Recruitment Suggestions

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Recruitment Suggestions

 

The methods you use to promote PTA can be formal or informal; they can include events, emails, texts, phone calls, websites, e-newsletters, social media and more.

The best way to recruit members is to talk about PTA. Whenever you can, speak positively about how your PTA is helping students, teachers, and school or community. Let everyone know the ways to join (online, form). Make it easy for people to join and support your efforts as members.

Be sure to check out our Membership Tools for more content on membership recruitment and retention, and our Suggested Membership Timeline for planning your year, too!

Other Member Recruitment Ideas

  • Ask your Board to recruit 10 people each. Give out membership packets at the first meeting and ask them to canvas their neighborhood, friends, or family.
  • Host a "Back-to-School" event during the summer or first week of class. Consider grade-specific meet-ups or a new family welcome picnic. Grandparents' events are also great member (and volunteer!) recruitment opportunities.
  • Distribute a take-home flier with the membership form, calendar of upcoming PTA programs and your PTA's goals for the year or major recent accomplishments. Post the flier on all PTA social media.
  • Use social media accounts to ask for input, celebrate successes and create pride in your school and PTA. Remind people throughout the year to join! Consider posting membership recruitment announcements in neighborhood or community social media. Community support is important to the success of your PTA!
  • Ask local merchants or restaurants to give a discount to PTA members. Recruit five hometown favorites to include on a Local PTA Member Benefit Card or consider discounting PTA event fees for members.
  • Set up membership tables at your events. Make sure people know that PTA made the event happen.
  • Keep your PTA website and/or Facebook page current, including the PTA mission, your PTA's goals and objectives, and ways to contact your board members.
  • Line neighborhood streets with yard signs.
  • Hang a "Join PTA" banner at the entrance of the school, library, or other community center.
  • Run a membership campaign before holidays like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas or Valentine's day to gift a membership to teachers, friends or family. You can give out special Thank You and Gift Membership certificates.

Membership Forms

Your membership form is an important recruitment tool. An effective form will:

  • Give options for support.
  • Be focused on PTA's mission and transparent about your objectives.
  • Highlight key member benefits and PTA successes and goals.
  • Offer an online option for easier member sign-up and tracking.

Suggested Membership Timeline

Back to School Time (August-September)
  • Send membership packets home via email, through an online newsletter/resource or printed.
  • Have a membership table at all orientation and back-to-school events, especially at kindergarten and new student registration events.
  • Include membership reminders to families in your school and classroom communications during the first several weeks. This is especially helpful for families who are new to the school.
  • Design a visual representation of your growing membership (e.g., an illustration of a tree to which leaves with new member names can be added, or a jar to which beans, marbles, or ping pong balls can be added) for display in your school or in a public place within your community.
  • Connect with the grandparents in your community as they join your campus for National Grandparents Day each September.
  • Offer an incentive for joining such as a lanyard, school spirit wear product, or a "hometown favorites" discount card.
  • Host a breakfast with teachers and share your plans for the year. Ask them to support your PTA goals. If at a school, ask your school principal to be the first to join.
Monthly
  • Set up your membership table at every PTA, school and community event, or virtual sign-up table at virtual events.
  • Make time to welcome or thank PTA event attendees and let them know the event was made possible by PTA membership support.
  • Promote why it's so important to support your PTA as a member in your e-newsletter, social media or on community bulletin boards or websites.
  • Publish your current membership count each month and compare it to your goal.
  • Show members how PTA advocacy at the state and national levels connects to what is happening in your classrooms and community.
  • Recognize the PTA volunteers who are supporting programs and events.
Mid-School Year
  • Promote the PTA accomplishments from the first half of the year and preview what's to come in spring.
  • Re-distribute membership packets.
  • Host an event for new families.
  • Promote a drawing for free spirit wear or other benefit (i.e., Principal for a Day, special parking spot) for all members who join by a certain date.
End of School Year
  • School's out! Recognize PTA volunteers at a luncheon or special school assembly.
  • Send a survey to gain feedback for the upcoming year.
  • Introduce your leaders for the coming school year and ways to share feedback for them as they plan over the summer.
  • Ask members to renew their membership for next year before they leave for the summer.
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