Tips for Ensuring Success

1. Marketing Strategies Tips for Ensuring Success Some forms of marketing are an allowable cost from Child Nutrition funds. Any activity that is “nutrition education” is an allowable cost. The amount of money that may be used for nutrition education depends on the current financial status of the Child Nutrition Program. Other funds may be used to supplement the Child Nutrition Program’s Marketing Plan. Definition: Nutrition Education Any activity performed during the school day or during a school sponsored activity (parent/teacher conference, open house, school health fair, etc.) that directly links the cafeteria to students through the use of teaching methods that share information about dietary needs or recommendations Tip 1 – Develop a Marketing Plan and put your ideas in writing . Keep a current copy of the marketing plan on file. Share the plan with superintendents, principals, teachers, nurses, parents, and students. This gives credibility to your plan and links expenses for nutrition education to an approved timeline. Tip 2 – Develop and follow a budget. This is part of the marketing plan, but it is vitally important and worth mentioning again! Thinking about in-kind services and making contacts early in the year may help eliminate last minute planning for activities and may help volunteer groups in their planning as well, making them more likely to provide a service. Tip 3 – Request additional funds from the Principal’s Fund or District Funds that could pay for marketing activities and supplies (Principals have bought televisions for hallways and cafeterias that scroll a variety of school messages including the lunch menu and nutrition facts; some schools give the cafeteria $100 for supplies each year just like they give to the teachers). Just ask! Tip 4 – Ask your student organizations if they need a service project (many are required to perform a certain amount of service hours): Agri – design and build a Daily Feature stand from PVC pipe or other material FCCLA – construct a display for parent night that compares fast food to school lunch East Lab – print signs / take pictures of food / design posters, newsletters, menus Tip 5 – Ask school and community organizations if they would like to volunteer or make a donation. PTO / Wellness Committee / School Nutrition Association Local Affiliate Cooperative Extension Service / Rotary Club / Churches Tip 6 – Consider allowing a portion of the 10 hours of in-service required for Child Nutrition Staff each year to be dedicated to marketing (creating a bulletin board, planning for an open house, etc.).