The Reading Rodeo program has been highly successful and well-received by teachers, thanks to its flexibility and the valuable reward it offers to students – pizza! To ensure the program's success, it's important to actively solicit participants. Teachers play a crucial role in implementing the program in the classroom, although reaching out to them can be challenging due to their busy schedules. However, with the increasing availability of email access for teachers, communicating with them during the workday has become more feasible. Here are some guidelines to help you get started and effectively engage with teachers:
Utilize a variety of communication channels such as letters, emails, phone calls, and personal visits to connect with teachers. Remember, teachers may have limited availability during the school day, so consider scheduling meetings after school or during in-service days. This presents an opportunity to present the program to multiple teachers at once. Consider leveraging our catering opportunities to cater school meetings or in-service days, providing an additional chance to engage with teachers and distribute information about our school programs.
Approach the superintendent, system curriculum developer, or principal to help distribute your materials to teachers. Having their endorsement can significantly increase the program's visibility and participation.
Tap into personal connections within the education community. If you have school-age children, engage with their teachers during orientation or school events. Reach out to neighbors who have children and gather the names and email addresses of their teachers. Be on the lookout for any opportunities to interact with these influential individuals.
Remember, teachers are key to accessing one of our most important guest segments: kids. Their involvement will contribute to the success of the Reading Rodeo program. Let's make an effort to connect with teachers through various means and showcase how Pizza Ranch can contribute to their students' reading achievements.
Once you have identified your target schools and school systems for the Reading Rodeo program, there are several effective ways to approach them. Utilize the following templates and instructions to engage with your targets successfully:
As part of your initial outreach process, send the following letter along with the Reading Rodeo flyer to schools and school systems that have shown interest in the program. Follow up with a phone call after sending the letter. To manage your follow-ups effectively, send letters in manageable phases of 10-20 at a time. This allows you to promptly follow up with each recipient within a few days of their receiving it.
In addition to physical letters, make use of email communication. Collect email addresses for the schools you intend to target. Send the following message along with the electronic version of the Reading Rodeo flyer as an attachment. You can download the flyer from pizzaranchprinting.com. After sending the email, follow up with a phone call to further discuss the program.
Remember, a combination of letters, emails, and follow-up phone calls will increase the effectiveness of your outreach efforts. Use these templates as a starting point, customizing them as needed, and ensure timely follow-ups to maximize your engagement with the target schools and school systems.
As with the letters, make sure to send the e-mails in phases. Only send as many e-mails as you can reasonably follow up in a timely manner. Also remember that your e-mail can get caught in a recipient’s spam filter and never make it to the inbox. We’ve developed the above message to minimize that possibility, but avoiding spam filters is not an exact science. Make sure you follow up with a phone call.
Phone calls play a significant role in engaging with teachers for the Reading Rodeo program. However, it's important to note that phone calls are less effective during school hours, as teachers generally do not have phone access. Here are some guidelines for making phone calls as part of your outreach strategy: