Case Study
Detroit Waldorf School:
Storytelling & Messaging
Aligning Marketing efforts with the unique aspects of Waldorf Education.

When Your People LLC Founder/Chief Creative Officer Lynne Golodner enrolled her youngest son at Detroit Waldorf School in 2014, she marveled at the inspiration and thoughtful education the school provided for children in early childhood through grade 8. She also was stunned by the hidden-gem sense the school emanated, with little to no storytelling in the wider community.
She approached the director of enrollment and outreach, offering to help with storytelling and messaging in a modified contract that first year. The school was so pleased with the breadth and depth of media attention Lynne achieved, that they embarked on a full contract the next school year and for four years thereafter.
Our work with Detroit Waldorf School has expanded and grown over the years. For four years, we primarily provided media relations, media training, and crisis communications support. We also presented to the entire faculty and staff in a groundbreaking brand ambassador marketing effort, empowering all staff and faculty at Detroit Waldorf School with the notion that storytelling is the best marketing tool and every position is essential in marketing the school.

When the director of enrollment and outreach resigned to leave for a graduate school program, school leaders approached Ms. Golodner, asking if Your People LLC could take over all marketing and communications functions. We gladly accepted, and in the fall of 2018 embarked on a new, robust role with Detroit Waldorf School that aligns beautifully with our values and our niche in marketing unique educational organizations.
We are proud to specialize in marketing and communications for Waldorf schools across America. In September of 2018, Lynne Golodner delivered a webinar for AWSNA, the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America, attended by some 85 individuals representing Waldorf schools in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Her focus was storytelling as marketing, aligning the unique aspects of Waldorf education with a unique approach to marketing Waldorf schools.
Lynne also presented in February of 2019 at the AWSNA regional conference in Chicago, delivering a three-part series on The Power of Storytelling to Promote Waldorf Education: Transforming your school community into your best ambassadors. Lynne believes “the whole world should be a Waldorf school,” in the way the Waldorf philosophy nurtures and develops the innate nature and beauty of a child, and a family.

Our work with Detroit Waldorf School included the following:
- Weekly newsletters
- Monthly magazine-style newsletter
- Strategy development
- Media relations
- Media training
- Crisis communications management, planning, and prevention
- Social media
- Outreach
- Messaging development
- Blogging
- Marketing materials development
- Photography

Your People coordinated these photos with The Detroit News showcasing Detroit Waldorf’s unique celebration, May Day.
We deeply appreciate comprehensive contracts like the one we had with Detroit Waldorf School because such expansive work allows us to create over-arching strategies for marketing and sharing the brilliance of an organization and connect all marketing and communications endeavors in strategic storytelling and expansive relationship-building, all driven by the existing higher purpose of this school.
Our 6-year relationship with Detroit Waldorf School allowed us to know this client on a deep and profound level. We felt like we were part of the DWS community, and we are proud to support such a meaningful institution in its impactful, far-reaching work.

Your People landed this segment on Fox 2 Detroit for Detroit Waldorf School’s 50th year anniversary celebrating diversity and education.

Helena Mitchell, Pedagogical Chair, Detroit Waldorf School
“Lynne is truly masterful in creating thoughtful, responsive marketing and PR strategies that build relationships and powerfully connect people to the mission and inspiring stories of her client. With the support of her outstanding team to craft and implement a beautiful, comprehensive plan that brings results, she makes the whole process a joyful and empowering collaboration.”
Charis Calender-Suemnick, former Enrollment & Outreach Director, Detroit Waldorf School
“Lynne Golodner has a gift for working with people! She is incredibly encouraging and makes the overwhelming world of PR and Marketing, simple and accessible for her clients. I have learned so much from working with Lynne over the last year. Her passion for helping organizations reach their target audiences and fulfill their purpose/mission is truly commendable.”

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