Best practices and tips to keep members informed and involved in PTA activities and accomplishments using newsletters, social media and other technology. capta.org

1. Presented by:
Michelle Eklund
Director, Strategic Initiatives
California State PTA

2. What you’ll learn:
• Strategies for communicating in a thoughtful
and meaningful way
• Messages that you can use at the unit level
• Tips and best practices for newsletters and
social media
• Strategies for handling difficult online situations
• Answers to your most burning questions

5. Key Messaging:
• PTA brings valuable programs and services to your school.
• PTA is the main connector of parents and families to the
school.
• PTA makes “your child’s” school a better place – and thereby
boosts “your child’s” education.

6. Other KEY Points…
• PTA has a seat at the table when the testing requirements and
funding for our school is being decided. PTA was instrumental
in passing the law that ensures your child will wear a helmet
when riding a bike.
• Address primary concerns all parents have about lack of time,
and unbundle the concept of “membership” from the
obligation to volunteer. Joining PTA is a valuable act in and of
itself, that shows support for the school and their child.

7. Traditional
• Word of Mouth
• Personal Touch
• Publications/Fliers
• Direct Mail
• Advertising
• Newspapers
Digital
• Website
• Email
• Social Media
• Mobile
• Blogs
• Video

11. eNewsletters:
DO
• Keep subject lines simple
• Create a professional
template
• Focus on content, stories,
images and links
• Monitor your numbers
DON’T
• Sound like SPAM
• Be distracting
• Be boring
• Send everything to
everybody
• Use Outlook
• Keep subject lines and
headlines simple
• Sound like SPAM
• Create a professional
template
• Focus on content, stories,
images and links
• Monitor your numbers
• Be distracting
• Be boring
• Send everything to
everybody
• Use Outlook

18. Five Reasons for a PTA Facebook Page:
1. Remind parents of upcoming events, PTA meetings,
deadlines, etc.
2. Build relationships with key audiences – make the
connection feel personal through photos, comments, likes
and sharing
3. Recruit volunteers for events and/or leadership roles
4. Educate key audiences on how the PTA benefits their
children, the school and the community
5. Discuss important issues and mobilize parents into action

20. Set more than one
administrator
Vary your posts
Like comments,
respond to messages
Schedule your posts

24. Tweeting for your PTA:
• Start by listening and observing
• Learn the “rules” of Twitter
• Learn common terms
• Be conversational and tweet
several times a day
o RT others
o Recognize new followers
o Respond to @mentions
o Use hashtags strategically

29. More Helpful Tips:
• Evaluate the “need” to have a PTA presence in all
social media sites
• Consider developing a content calendar
• Keep all social media
passwords in one place –
Excel doc or hard copy
• Publicize your PTA social
media sites