8 Must-Have Marketing Tools for PTOs and PTAs
Marketing helps make sure that parents know your group exists—and that they have a good first impression of it. Use these tools as the basics for raising awareness about your group.
Parent Group Logo
If you don’t have a logo at all—or if the one you do have isn’t ideal—then start here. Your logo should be a simple graphic that can be absorbed in one glance. And you can include it on the rest of the communication tools listed below.
If you have access to a graphic designer, you might be able to get a little fancier. Survey your school’s parents; someone with experience in graphic design could lead this project, or might have a connection to a designer in the community. Or try asking your school’s art teacher or students from a local high school or college art and design program.
If you don’t have any experts to lean on, no problem! You can make a custom logo yourself using Canva. Watch our video tutorial below to learn how. You can also download generic parent group logos from the PTO Today Clip Art Gallery; there are options for a few of the most common acronyms.
Letterhead
Once your logo is created, make a template with the logo and your group’s full name to use for official parent group business. Committees can even add their own name under the letterhead for their specific communications. Start with our parent group letterhead template and replace the logo at the top with your own.
Parent Group Letterhead Template
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Introductory Video
A clique reputation is often more about perception than reality. Make sure your group is perceived as open and welcoming by introducing the board to the whole school community. All you need are a few PowerPoint slides, photos or bitmoji graphics, and a brief description of each person. (If your video chops are limited, use our template to make it easy—no video editing software or skills required.)
Back-to-School Video: Customizable Template
“What the PTO Does” Graphic
It’s often better to show parents what your group does (rather than telling them). Use Canva or one of our templates to share all the great things you support at the school; there’s a version with fundraising amounts included and one without.
“How We Support Our School” Template—Activities and Events
“How We Support Our School” Template—Fundraising
Email Opt-in Form
Privacy laws have changed in the past few years, and many schools can’t or won’t share parent contact information directly with the PTO anymore. Get in front of it by asking your principal or school communications leader to include an email opt-in form from your group with their back-to-school info to parents. If your group shares a welcome packet with families, include it there, too. If you’re going paperless, a Google Form or a link to the email sign-up page on your website works well.
“Coming up next” poster or sign board
Include your logo and group name, and leave space to update the sign with information about your next event. Bring it to each parent group activity so families know what they can look forward to.
Website
Include your logo and group name. Post flyers, a calendar, volunteer needs, committee names, etc. Make the website a resource where parents can find information they need. Keep it updated, and link to your Facebook and other social media pages.
Facebook page
Include your logo and group name. Remind people about upcoming events and deadlines, share parenting tips, and show your group’s personality.
Social Media 101 for for PTOs and PTAs
To learn more about how to put these tools into action, read “Marketing Must-Dos for PTOs and PTAs.”
Originally posted in 2016 and updated regularly.
