Make Sure The PTA or PTO Hears About The Fundraiser And Repeat

by: JohannaAbleson
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Don't Assume PTA or PTO Members Get It The First Time. When you are trying to get the parents of your students behind your fundraising efforts, never be afraid that you are covering the same ground too often. Tell them many, many times why you are doing the fundraiser. It will surprise you how little makes it into your parents minds, even after they have read or heard something twice. Here are some tips to help you make sure that your important announcements get noticed and noted.

Be specific. If you are kicking off a fundraiser and you know what you're raising the money for, let your parents, teachers, and volunteers know. If you aren't sure what you're going to do with the money yet, tell them what you did last year. If parents and teachers know that they will benefit they will be much more likely to support your sale.

Methods: Take Home Backpack Flyers, There are several things that should always be done in preparation for your fundraiser. One action is to send a letter (take home packet) to parents shortly after school starts telling them about the PTA / PTO fundraising plan. Mention in the letter how you're going to accomplish your money making goals. Mention to them what program or procuts you will be selling. ie catalogs sale, cookie dough sale, car wash, candy sale, smencils etc. Most will feel a sense of ownership in the PTA or PTO plans.

Secondly, do a school and fundraiser specific parent letter. Use a school mascot on your parent letter. Remind parents what you're raising the money for again. They're busy and might not remember your first note or may not have seen it the first time.

Methods: Email If you are fortunate enough to be able to use the school's e-mail system to announce your sale. This is a one button operation that give you great coverage with the parents of your school children.

Methods: Marquee Put a message up on the school marquee to let parents know about the sale. When it starts and ends are the best times to have a message up on the marquee. You can even change the message at various times during the sale just as a quick reminder that the sale is in progress.

Methods: Reminders via students In most schools students go home once or twice a week with a "Take Home Pack." This is an excellent opportunity to have the teachers in the school include a note about your fundraiser. Remember that you don't have to include lots of details in this note. These are simply reminders to the parents.

Methods: Signs You can post signs advertising your fundraiser in various places around the school where parents will likely see them when dropping off or picking up their children.

Have signs posted at various locations around the school. This type of promotion is geared mainly to the students, so signs or posters that appeal to students is the best thing to do to get students to look at them and remember.

Methods: Do a live kick off Doing a live presentation will affect your sale positively, especially if the students see or hear things that they don't normally experience in a "standard" assembly. If enough of an impression is made on the minds of the students, they will certainly be sharing that with their parents when they get home.

Methods: Public Address System Do reminders on the daily announcements. This is a great opportunity to keep students motivated which in turn keeps them selling.

Work effectively with your fundraising representative. Organization and planning is key to communicating your fundraiser and your goals to your parents, faculty, and students. If you know what you're going to do and when you're going to do it, running a profitable fundraiser is easier to do. If your goal is to raise the most money possible for your group in the particular sale you are planning, your fundraising professional is your best resource for making that happen. You can achieve your goal by working smarter, not harder.

About the Author

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