minkus@gmail.com Thanks!!