Book fairs take a lot of time to plan and organize, especially since it involves the entire school! We know that if you've chosen to take on the planning of this large-scale event, you may need some pointers for how to execute it as efficiently and stress-free as possible.
To get started, it's vital that you start with an outline of what you need to accomplish for the book fair. Then, establish a timeline for the process. You'll need to recruit volunteers to help with planning and overseeing tasks. You should also set goals for yourself and for the outcome of the fair. That way, you can have something to measure the success of the event and the ability to see how you can further improve in the years to come.
Try considering these questions when you begin to plan a book fair:
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There are multiple features that can streamline organizing on your sign up, and one is the ability to lock sign up slots. This guarantees that your volunteers don't bail at the last minute or try to sign up too close to the time you need them. If you're worried about people needing to change the time they signed up for, allow slot swapping so that participants can manage changes on their own without involving administrators.
Another helpful feature to consider when planning such a large event is choosing to hide names on your sign up. This protects all your participants' privacy and can be helpful when you are working with so many different people to achieve your goals.
Don't forget to schedule volunteer work throughout the entirety of the fair, including the set up and breakdown of all the books. You will have a lot to prepare and organize when the books arrive, and a lot to pack up once it concludes.
Spread the word about your need for volunteers using these tips to promote your sign up and recruit as much help as possible!
With our automatic reminder and confirmations emails, you can keep volunteers and participants well informed. Confirmation messages are received after a person signs up and reminders are scheduled to go out before the date a person signed up. Need to include custom details in these messages? See how you can customize your confirmation and reminder emails and craft messaging specific to your audience. Just don't send them a novel!
Before you create your sign ups for the book fair, make sure you are automating as much of the process as possible. In doing so, you will save administrators time and energy - allowing you to focus on other tasks.
To make your fairytale come to life, you should ask participants to donate supplies and decorations prior to the start of the fair. It's important to make the collection of supplies a simple and easy process.
By asking for donations through sign ups, you can ensure that you are getting everything you need to decorate. Ensure you get just enough of each item by setting quantity limits for the supplies you are listing as a need. You can also add a description of each item needed to make it crystal clear what you are requesting.
Event previews take place in advance and allow people to get an early look at sale items. This is a good way to get people excited about making purchases. We also recommend a teacher section with books that they will find interesting - don't forget to give teachers a small discount.
Hang posters around the school with dates and times for the event. You can also send flyers home with students. If your school sends out a weekly newsletter, be sure to announce it there as well. Taking a multi-faceted strategy to spread the word about the book fair helps to maximize its success.
Don't forget to show your appreciation to all the volunteers that made your book fair run smoothly. Check out these ideas for inspiration when planning how to say, "thank you"!
Following these tips for a successful book fair will have you on the way to making money for your school while also allowing the kids to discover the joy of a new book; a happy ending for everyone!
