A strong PTA or PTO depends on active and engaged members to support its goals and make meaningful contributions to the school and its students. That’s why a successful membership drive is so important – it sets the stage for getting everyone in the school community on board for the year.
So much excitement comes with heading back to school, making it the perfect time to get parents, teachers, students, and the entire school community amped up about being part of your group. By planning your membership drive during this period of high energy, you’ll be able to start the year on the right foot.
When you’re planning your membership drive, there are key areas you’ll want to spend time thinking through to make sure it is a big success. From effective communication and outreach efforts to fun activities and interesting incentives, hitting the right notes with your school community will make all the difference in your ability to bring more members into your group.
When your PTO or PTA membership base is enthusiastic and ready to get involved in volunteering, sharing their expertise and resources, and supporting the school, students benefit in big ways. Plus, the relationship between your school and the community is extra strong.
As you think about your membership drive goals, factor in:
Setting a specific membership target that is realistic and measurable will help you create a roadmap and track your progress.
The most important thing you can do to have a successful membership drive is to start your planning process as early as possible. That will give you plenty of time to put all the pieces you need in place.
First, outline the details of your membership drive. Once you’ve mapped out your plans, you’ll be able to determine how many volunteers and other resources you’ll need to make it all happen. Think about:
When you choose the timeline for your membership drive, make sure you’re creating a sense of urgency. Of course you’ll let members join anytime during the year, but creating a period of excitement by limiting the length of your membership drive is a good idea.
Marking your membership drive with engaging and informative events, social activities, educational workshops, and panel discussions is a great way to attract new members and get old ones to re-join. Make sure what you plan gives you an opportunity to showcase what your organization does, demonstrates the impact you have on the community, and provides valuable resources that address specific concerns and interests for families.
Before you get started promoting your membership drive, you have to craft a compelling message and create attention-grabbing materials. When you develop your message, be sure to include the benefits of joining, what role members play, and what your organization does to help everyone in the school community.
Once you have clear, persuasive messaging locked in and visual materials to support your membership drive, think about where you’ll use them. From flyers, posters, and brochures to email, social media, and your website, make sure you use every resource available to spread the word loud and wide.
A great way to add some extra excitement to your PTO or PTA membership drive is to sweeten the deal! Offering a perk when someone purchases a membership can help get people’s attention and entice them to join. Even if you don’t have a big budget, there are plenty of no and low cost things you can do to reach your membership drive goals.
The more involvement you have from parents and the broader school community, the more successful your membership will be. By creating a sense of ownership and belonging, you’ll inspire more families to join and stay engaged throughout the year.
You can start creating opportunities for involvement by reaching out to current members and asking them to serve as ambassadors during the membership drive. They can share their personal experiences and be champions for your organization. Also think of ways you can involve the school administration, teachers, staff, local businesses, and other community members to act as allies, helping you to promote your mission and meet your goals.
Obviously you’ll be able to measure the success of your PTA or PTO membership drive by looking at your membership count at the end, but there are other important markers of success you should also consider.
While planning, organizing, and running your membership drive can be a lot of work, the payoff is definitely worth it. Kicking off the school year by getting parents, teachers, students, and the entire school community excited about, involved in, and aligned with what your organization does to make the student experience better is the best way to ensure a great year!
