PROMOTION
GUIDE FOR A
SUCCESSFUL
ONLINE FAIR
Dear Book Fair Chairperson:
We’ve created these promotion and copy + image guides
to help you spread the word about your Online Fair to your
school community and beyond! Make the guide your own by
filling in the blank fields on this editable PDF, or print it out
and fill it in by hand.
If you’re in a hurry, check out our 5 QUICK TIPS for
promoting your Online Fair! We’ve outlined the top things
you can do to host a successful Fair.
Use as many or as few ideas as you want—you’re the best
judge of what your Fair needs! We hope this will help you
plan and promote the Fair, to help get your kids reading while
raising money for your school.
Let’s get started!
©2020 Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.
MY FAIR DATES: MY BOOK FAIR HOMEPAGE LINK: SCHOOL FUNDRAISING GOAL: $
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG ® & © The Norman Bridwell Trust. All rights reserved
PROMOTION DETAILS TIMELINE MY DATES LINK TO ASSETS
Email | Save the Date
Send an email to parents with Fair dates,
Book Fair homepage link, information
about the Virtual Book Fair, and more!
Copy email template, fill in details, hit
send—and you’re done!
3 Weeks Out
View email template
View Virtual Book Fair info
Social Post | Save the Date
Use our character-filled, ready-to-go
posts to spread the word on your school’s
social channels.   
3 Weeks Out
View social copy
Images for PREK/ELEMENTARY
Images for MIDDLE SCHOOL
Newsletter Announcements | Save the Date
Make sure you get a spot in your PTO and
school newsletters. Include all key details
to get parents shopping and fundraising.
“Let’s develop our lifelong readers while
raising the needed funds for our school!”
3 Weeks Out
Parent Portal & School Calendar | Save the Date
Is your school using a school portal or
other communication app this year?
Post all your Fair information on these
platforms, and on your school calendar,
so it is easily accessible.
3 Weeks Out
In-School Advertising | Book Lists & Posters
Is your school meeting in person? Ask
your rep for printed book lists to send
home with parents, and posters to
advertise in the school.
3 Weeks Out Contact your rep!
Start o by customizing your Book Fair homepage. Then make sure the entire school
community has the Fair dates in their calendar, and your Book Fair homepage link
bookmarked. Every dollar spent during the Fair is money back to the school. Let’s go!
3 WEEKS BEFORE FAIR
Build excitement for your
upcoming Book Fair!
PROMOTION DETAILS TIMELINE MY DATES LINK TO ASSETS
Email or Take-Home | Letter From Principal
Ask your principal to use our templated
letter to ensure that the parent body
understands the school’s support of the
Fair this year. The letter can be sent as an
email or printed!
2 Weeks Out View letter template
Email or Take-Home | Book Lists
Direct parents to the Book Fair homepage
to find interactive book lists they can look
through with their kids! Or is your school
meeting in person this fall? Include book
lists with the letter from the principal for
kids to take home to their parents.
2 Weeks Out
Contact your rep for printed book
lists, or find the digital version on
your Book Fair homepage!
Flyer | Save the Date
Send this fun PDF flyer to parents by itself
or with the letter from the principal so
that parents can display it as a reminder.
2 Weeks Out View flyer
Web | School + District Sites Save the Date
Post information about your Book Fair on
the school website, and ask your school
district to post the information on theirs.
2 Weeks Out
View suggested copy
Email | Community Donors
Invite community donors to contribute
to students in need by purchasing books
online and shipping straight to your
school. Or if you have Scholastic Dollars,™
work with your rep to buy books for
students at your school!
1–2 Weeks Out
Email | Invite Teachers to Participate!
Email your teachers to tell them about
the new Virtual Book Fair experience, and
encourage them to share the experience
in their virtual classrooms to build
excitement for the Fair!
2 Weeks Out
View email template
View Virtual Book Fair info
2 WEEKS BEFORE FAIR
Keep the anticipation growing.
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG ® & © The Norman Bridwell Trust. All rights reserved
1 WEEK BEFORE FAIR
PROMOTION DETAILS TIMELINE MY DATES LINK TO ASSETS
Social Post | Countdown
The Fair is almost here! Remind your
school’s social followers, and be sure
to include dates, homepage link, and
any sign-up or setup information that
parents need.
1 Week Out
View social copy
Images for PREK/ELEMENTARY
Images for MIDDLE SCHOOL
Video | Reading Message
Have your principal talk about the
importance of home libraries and
share the video on social, your school
homepage, in virtual classrooms, or on
your school’s portal.
1 Week Out
In-School Advertising | Posters
Is your school meeting in person
this fall? Remind students about the
Fair and build excitement by putting up
Book Fair posters!
1 Week Out
Social Posts | Sizzle Reels & Book Trailers
Build excitement for the book titles that
will be available at the Fair with sizzle
reels and book trailers!
1 Week Out
View additional social ideas
Email | Extend Community Engagement
Email your families and encourage them
to spread the word about the Book Fair on
their social media accounts—send them
some graphics to share!
1 Week Out
Email | Extend Alumni Engagement
Email your alumni and encourage them to
“walk through” the Virtual Book Fair. Ask
them to consider shopping and buying
books to support your school!
1 Week Out
View email template
View Virtual Book Fair info
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG ® & © The Norman Bridwell Trust. All rights reserved
It’s time to get creative and spread the message beyond the school.
The countdown is on!
WEEK 1 OF FAIR
It’s opening weekhighlight fun
events and keep the reminders going.
CONTINUED
PROMOTION DETAILS TIMELINE MY DATES LINK TO ASSETS
Web | School Site—Opening Week Update
Update the school website to say that
the Fair is open and ready for business!
Highlight any fun activities you have
planned for the week.
Day 1
Email | Opening Week
Email your families and let them know the
Fair is on!
Day 1
View email template
Social Post | Opening Week Post 1
Highlight any special events that are
happening during the Fair.
Day 2
View social copy
Images for PREK/ELEMENTARY
Images for MIDDLE SCHOOL
Mobile | Opening Week Alert 1
Text a reminder to parents and include
Fair dates, a shortened homepage link,
and fundraising goals, or modify the text
for robo-calls to parents!
Day 3 View suggested message copy
Announcement | Opening Week
Is your school meeting in person this fall?
Remind students about the Fair during
morning announcements.
Any Day
PROMOTION DETAILS TIMELINE MY DATES LINK TO ASSETS
Event | [Virtual] Parents’ Night
During your Online Fair, host special
online events with students and families
in order to build excitement.
Day 2 to 4 View event ideas
Event | Spirit Week
Hold a “Spirit Week” during your Fair
(either the first or second week!) with new
activities each day to celebrate books,
characters, and reading.
First or Second
Monday
View event ideas
Mobile | Opening Week Alert 2
Remind families about Fair dates.
Highlight events and top-selling titles.
Or modify the text for robo-calls
to parents!
Day 4 View suggested message copy
Social Post | Opening Week Post 2
Post about new book titles or gather
selected reading lists from teachers
and librarians. Don’t forget to use the
author videos and book trailers!
Day 4 View additional social ideas
Event | Reading/Book Hour 1
Hold storytime, feature books, and have
teachers or librarians present their
favorite new titles. Be sure to check on
publisher permissions about reading
books out loud.
Day 5 View event ideas
WEEK 1 OF FAIR
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG ® & © The Norman Bridwell Trust. All rights reserved
WEEK 2 OF FAIR
PROMOTION DETAILS TIMELINE MY DATES LINK TO ASSETS
Email | Closing Week
Send a reminder to families: “Last chance
to raise essential funds for our school!”
Day 8 View email template
Social Post | Closing Week Post 1
Feature “Customer Testimonials” from
students who are excited about the
books they’ve purchased—post photos
of children only with their parent’s
permission, of course!
Day 8 View additional social ideas
Mobile | Closing Week Post 2
Send a reminder to families: “Last chance
to raise essential funds for our school!” Or
modify the text for robo-calls to parents!
Day 9
View suggested message copy
Social Post | Closing Week Post 2
Feature pictures from special events,
games, contests, or story hours you’ve
been holding in your in-person or virtual
classrooms—post photos of children
only with their parent’s permission,
of course!
Day 9
View additional social ideas
Event | Reading/Book Hour 2
Hold another storytime or booktalk,
feature books and characters, and have
teachers or librarians present their favorite
new titles. Be sure to check on publisher
permissions about reading books
out loud.
Day 10 View event ideas
Share pictures of the events and sales numbers from opening week, and remind
your entire school community that there’s still time to take part in the fun.
Promote, promote, promote!
WRAP UP
SEE YOU
NEXT YEAR!
PROMOTION DETAILS TIMELINE MY DATES LINK TO ASSETS
Email | School Site—Last Chance Update!
Send one last “Don’t Forget” message.
Make it impactful!
Day 11
Mobile | Last Chance Message
Send one last “Don’t Forget” message.
Make it impactful!
Day 11
View suggested message copy
Social Post | Last Chance Post
Send one last “Don’t Forget” message.
Make it impactful!
Day 12 or 13
View social copy
Email | Wrap Up Thank You Email
Email your school community and thank
them for their support and share the
school’s success.
1 Week After End
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG ® & © The Norman Bridwell Trust. All rights reserved
Point out the successes of the past two weeks, and share your appreciation for everyone’s contributions.
Use all your channels to send one last reminder!
MY BOOK FAIR
PLANNER + CALENDAR
MONTH:
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG ® & © The Norman Bridwell Trust. All rights reserved