It can be a challenge to promote your summer programs when end-of-year events and exams become a focus.

Many families start making summer plans early in the year to accommodate work schedules, vacation time and other obligations. This means that creating a clear communication plan early is the key to successfully promoting summer programs.

Here are five ways to help get the word out:

1. Morning Announcements
   We all remember the traditional morning announcer listing off the afterschool schedule, fire drills and daily lunch specials. Why not come up with a catchy 15-second pitch to encourage students to attend a summer day trip? A fun jingle can go a long way! Get them excited to talk with friends during the school day and run home to tell their parents about the summer activities their school has planned.
   
   
2. District Website or School Calendar
   Add links to your summer program events on your school's homepage or digital school calendar. A bright marketing banner with a catchy phrase is the perfect way to bring attention to your summer program. Work with your district's web administrator to get an online promotion running.
   
   
3. Utilize Your Schools' Payments Solution
   Your program's payments solution should offer you more than just a place for parents to transact: Parents should be able to easily find the fees they need to pay. Place popular items at the top of your online storefront, or categorize items so parents can quickly navigate to the programs they need. Some solutions, like MySchoolBucks, offer the ability to create custom homepages where you can feature a number of important products. Work with your fellow administrators to figure out what summer programs should be front and center on your online school store.
   
   
4. Flyers and Emails
   Post flyers around school or send them home with students to remind parents about the summer programs you offer. Or send marketing emails to your parents and contacts to get the word out. If you have programs that some students are required to attend, consider sending dedicated emails to communicate this to their parents.
   
   
5. Post, Tweet, Share...
   Is your program on social media? Work with your social media coordinator to post messages about your summer programs through your social channels. You could:

• • Create Facebook events around each program you offer and invite parents directly to RSVP.
  • Tweet announcements that program registration has opened.
  • Post information on how parents can pay online for their student's programs.
  • Share pictures of your summer programs from previous years to generate some excitement.
  • Answer any questions parents may have about your programs.

Take advantage of the free marketing social media offers you and keep your district's parents in the know!

More than 2 million families with kids at 30,000 schools across the United States trust MySchoolBucks with their payments for school meals, afterschool programs, bus passes, athletic fees and more. With MySchoolBucks, you can add money to your child's account, view account balances and recent purchases, and set up notifications for upcoming payments—from the convenience of your home, office or on-the-go with our mobile app. If you represent a school or district interested in managing school payments through MySchoolBucks, please visit the Heartland School Solutions website to learn more.