Communication is Key
Communication is the cornerstone to many things, and fundraising is no different. Since multiple parties will be involved; be it your sellers, their parents, administrative staff, or volunteers you want everyone to be on the same page and be aware of your goal.
UPDATES
Keep in touch with those involved. If you are working with youth who’s parents will be involved, sending out an email or paper handout reminders are great for keeping everyone on the same page. Give parents advanced notice of an upcoming fundraiser by using our “Coming Soon” fundraising notice. We also have printable notices for money due and item pick up dates. Inform all parties to alleviate being overloaded with emails or phone calls with questions, thus freeing you up to be more productive or just overall avoiding headaches.
INPUT
Input for any fundraiser can be important, but it can also be a tool to help your sellers take more ownership of sales. If you know the type of fundraiser you will be doing, say a $2 fundraiser, why not give your group 2-3 variety options to put to a vote. The one with the most votes will be the variety the group goes with to sell. It will make your group members feel more involved up front and even provide a jump start to the selling process by getting them excited.
If you are new to fundraising or considering a fundraiser type you have not sold before, talk to fellow staff members/coaches/, etc. who might have done a particular fundraiser like this before to see what their feedback is. Learning from others’ successes and not-so-successful stories can be invaluable when doing your own. In doing this, you can also find out if anyone else will be doing a fundraiser at or around the same time as you. If they are, try to have different offerings so as not to oversaturate your selling market with the same product. You’ll ensure higher sales for the both of you this way.
ORGANIZATION
Make a plan. Even the simplest fundraiser can be twice as effective AND efficient when a plan is in place. Figure out how much you need to make to meet your goal and what your sellers will need to make individually. Maybe you’ll need to do multiple fundraisers if so you’ll want to space them apart and plan out what you want to sell. If you will need approval or assistance from other parties, giving them advanced notice is always a good thing to ensure they’ll be able to participate. If you plan on selling at an event or a local business, scheduling that ahead of time will save you lots of rushing around and you’ll be able to plan better for the logistics.
MOTIVATION
Getting your sellers amped can be one of the most profitable things you can do. When your team is excited about selling, they will make more of an effort and take ownership of it. Throw a launch party for your fundraiser. Introduce it to your group and hand out any sheets or information regarding dates (especially if they will need to be handed to their parents). You can even try partner sales training: explain to your group how to introduce the fundraiser to people then have them partner up and practice saying it to one another. You can print out our free sales signs they can fill out or have them make their own and stick on each of their case boxes. Having your group make large, eye-catching signs can be a productive and fun prep activity.
MAKE IT EASY
When you plan ahead of time and stay organized, your fundraiser will be easy not only for you to run but for your sellers and even their parents. If you need help starting a fundraiser, have questions, or want to get started, give us a call at 800-500-2500 or live chat with a fundraising expert! We are here to help you have the easiest and successful fundraiser ever!
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