So you’re all signed for the Brigade and ready to start collecting! Time to grow your collections, so you can get the most out of your program. Part of growing collections is getting as many people within your community involved as you can. When you are first getting started, and even after, it can be hard to spread the word and encourage people to bring items into school, the office, or your organization’s meetings.
This post is the first in a series about how to market your Brigade within your organization. This post is about flyers, and the following in the series over the next month or so will also include ideas for incentives, making your boxes noticeable and easily understandable, and keeping people involved after they’ve donated once! From flyers to contests to contacting the local newspaper, we’ll take it step-by-step!
One of the simplest ways to get the word out is via flyers. On our website, you can find flyers for each Brigade under the “Resources” tab of your account.
FOR SCHOOLS
If you hang the flyer in your school cafeteria, hallways, or gym, people will see it as they walk by – this includes teachers, parents, students, visitors, and after school groups.
If you put the flyer in a take home folder, parents will see it, and can sign that they’ve received and read it.
If you add it to the school’s morning and afternoon announcements, students will be reminded about it verbally and consistently.
If you put your collection in a high trafficked area, such as the cafeteria, main hallway, or gym, people will see the boxes and check them out, thus learning about the Brigade. Always make sure to have attention-grabbing signage on your boxes (more on this to come…)
FOR OFFICES AND OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS
If you send out an email about the collections, people will be able to read about it, and hopefully not lose the information.
If you place your collection bins at the front door, people will walk by them every morning – and every evening as they leave. They can easily carry their trash and dump it in the bins on the way out.
If you have a communal lunch room or cafeteria, post flyers and place bins in that lunch area. It will catch their attention, and make it super easy for them to throw out their trash. This tactic also works great near vending machines!
How have you long-time Brigade members gotten more people involved in your group? What are new groups struggling with as they form and start collections? We want to hear about it! Help us help you and the rest of the TerraCycle Brigade Family!