The Size Of Online Ads Can Determine Your Worth

One of the most important factors that will determine whether a company (especially a larger company or an ad agency) will advertise with your school district is size. 

The group that dictates size is the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) and the reason this is important to you is this:  If "my company" is going to spend money with your school district one of the deciding factors is the "ease of use" - meaning how much do I have to do to put an ad up on your site. 

If your website ad sizes are the same as the web sizes that my creative team is already producing for online websites, the online version of local newspapers, or anywhere else....then I don't have to do anything extra.  That means you should be using the web banner ad sizes found here:  http://www.iab.net/iab_products_and_industry_services/1421/1443/1452

You don't need all of them.  Just pick a few.  Work with your IT department to find out what sizes work and sync them up.  That way advertising agencies and major marketers won't have to pay a graphic designer $90 an hour more to design a web ad just for you...  and that should make you a buck or two.

The local dollar vs the district dollars

Don't forget the local dollars.  Schools are really good about getting them; school districts find it a bit more challenging.  Here's a simple rule of thumb:

The school should go to the franchise owner or individual location of the business.

If there is a chain or franchise, the school district should go to the regional marketing director, or franchise group responsible for all the stores in your school district.

The easiest way to find out this information is to call one of the locations and ask the franchise owner who their marketing representative is or who handles the marketing/advertising for that geographical area.