How to Select Team Spirit Products

So you want to inspire the students and staff at your school with team spirit. Good goal. Enthusiasm for sports and other school-related activities makes everybody more energetic and willing to cooperate. Nothing spreads team spirit like visibility--the school colors and team mascot grace everything from the banner above the trophy case to cheerleaders' skirts. For even more recognition, many schools buy team spirit products. Trinkets from pompoms to pennants with badges, buttons and lanyards thrown in can be emblazoned with your logo and worn or displayed at your game or rally.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Your school's budget for team spirit products
• A hard copy or Internet catalog of products
• The help of several students and your principal or vice principal

Select Team Spirit Products

1. Examine your budget to find out how much money your school sets aside for team spirit products, how much of a mark-up is used to determine the price at the concession stand or school spirit table and whether these items "earn their keep" in profit.
2. Look at the figures for last year and the year before. See what products were purchased by the school, which sold best and which least.
3. Talk to coaches and teachers from other schools. Ask them what team spirit products have sold best for them and which ones did not sell.
4. Notice what products appear at the games of your city's professional teams or at state university games. Note any trademark pieces, especially those students would see on television, such as a pointing finger or clapper noisemaker. Chances are these will be popular.
5. Select a product you can use as a "loss leader." Pompoms, for instance, cost very little when bought in bulk. Give each person attending a particular game or rally a pompom and have the cheerleaders direct group movement and patterns using them.
6. Look over catalogs sites like Gimmee.com with a few students and your principal or vice principal (see Resources below). Make lists of the items that each person likes along with the products you discovered in your research. Select pieces from the list until you have reached the limit of your budget.

Tips & Warnings

• Advertise and inspire team spirit at the same time. Have cheerleaders and team members wear and display the products you have chosen.
• When you select products, watch out for hidden costs such as engraving, taxes and shipping.

Who Can Help: