ChemArt Blog

(for those who don’t know, that’s the Council for Advancement and Support of Education/National Association of Independent Schools)?  Whew, that was a mouthful….

First of all the show couldn’t have been in a better place, NYC!  We were in the heart of the theater district at the Marriot Marquis NYC.  By day I was talking to development/advancement directors and by night I was trying to get a role in a Broadway play.  Who knew that you had to prepare for such a thing?!

Although I didn’t make it on stage to act out my lifelong dream of staring in a Broadway musical, I did get to see one.  I saw HAIR at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre and it was almost as amazing as the free continental breakfast at the CASE NAIS Conference!  Just think endless tables of coffee, juice, danish, breads and last but not least, miniature bagels.  YUM! 

Our product definitely stood out amongst the sea of database management companies, marketing firms, etc.   All the people that I paid to stop by our booth did and to my surprise they brought some friends.   In the famous words of Murdock from the A-Team, “I love it when a good plan comes together”.    

Here’s the problem I heard at the Conference from Independent Schools:  They are going through some of the same challenges that many organizations are facing like budget cuts, decreased private/corporate donations and limited resources.   With all that going on, developing a unique way to increase donor retention, bring on new donors and raise funds is more important than ever. 

The solution:  An annual collectible program!  It’s a unique way to get donors, employees and the general public invested to the point where they can’t live without the next collectible in the series.  Trust me, we’ve seen it happen but if you want to read about it check out the Timber Ridge School  case study on our website, www.chemart.com.  Their ornaments have reached the point where they are selling on E-Bay for millions…ok not millions but definitely in the hundreds…   

The long and short of my trip to NYC is that I am NOT going to star on Broadway, however I was able to reach out to many Independent Schools and offer a solution to some of the challenges they are facing this year! 

Enough about what I got out of my trip.  I am calling out to all Independent Schools who attended…  Besides the breakfast, which I already mentioned above, what was your highlight and what did you learn from the fabulous sessions this year?