Because there are so many students in a typical elementary or middle school, the potential for huge sales and profit is great. On the other hand, because there are so many students at a school, it can be hard to motivate, organize and control the results of such a large school fundraiser. There are three key elements to a school fundraiser that if followed while planning for it, will almost guarantee that your fundraiser will be a huge success.
Communication!
Days, weeks or even better, months before your school fundraiser gets started, things should be in place and ready to go for the big fundraiser kick off day. One of the best things that the fundraising chairperson can do before their fundraiser ever gets started is make sure that the parents know what is about to happen long before it happens. At least once or twice send a letter home in the student's take home pack reminding them of the upcoming school fundraiser and why the school needs the funds. Every time that you send something home like this don't forget to ask explicitly for their help and participation.
Create Excitement!
Have an assembly or rally to kick the fundraiser off so the fundraising chairperson can create excitement about the fundraiser. It is also great to discuss with the students what money is going to be used for - where will the money they earn go? What are the positive results of their efforts?
Of course you really don't have to cover all that in great detail with the students as doing that in any great detail would put them to sleep. We want them excited about the sale, not bored to tears about it. So unless you have a production equivalent to High School Musical 2 or the real Sponge Bob and Patrick to cover those details in song or antics, I would say, "Just mention it." The bottom line is that the kids generally don't have the interest or the memory to "spread the word" about what the money is going to be used for. That is what the parent letter is for anyway.
Motivation!
The part that gets the student's attention and raises their excitement is not the product being sold or the purpose of the fundraiser, It's The Prizes! In fact, if your prizes are really good, you could actually forget about the communication stuff mentioned above. If your students are excited about the fundraiser and the prizes, you don't have to worry about their parents not knowing about your fundraiser, believe me, the will know all about it. If the only thing you do for the kickoff is show the prizes and hold up the fundraiser brochure that the prize program "goes with," you will have a successful fundraising kickoff. It is really that simple as long as the prizes are really good.
By organizing, building excitement and rewarding the students - your fundraiser can be successful no matter what fundraising product you choose. Now, in this article, I have over simplified the whole 3 step process: but not by much. There are some specific points about each of these 3 elements of a school fundraiser that warrant close attention. It is a good idea to seek the advice of an experienced fundraising consultant and heed their advice.
A Word to the Wise!
Most fundraising companies are more interested these days in "getting your business" than in actually coaching you in how to run a school fundraiser to get maximum profits. Most will sell you on their product or their service or their profit percentage as the key point in a successful fundraiser. This is far from the truth, and if you spend a few minutes thinking about it, you know this is true. It is the prizes that are what drive school fundraisers. If you do the average, everyday, run of the mill prizes, you will end up with average run of the mill results. That is the reason that schools that change up how they do their prizes have huge increases over their earlier sale. It is not the product or services offered or the profit percentage given that makes for a successful school fundraiser. You can blame that on the prizes offered.
Communication!
Days, weeks or even better, months before your school fundraiser gets started, things should be in place and ready to go for the big fundraiser kick off day. One of the best things that the fundraising chairperson can do before their fundraiser ever gets started is make sure that the parents know what is about to happen long before it happens. At least once or twice send a letter home in the student's take home pack reminding them of the upcoming school fundraiser and why the school needs the funds. Every time that you send something home like this don't forget to ask explicitly for their help and participation.
Create Excitement!
Have an assembly or rally to kick the fundraiser off so the fundraising chairperson can create excitement about the fundraiser. It is also great to discuss with the students what money is going to be used for - where will the money they earn go? What are the positive results of their efforts?
Of course you really don't have to cover all that in great detail with the students as doing that in any great detail would put them to sleep. We want them excited about the sale, not bored to tears about it. So unless you have a production equivalent to High School Musical 2 or the real Sponge Bob and Patrick to cover those details in song or antics, I would say, "Just mention it." The bottom line is that the kids generally don't have the interest or the memory to "spread the word" about what the money is going to be used for. That is what the parent letter is for anyway.
Motivation!
The part that gets the student's attention and raises their excitement is not the product being sold or the purpose of the fundraiser, It's The Prizes! In fact, if your prizes are really good, you could actually forget about the communication stuff mentioned above. If your students are excited about the fundraiser and the prizes, you don't have to worry about their parents not knowing about your fundraiser, believe me, the will know all about it. If the only thing you do for the kickoff is show the prizes and hold up the fundraiser brochure that the prize program "goes with," you will have a successful fundraising kickoff. It is really that simple as long as the prizes are really good.
By organizing, building excitement and rewarding the students - your fundraiser can be successful no matter what fundraising product you choose. Now, in this article, I have over simplified the whole 3 step process: but not by much. There are some specific points about each of these 3 elements of a school fundraiser that warrant close attention. It is a good idea to seek the advice of an experienced fundraising consultant and heed their advice.
A Word to the Wise!
Most fundraising companies are more interested these days in "getting your business" than in actually coaching you in how to run a school fundraiser to get maximum profits. Most will sell you on their product or their service or their profit percentage as the key point in a successful fundraiser. This is far from the truth, and if you spend a few minutes thinking about it, you know this is true. It is the prizes that are what drive school fundraisers. If you do the average, everyday, run of the mill prizes, you will end up with average run of the mill results. That is the reason that schools that change up how they do their prizes have huge increases over their earlier sale. It is not the product or services offered or the profit percentage given that makes for a successful school fundraiser. You can blame that on the prizes offered.
About the Author:
Discover how you can organize your incentive program for your school fundraiser in a way that will make your school more profit with happier students and parents. It's really not hard to do if you approach your next fundraiser slightly different way than you have in the past. See how you can do just that at aimfundraising.com
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