My Tip of the Week: Create a Signature Event
Believe it or not, now is the right time to do some assessing of your PTO or PTA. Sure, rest. You've earned it. But also try to find some time (even just trading emails) with your fellow leaders to think about the big picture of your group before you get back into the craziness of a new year.
Beli
ieve
ieve it or not, now is the right time to do some assessing of your PTO or PTA. Sure, rest. You've earned it. But also try to find some time (even just trading emails) with your fellow leaders to think about the big picture of your group before you get back into the craziness of a new year.
One question to ask: Does your group have a signature event, something big and successful that you're known for?
Many groups have lots of OK events. Those groups struggle to get new volunteers and the results of the events are OK, too.
The cool thing about signature events is that not only do they become more effective and more memorable and more fun (positively changing the reputation of your group in the process), they also attract volunteers more easily. Self-servingly, people are much more likely to volunteer at an event with cachet than at another just OK family night.
How can you do it? If you have too many middling events, drop a few and use the extra energy on expanding and improving the others. Take your Family Reading Night and blow it out into a communitywide reading week with the mayor and local celebrities. Add the best local DJ to your dinner-dance. Put some creative muscle around your marketing and PR for these events. You get the idea.
Here are just a few links to profiles of PTOs that have done just this:
How can you make it work at your school?
One question to ask: Does your group have a signature event, something big and successful that you're known for?
Many groups have lots of OK events. Those groups struggle to get new volunteers and the results of the events are OK, too.
The cool thing about signature events is that not only do they become more effective and more memorable and more fun (positively changing the reputation of your group in the process), they also attract volunteers more easily. Self-servingly, people are much more likely to volunteer at an event with cachet than at another just OK family night.
How can you do it? If you have too many middling events, drop a few and use the extra energy on expanding and improving the others. Take your Family Reading Night and blow it out into a communitywide reading week with the mayor and local celebrities. Add the best local DJ to your dinner-dance. Put some creative muscle around your marketing and PR for these events. You get the idea.
Here are just a few links to profiles of PTOs that have done just this:
How can you make it work at your school?
