From The Association of Fund Raisers and Direct Sellers:
- Establish a clear financial goal before evaluating products, programs, etc. — knowing how much money you need to raise will help make these decisions easier.
- Don’t let your organization’s profits be eaten away by “hidden” costs (e.g. for freight, prizes, overruns) — ask questions ahead of time and make the necessary adjustments.
- Select your fundraising program early to assure ample time for planning. If the school or community has a planning calendar, be sure your event is included. Stagger fundraising activities to avoid competing with other groups.
- Set a specific beginning and ending date for your fundraiser and stick to it — without a clear target date the campaign will drag on, often without direction.
- Avoid “fundraising fatigue” among parents and volunteers by conducting fewer programs that are more effective individually.
- Rely on your product fundraising company professional for suggestions and advice.
- Don’t let your program fizzle — some organizers will lose interest once a program begins; stay motivated until the end to assure success. Put a time limit on order-taking. Usually 10-14 days is more than enough.
- Keep energy levels high by communicating before, during and after the program — remind parents, teachers and other volunteers of the fundraiser’s goals and deadlines, provide frequent status reports and updates.
- Avoid shipping and ordering problems by working closely with volunteers to assure that all order forms are legible and filled out completely.
- Keep copies of all forms turned in by volunteers before sending them to the fundraising company.
- Assure efficient handling of products by recruiting adult volunteers ahead of time to help distribute the products to volunteers.
- Don’t forget to communicate with absentees who miss the program’s kick-off or other important meetings.
- Have fun! With the right approach, fundraising can be educational and enjoyable for everyone
© Copyright 2000 the Association of Fund Raisers and Direct Sellers