There are several things you can do to maximize the potential of your school fundraiser. The very first thing you can do actually starts before your sale begins. Read on to find out what you can do to set up the most profitable sale you will ever have.
Copyright (c) 2008 Juan Franco
PTA and PTO groups have many reasons for having school fundraiser events. The reasons range from buying equipment or services for the school that is not in the schools budget, to funding special guest, presentations or field trips. As anyone who has ever headed up a school fundraiser would know, there are unique challenges to running a good and profitable one.
One important factor that might get overlooked while planning a school fundraiser is communication with the parents of the students. Many times it is assumed that the students will fill the parents in on all that is going on at school, especially when it concerns the school fundraiser. Afterall, the students are usually super excited about it after they have seen all the incentives for selling that they could earn. But parents are busy and children don't always communicate in the way that the parents need to hear.
It is not only important to increase the participation of the students in your school fundraiser, but it is probably even more important to secure the support and participation of the parents of your students as well. In order to do that, you need to plan for ways to keep your parents updated about events you have planned.
Here are 4 things that you can do when planning your school fundraiser that will help ensure that you maximize your results.
1.) Beginning of Year Communication
At the beginning of the school year we should send a notice to the parents which outlines our plans for all school fundraiser events that are planned throughout the year. This way, there are never any surprises and this gives parents an opportunity to ask questions or even to volunteer to help.
2.) Secondary Communication
Most parents have a hectic schedule and sometimes an upcoming event may slip their mind. Put a note in the take home packs of the students a few days before your sale begins. You can use this same method for other activities and events throughout the school year.
These first two tips are designed to keep parents "in the loop" for the things that you have planed but if you want to take it to the next level, keep reading.
3.) Run an ad or article about your school fundraiser in the school's newsletter or Ezine.
The school's newsletter can be used to help keep the parents up to date about things that are happening at the school. This is especially true for the school fundraiser. Be sure to ask your parents to sign up for the newsletter in all correspondence that is sent home. In the long run, this will be worth the trouble.
Most public schools will have a newsletter that is published and sent out on a regular basis. A form or an announcement can be plased on the school's website to help them find out what is going on and what is coming up at the school. If this is the case, it will make it easy and painless for parents to sign up for the newsletter.
4.) Gather Email Addresses of your parents every chance you get.
When correspondence goes home that needs to be completed by parents and returned be sure that there is a space to put an e-mail address right by the signature line.
If you build a daabase of all these e-mail addresses, you can blast reminders to the parents about when the school fundraiser is coming up. You would be surprised at how effective this tactic is in making your school fundraiser a huge success.
These 4 tips will help you increase participation in your next school fundraiser.
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