Because there are so many students in a typical elementary or middle school, the potential for huge sales and profit is great. However, because there are so many students at a school, it can be hard to motivate,knock off uggs, organize and control the results of such a large school fundraiser. There are three key elements to a school fundraiser that if kept in mind 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.
Build 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 tell their parents and potential customers about what the money is going to be used for. That is what the parent letter is there to do for them.
Motivation!
Besides, the product being sold and what the money is going to be used for are not what gets the students attention, It's The Prizes! In fact, if your prizes are really good,fake uggs, 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 sales brochure that the prize program "goes with," you will have a successful fundraising kickoff.
It doesn't matter what fundraising product you choose, if you organize, build excitement and reward the students like they have never been rewarded before, your school fundraiser will be the best one you've ever had. 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 will require particular attention to some important details, but by and large, this is pretty simple. It is a good idea to seek the advice of an experienced fundraising consultant who understands the whole prize concept and accept their advice.
A Word to the Wise!
Most fundraising companies seem to be more interested in "getting your business" than in actually showing a school how to run a school fundraiser to get maximum profits. Most fundraising companies will try to sell you the notion that their brochure or their product or their service is the key point in a successful fundraiser. This could not be further from the truth, and if you spend just a little while thinking about it, you will know that this is true. Prizes are what drive school fundraisers. If you do the same kind of prize program the kids have already seen time and time again,replica ugg boots, you will end up with average same old tired out and fizzless results. That is the reason that schools that change up how they do their prizes double or more their earlier sale. All that to say this: 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.
Build 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 tell their parents and potential customers about what the money is going to be used for. That is what the parent letter is there to do for them.
Motivation!
Besides, the product being sold and what the money is going to be used for are not what gets the students attention, It's The Prizes! In fact, if your prizes are really good,fake uggs, 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 sales brochure that the prize program "goes with," you will have a successful fundraising kickoff.
It doesn't matter what fundraising product you choose, if you organize, build excitement and reward the students like they have never been rewarded before, your school fundraiser will be the best one you've ever had. 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 will require particular attention to some important details, but by and large, this is pretty simple. It is a good idea to seek the advice of an experienced fundraising consultant who understands the whole prize concept and accept their advice.
A Word to the Wise!
Most fundraising companies seem to be more interested in "getting your business" than in actually showing a school how to run a school fundraiser to get maximum profits. Most fundraising companies will try to sell you the notion that their brochure or their product or their service is the key point in a successful fundraiser. This could not be further from the truth, and if you spend just a little while thinking about it, you will know that this is true. Prizes are what drive school fundraisers. If you do the same kind of prize program the kids have already seen time and time again,replica ugg boots, you will end up with average same old tired out and fizzless results. That is the reason that schools that change up how they do their prizes double or more their earlier sale. All that to say this: 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.
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