The leaves are beginning to fall off the trees, the weather is turning colder, and spending your Friday nights at the local high school football game is what you look forward to all week. As a booster club member, you know that one of the most important events will be happening soon, homecoming. This means unique booster club homecoming marketing opportunities are a top priority.
Homecoming is a tradition that gives school alumni a reason to visit, school spirit to soar, and is the perfect setting to raise a lot of awareness through booster club marketing. With every event held at the school or within the community, booster club marketing opportunities abound.
Often, booster clubs are the backbone of student organizations. Whether they are funding athletic teams, clubs or events, booster clubs are often the lifeline of support that keep the programs alive.Homecoming week gives booster clubs a chance to get involved and bridge the connection between school spirit and the spirit of giving. It gives you opportunities to teach others about the booster club and spread the word about your efforts. To find out how your booster club homecoming marketing opportunities can happen during homecoming week this year, keep reading. Below are some examples of events and activities that have been successful for others.
Rule the Parade with Booster Club Homecoming Marketing Opportunities
Joining the parade can mean decorating and riding on a float that represents the booster club. This is not the only way to become a part of the parade, however.
Booster clubs can sponsor the parade float contest. All floats are entered to be judged. Prizes can be awarded to the best floats in the parade. Having different voting categories can give more floats the chance to win a prize, like “People’s Choice” and “Most Unique”.
Allowing students, staff and community members to vote is a great way to get everyone involved. You can get the mayor or a local celebrity to announce the winners and add a plug about the booster club.
Booster club homecoming marketing opportunities also include sponsoring a community king, queen and royal court and let them ride on the float during the parade. Instead of throwing out candy in the parade, booster clubs can throw out informational objects on how to donate to the club.
Further parade ideas include sponsoring the school band or dance team, supplying water bottles that have a booster club label to participants, and providing the start or finish line banners that hang in the street.
Booster Club Marketing with Alumni, Teachers, and School Leaders
The week leading up to Homecoming is usually filled with activities to get everyone energized about the game. School alumni are coming home for the game, reuniting with classmates, friends and family.
Teachers and even school leaders are eager to participate in activities to encourage school spirit among students.
Your club can use this school spirit to promote your goals.
Booster club homecoming marketing opportunities can include sponsoring competitions between alumni and current school staff, like flag football games, longest field goal kicks, or scavenger hunts. Other ideas include cheerleading competitions, obstacle courses, eating contests, or karaoke involving alumni and current staff.
At a minimum, these activities will get a lot of laughs from everyone involved.
Tailgating Rock Stars
Everyone loves a good tailgate before the homecoming game. Booster clubs have ample opportunities to promote themselves through tailgating events.
Staying in competitive mode and pairing alumni vs. students can lead to popular events. For instance, putting together a food eating contest is sure to bring a crowd. Or, sponsor a cook-off between community members who claim to be the best at barbecue.
You can create a “Walk of Champions” path on which the football team takes before heading into the locker room. This allows everyone at a tailgate to cheer them on, offer high-fives, and getting the team motivated to play.
Booster club homecoming marketing opportunities can include sponsoring tailgating events that award tailgaters who have the best tent set-up and decorations, dessert bake-offs, or providing live music to perform a concert before the game.
Spirit Week is Filled with Booster Club Homecoming Marketing Opportunities
Most spirit weeks include students dressing up to represent fun themes, class parties, and anything else to get the students pumped up for the homecoming game, as well as the dance afterwards.
Booster club homecoming marketing opportunities can happen during spirit week. One idea is to host a student talent show. Every student has a unique, natural talent and this is the perfect way to showcase and applaud students for their individuality.
Booster club marketing could also include sponsoring a 5K Walk or Run event, but with a twist. Instead of people running alone, make them complete the event with their pets. So, it would be a 5K Pet Walk/Run. Pets are family members to most people. This is one way to help people include their pets in a fun homecoming activity.
You could extend pet involvement by hosting pet costume, photo and talent contests. These could be held at the school during spirit week.
Hosting a DIY product contest allows students to show off their crafting skills. Some may choose to make t-shirt designs, while others may choose to build their school logo out of Legos. The winners can be praised at the pep rally or during halftime events.
The Rally, The Game, The Dance
The day of the main event usually includes the pep rally, the game and the dance after the game. This is a very busy day for everyone. However, that does not mean booster clubs can’t find ways to market themselves.
Take advantage of the pep rally. Here booster club marketing can include banners, goody bags for team members, leading cheers, and giving students mini-flags or pom poms they can wave during the game.
At the game, booster clubs can sponsor concession stands. They can also offer touchdown treats. For every touchdown scored, cheerleaders can throw bags of candy into the crowd. Booster clubs can plan half-time activities that involve students and community members.
At the homecoming dance, booster clubs can provide the music, food, decorations, and even the crowns for the students who are elected king and queen. Something a bit more fun, however, could be the booster club sponsoring a dance-off, or dance marathon that offers prizes to the winners.
Booster Club Marketing Can Continue After Homecoming
Booster club marketing doesn’t have to stop after the final dance. There are many creative ways to market your club in the following weeks.
With the numerous pictures you took during Homecoming week, at the tailgate, pep rally, game and dance, you can create videos. The videos you create can be shared on social media and in local presentations when asking for money from the community. Booster clubs could also sponsor a post-homecoming video contest where students can submit their videos, their memories, from the week.
Another idea is to create a Homecoming album filled with pictures taken by students, staff and community members. You can add funny captions to the pictures and sell the books as a fundraiser.
Finally, your booster club can create a homecoming events school spirit calendar to be sold through the end of the year. Picture collages can be used to represent different months of the year, reminders of how much fun was had during homecoming week.
If calendars aren’t favored, you can personalize other items to sell. You can put homecoming week photos on blankets, playing cards, candy tins, coffee mugs, tumblers and clothing. Selling these is a great way to earn money for the booster club.
Booster Club Homecoming Marketing Results?
In conclusion, booster club marketing opportunities are ample. Think outside the box and use creativity when developing ideas. Plan for all parts of homecoming week starting with the events leading up to game day. Participate in the game, the pep rallies and the dance. And then take advantage of post-event downtime to capitalize on products using the great memories made during homecoming.
With structured planning, your booster club homecoming marketing opportunities can continue for many months, with great success.
