Tips for Getting Started

• Spread the word about your PTA.
• Invite parents and community members to join your PTA.
• Emphasize the benefits of PTA membership.
• Inform PTA members and potential members of special events.
• Position your PTA as part of America’s number one parent involvement organization.
• Advertise your PTA through newsletters, magazines, newspapers, websites, and marquee signs.
• Energize your membership recruitment efforts.
• Answer the question “Why should I be a member of your PTA?”

These materials can be distributed in a number of ways:

• Place posters and fliers on school and community bulletin boards and windows (with permission).
• Mail the Join PTA letter and local brochure to parents.
• Send fliers home with students.
• Place advertisements in the PTA, school, and school district newsletters, and the local newspaper.
• Hand out stickers, brochures, and fliers at PTA and school events.
• Issue a press release to local media about upcoming events.

Read the Instructions for more ideas on how to put the various marketing pieces to use for your PTA.

Many of the pieces call for similar information. If you collect that information in a word processing document beforehand, you’ll be able to cut and paste into the PDF documents, and you’ll have an easier time proofreading the documents. Type out the following:

• Local PTA name
• Local PTA address
• Local PTA contact phone number
• Local PTA contact e-mail address
• Local PTA website
• Local PTA membership contact person
• Local PTA accomplishments
• Local PTA member benefits
• State PTA member benefits

Sample completed versions of the various types of documents are included in the Instructions.

Please note: Most of the documents are provided in portable document format (PDF). You may need to download and install the latest version of Adobe Reader to view and print these documents. Adobe Reader is free software available from Adobe. You can view, fill in, and print the template PDF documents with the free version of the software. However, unless you have Adobe Acrobat, you will not be able to save the PDF files with your information filled in. Adobe Reader will not allow you to save your changes. Before you enter any information, make sure you will be able to print the documents from the computer at which you are working.