THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF FUNDRAISING (Volume 2, Issue I)

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."  - Henry Ford

Are you preparing for your first big fundraiser? Have you had a previous fundraiser fall short of the goal you had in mind? Or perhaps you are looking for guidance on how to proceed with an upcoming fundraising event. We've compiled a helpful list of do's and don'ts for fundraising success and pitfalls to avoid when running your next fundraiser. We extend our thanks to Varsity Gold Sales Representative Brett Bandemer for his experienced insight on what has worked for his fundraising clients and what hasn't.

THE DO'S OF FUNDRAISING

1. Have a clear game plan and goal:
   You need to know why you are raising money and what that money will help your team or club achieve. Your participants will be more motivated if they know how the money will be spent. You will also need to have specific dollar amount set as a goal. What you intend to do with the funds raised should dictate what your dollar amount goal is.
    

2. Have frequent checkpoints throughout the sale:
   Your participants will need to have constant encouragement throughout the fundraiser. Check in with your participants at specific points during the fundraiser and ask them how they are doing and what you can do to help.
    

3. Set a minimum for each participant to sell:
   Your minimum goal for each participant should be reasonable, but you need to set one so that everyone has a set goal to strive for.
    

4. Have prize incentives based on goals and accelerated sales:
   Offer prizes based on individual participants’ sales, as well as a group prize for meeting or exceeding your initial goal. This will help motivate your participants to do the best they can, and give them a healthy sense of competition with their teammates.
    

5. Have a clear time frame when everything is due in:
   This is fairly self-explanatory. You don't want the funds and paperwork trickling in over an extended period of time. You need to have a set due date to streamline accounting and to be able to arrange for your prize incentives.
    

6. Set a date and time for a Blitz day:
   A Blitz day is a Varsity Gold-specific fundraising campaign that can really boost your sales.  For more specific information, please contact us.

THE DON'TS OF FUNDRAISING

1. Expect things to take care of themselves:
   Fundraising takes planning and involvement. You need to be committed to the effort to make it work. The level of enthusiasm and involvement of the participants will be directly related to the enthusiasm and involvement of the fundraising administrator and team members!
    

2. Sell for longer than two weeks:
   Setting a short timeframe for selling products prevents procrastination.  This is particularly effective with products such as fundraising discount cards and discount coupons.
    

3. Set up tables to sit and sell:
   This is a strategy that only seems to work well for Girl Scout® cookies - who can resist Thin Mints™?  So unless you are selling something delicious and ready-to-eat, get your participants out there to sell. Don't expect for customers to come to you.  Most people do not want to be bothered on their way in or out of a store.
    

4. Allow a negative attitude:
   We've all experienced this scenario at one point or another - one person's negative attitude can color an entire event. Be a role model for your group by setting the tone of your fundraiser. If attitude problems occur, pull aside individuals (adults and students alike) who exhibit negative behaviors and detrimental attitudes and let them know in a diplomatic but firm manner that you are all working together for a common cause and that everyone's positive input and effort is required.
    

5. Make it optional:
   Require participation from the entire group that will benefit from the fundraiser. An optional fundraiser simply should not be an option! Not only will voluntary participation feel unfair to the people who put forth their best effort, but it will also undermine your ability to raise the most you can and meet or exceed your target goals.

To help make your fundraiser a success, keep these do's and don'ts in mind.  If this is your first fundraiser, you may also want to read our helpful Fundraising Tips article before you begin.

Take a look at the Varsity Gold line of fundraising products to see which one works best for your group. For more information about conducting your own fundraiser, please contact Varsity Gold.

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