Avery Hellas • May 2, 2023 Topics2023 Book Clubs classroom flyers May teachers

Tips & Tricks for Boosting Your Reading Club Classroom Order

We recently reintroduced shipping orders to the classroom. Teachers and families told us that the ship to home minimum was difficult for families to reach and they longed for the return of the ability to consolidate the student orders at the classroom level. This program change also gives more students more access to affordable books.

Since its launch, shipping to the classroom has inspired lots of helpful feedback and we thought we would share some of these insights to help you navigate the changes and have successful monthly orders and a class full of happy readers!

How to have successful classroom orders & get free shipping:

Don’t submit the classroom order too early!

Communication is key! You’re in control. You decide when to submit the order. Here are some things you can do to reach a minimum classroom order:

Set a due date and share it with families. By setting a due date, families will have a set period where they can place orders before you submit.
Let families know that after the set due date, any orders that come in will be submitted on next month’s due date.
When you hand out the flyer, take time to recommend your favourite titles to help get your students excited about reading!
Send home a parent letter that suggests books the class is reading, items you are saving your Rewards for, and more.
A few days before the due date, send an email to families to remind them that you will be submitting the classroom order soon.
If the due date is approaching and you haven’t reached the minimum for free shipping, try communicating with parents and let them know that some parents are looking to place an order, and ask if anyone else would like to add to the order.
Do not submit the order until a couple of days after the due date to catch any stragglers.

Here’s how one of our Facebook Teacher Advisors collects classroom orders:

“ I hand it out the day I get the flyers and usually give 1 full week and a bit so they are getting the books within the month they’re ordered. If I hand out on a Monday or Tuesday, I give until the following Wednesday or Thursday. Then place the order Friday in case there are any stragglers.”
– Amanda J, Grades 5 & 6, MB

There’s unexpected orders in your cart! Don’t panic.

Orders that come in after your due date can be a part of next month’s order. If you have already submitted your monthly classroom order and a family places an order afterwards, you can email the parent and let them know that their order will be part of next month’s classroom order.

You can also try communicating with other parents and let them know that some parents are looking to place an extra order, and ask if anyone else would like to add to the order.

You didn’t hand out the flyer, but you notice you have student orders in your cart. If it meets the minimum for free shipping, you can go ahead and place the order. If it’s not at the minimum threshold, try communicating with parents and let them know that some parents are looking to place an order and ask if anyone would like to add to the order. There is always a digital flyer available to share the digital flyers with families to encourage participation.

You can also add in any items you may need, or reach out to another teacher at your school and see if they would like to add to your order.

You’ve done all this and you still don’t have a $40 order.

Talk to other teachers and see if they need anything for their classroom.
Consider running the program at the school level. Speak to other teachers, the librarian, principal, and parent council and see if it would be more beneficial to run Reading Club this way.
Consider handing out the flyers a few times a year instead of once a month.
Give us a call and see how we can make this program work for you.

If all else fails, you can always cancel the order (parents will be automatically emailed about the cancellation).

Here’s how one of our Facebook Teacher Advisors handles orders that don’t meet the minimum for free shipping:

“My plan is to email the families who ordered and let them know we didn’t reach the threshold and that I will submit once we get to the threshold or at next month’s order submission date.”
-Heather Y, Teacher Librarian, ON

Have more ideas? Tips? Join the conversation!

All of the ideas and tips came from feedback received via email and from our Facebook Advisors. We value the feedback from teachers like you who care so much and share their experiences.

Be a part of the conversation and join our Facebook Teacher Advisory Group. By being a member of the group you can chat with us and other teachers directly, receive special offers, and prizes for participation. If your feedback is used as a tip of the month you will receive $20 in Bonus Bank Rewards.