Promoting School Family Nights

What does it take to get really great attendance for your school Family Night?  First, you need a program that people love, something that attracts kids and their parents.  It needs to be scheduled at a time that is good for families.  It can’t be too early (dinner time) or too late (bed time).  The price has to be right (for your demographics).

Finally, you need to promote it.  That’s what I’ll focus on here.  I visited Chimacum Primary and Elementary schools this week in Jefferson county.  Elma with the PTSA did a fantastic job of single-handedly coordinate the dates and times for the programs and spreading the word.

• Custom posters (provided free with all of my daytime and evening assembly programs) were posted on the front door and bulletin boards of both schools.
• Outdoor reader boards at both schools displayed the date and time of the FREE Family Night Magic Show.  (This way parents driving past are reminded of this daily.)
• The principal mentioned the evening show while addressing the entire school by intercom.
• A local construction company included information about the show visible from the main highway that runs through the city.  Wow!  How nice of them to do this for the school for free.
• I plug the evening show during my daytime assembly.  (I have a fun way of doing this that insures that kids will go home and try and convince their parents to let them return that evening!)
• Post information about the upcoming assembly on your school’s website, the PTA/booster club website, blog, twitter, and facebook.
• Send home a flier with students a week before the event so parents have advance notice about the special program.
• Include the information on the school calendar (print and online).
• Host one of my motivational-magic assembly programs that same afternoon.  This virtually guarantees high attendance for that evening, as kids go home talking excitedly about what they have just seen.

The result?  Kids and their parents began arriving at the school a full 45 minutes before the show began!  By the time the show began, the entire bleachers were full.  I was totally impressed, as was Elma and the PTA.

“We have never had so many people attend one of our Family Enrichment Nights!  I think doing the assembly during the day really boosted our attendance in the evening.  The kids obviously loved your performance!  It was great for all ages.  My four-year-old and my 10-year-old both loved it!  Jacob said when we got home, ‘Mom, that guy was magic!’  Gavin took his magic book to school so he could read it during the day.  He loved your performance too and said how much his friends loved it.  In fact, he said his friends think I am a cool Mom because I brought you to the school.  Thanks again.  I am so glad we had you come.”
-Shelly Smith, Cedar Valley P. T. A.

“Wow!  What an exciting and unbelievable show.  Our kids, and parents, had nothing but positive comments.  W e even had another school contact us about Jeff as they heard what a great family night event Jeff presented.”
-Tammy Strampe, Highland Hills elementary

“Thank you for a great program and assembly.  I have had very positive feedback from teachers and parents.  The attendance at the evening program was among our best ever and was definitely driven by the assembly.”
-Trish Cooper, PTA, East Ridge Elementary

Download my School Assembly Handbook for more tips and information on hosting successful school assemblies.  It’s free! 

Ready to learn more about bringing my show to your school in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho?  Click here for details on my reading, science, bully prevention, and Family Night school assembly programs.

Post your suggestions in the comment box below for ways you’ve made your Family Night programs a hit.