How To Prelaunch Your PTA or PTO Fundraiser
Author: JohannaAbleson Total views: 6 Word Count: 692
Your PTA or PTO members usually do not "get it" the first time... or two... or three. The reason you are doing the fundraiser is important and should be "shouted from the rooftops" over and over again. You might find it hard to believe how long and loud you have to "get the word out" in order to get even a respectable number of PTA or PTO parents "in the know" on a particular point or event. Following are some guidelines to help you make sure that everyone knows what's up.
Have Specific Goals For Your Fundraiser. It is always better to be raising money for specific items or events than to be raising money "because the PTA or PTO needs it." You will find that if you communicate to the parents and teachers precisely what you are going to do with the money raised, they will be much more willing to participate.
Methods: Take Home Flyers, Several things that should always be done in preparation for your fundraising drive. One action to take is to send a letter out to parents early in the year telling them what fundraisers you will be doing and when. Tell them in the letter what you need funds for and how you're going to accomplish your goal i.e.: catalogs sale, cookie dough sale, car wash, candy sale, smencils etc. They won't feel as though your hands are constantly in their wallets.
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: Use The School Email System. If your organization or the school has many or most of the parent's email addresses, then use that as an alternate way to get the word out the your fundraiser is about to begin.
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 Send a note home with the students midway through your sale to remind them about the sale. I recommend sending it home right before a weekend so they can sell over the weekend while with family and friends. It is a good idea to put any special promotions on this note to keep it in their minds.
Methods: Signs Use signs advertising your fundraiser in bus lanes and your pick up and drop off points in the school. Your parents and students will see these every day.
Place signs in the school with pictures of the prizes to keep the students motivated. Place them in key places where the students will see them daily in common areas. People are very visual and notice things that are different or new in their environment.
Methods: Do a live kick off A live presentation, especially one that is out of the ordinary, will leave an impression on the students. When the children return home, if the presentation has been memorable enough, the students will promote the sale better than a flier or letter ever could.
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.
Working closely with your fundraising representative is paramount to your success. How you run your sale is literally as important as what you choose to sell. Planning and execution is the key to fundraiser if you want your parents, faculty, and students to support your fundraising drive. Your goal is to raise as much money as possible for your group in the particular sale you are planning. Remember, if you raise all the funds you need in the first fundraiser, you won't have to do a second one!
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AIM Fundraising is a nationwide fundraising company that takes great pride in the fact that most of the schools and groups it works with increase 40-400% over previous year's fundraisers. Go to this link for complete fundraising information.
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