The Collegiate School of Memphis
MEMPHIS, TN: For any mission-driven organization, speaking with a unified voice is essential. Consistent, compelling messaging builds trust, reinforces credibility, and ensures that key stakeholders are aligned around shared values and goals.
These are some of the key benefits The Collegiate School of Memphis reaped by enlisting 1000 Feathers to develop the college preparatory school’s first-ever Messaging Guide. The project was also a first for 1000 Feathers as it was the firm’s first Memphis-based client!
Founded in 2008, the private, Christian school has an enrollment of 360 middle and high school students. Scholarship eligibility is based on family income; currently, 100% of the school’s enrollment receive scholarships covering 95% of the cost of tuition. And 90% of the Class of 2024 was the first in their family to attend college.
The Messaging Guide project began with 1000 Feathers completing a comprehensive analysis of existing, external-facing messaging—everything from the school’s website to its fundraising mailers. The firm also did extensive one-to-one and small-group interviews with staff, students, parents, donors, board members, community partners, and local educational leaders to determine the messaging that resonates most clearly. Then staff and board members received training on how to talk about the school with a common voice.
Dr. McKenzie Cohen, Head of School, said the training 1000 Feathers did with board members was particularly helpful. “We paired it down for them to say, if you know only four things off the top of your head or at the tip of your tongue to say about the school, here are the things you should emphasize.”
The Messaging Guide accomplished two things simultaneously: It provided clear, concise, and consistent language around the school’s mission and values, and it also tailored the messaging to the audiences determined to be key publics: businesses, board members, current donors, and the faith community.
“Having the messaging guide is helpful because grant writing is a big part of what we do. We can start with the Messaging Guide and decide which message is appropriate for the specific appeal,” Dr. Cohen said.
Another outcome of the eight-month project was to reenergize and refocus the board of directors, giving them a clear understanding of how to best be involved in fundraising and community outreach. The school recently held a Collegiate Connection Luncheon that was the most widely attended board event in the school’s history.
“It was a great event,” Dr. Cohen said, “and that’s one very tangible result of the work all of us have done through the process of working with 1000 Feathers.”