Marketing toolkit for teacherpreneurs tip #8: Host an event
An event or a “demo day” can be a wonderful way to give prospective families an opportunity to discover your microschool. You can host it at your own location or at your prospective “feeder’s” location.
Here are four types of events which have been successful for cottageclass teachers.
- An open house
- A sample class
- A community meet and greet (we’re starting a new microschool, let’s meet to talk about the vision!)
- A free parenting workshop
Ideas and inspiration
Here are four events CottageClass teachers have hosted that have been enormously successful to give you some inspiration.
1) Open House + funky, kid-friendly workshop on a school holiday
Brooklyn Apple Academy Open House and Frankentoy Workshop
We’d like to invite you to join us at Brooklyn Apple Academy’s open house and Make your own Frankentoy workshop on Sunday, January 31, 12–3pm in South Slope. It should be a fun affair with hot cocoa, popcorn and interactive learning to boot!
Brooklyn Apple Academy provides an experiential education to home school students ages 6–13. Our coop believes that children should have meaningful experiences with the world outside the classroom. Students at B.A.A. are given the time to play outdoors, and the space and resources they need to sustain their curiosity, and become inspired, independent learners. In 2015–2016 Brooklyn Apple became Brooklyn’s only Home School Resource Center. In addition to full day programs, We also offer classes, events, and room for the community to flourish!
E-mail Manisha Snoyer at manisha@cottageclass.com if you’d like to attend or request additional information.
2) prek 101 workshop
PRESCHOOL 101: What’s Montessori? What’s Waldorf? What’s Reggio Emilia? FREE workshop on January 8th at 12pm
What’s Waldorf, What’s Montessori, What’s Bank Street, What’s Reggio Emilia? How’s homeschooling? Should I start my own coop?
Please join us for a FREE preschool workshop on January 8th at 12pm where CottageClass teachers and community leaders will be here to answer your questions about the preschool process and help you decide what model is the best for your unique child.
Snacks, drink and good cheer provided!
RSVP to info@cottageclass.com to reserve your spot.
3) homeschool 101 workshop
FREE introduction to homeschooling workshop with Jenni Mahnaz!
Dear families,
Please join us on for a FREE homeschooling workshop with Jenni Mahnaz! Jenni will discuss the ins and outs of getting started as a homeschooling family, the particulars of the NYS regulations, various type of homeschooling (including unschooling), and some common concerns for homeschooling families. There will be time to ask specific questions and get answers to your most pressing questions. Newcomers and veterans with questions welcome!
Jenni is a homeschooling/unschooling consultant and advocate. She has worked with many homeschooling families in NY on the development of their personal educational philosophies and goals, the creation of individualized best practices, the continued growth of their confidence as home educators, and the drafting of paperwork that complies with the NYS regulations. Jenni has homeschooled several children herself and will continue the trend with her 10 month old daughter. She is a fierce advocate for self-directed learning and individualized education.
Dates:
Thursday, November 3 at 7pm at Crayon Power (Windsor Terrace)
Saturday, November 5 at 2pm at Brooklyn Apple Academy (Park Slope)
RSVP to info@cottageclass.com for exact location
Last time this workshop filled in 48 hours, so please be sure to RSVP as soon as possible if you’d like to attend!
4) Parenting workshops
FREE parenting workshops at Crayon Power
Hi neighbors,
Kristen Lee Langelier from Crayon Power will be hosting a complimentary workshop series for parents and caregivers this January!
http://cottageclass.com/preschool/crayonworkshops
Our focus will be on helping the children in our lives make healthy choices that allow them to thrive! This workshop is for families who have children that are working on learning to build friendships, negotiate arguments positively, express their wants and desires respectfully. Parents should attend if they feel like… transitioning from activities is a battle, their children may be dealing with bullying, or they are looking to create a more positive environment in their home and homeschool program.
Workshops will consist of a short interactive presentation and time for questions and answers at the end. Please join us to learn about and discuss the following topics below.
Impulses (hitting, crying, avoiding problems and making good choices)
Feelings (sensations vs. emotions and how to help your kid process them)
Power Struggles (communication vs. “defiance”)
Making Connections (avoiding bullying, nurturing friendships and promoting positive attention seeking)
To learn more or sign up, please visit http://cottageclass.com/ preschool/crayonworkshops
Here’s where to advertise your event
Online Parenting groups (see marketing toolkit tip #1)
Local schools
Timing
- You’ll need to send announcements to your local online parent groups
- One month before the event, send your first announcement
- 3 weeks before, send your second announcement
- 2 weeks before, send a third announcement
- 1 week before, send a fourth announcement
- The day before, send a fifth announcement
- The morning of, send a sixth announcement
Make sure to have an RSVP so you can add those families to your lead sheets!
Google forms is great for easily building forms to collect RSVP. Eventbrite is also great and will score you free advertising.
Reminders
- I like to use google calendar for reminders.
- I create an event in google calendar and add all the people who RSVP’d as attendees.
- Then I email all the people who RSVP’d yes, maybe or no response one week, one day before the event and the day of.
- You can also create built in reminders in a service like paperless post.
Example of a reminder email:
Dear friends, We are looking forward to seeing you on Sunday at Noah’s “Make your own Frankentoy” workshop. This workshop is full with a waiting list, so please let us know as soon as possible if for whatever reason you can not attend. We look forward to hearing your questions and helping to facilitate your journey of bringing greater innovation to education!
We recommend getting your parent ambassador involved in the event, maybe they can even do the hosting for you — or at least attend and talk about how awesome you are! And definitely, free food and childcare goes a long way. It’s amazing how far I’ll travel for a free glass of wine and cheese…or a cronut. (just kidding I’ve never had a cronut, that’s beneath me:)
You’re getting popular, so let’s make you searcheable.
Learn how to be found in…
Step 9. Get listed.
A step-by-step guided to make sure you are listed in your local directories.
