How to Have Better Fundraisers Using the Principal

Simple ways school principals help raise more funds.

You don’t have to spend money to make money. In this case, we’re discussing purchasing additional incentives that motivate students to sell more than they would with the traditional prize program.

Sponsors who want better fundraisers understand that their students must want to make sales. You can have the best brochure in the world, but if your sellers don’t care about the prizes, they won’t show it to friends and family.

Most agree that additional motivators help maximize sales potential, so why not use incentives that won’t cost you money?

Unfortunately, many sponsors don’t take advantage of the potential prize resources.

One such free incentive resource you can incorporate into your fundraiser is involving your principal. Here’s how the principal can help you experience better fundraisers.

Introduce your Fundraiser

Since you’ll want to set the tone with your students at your kickoff, asking the principal to introduce it should add credibility. It’s one thing to introduce your program, but having someone with the respect of everyone involved, including the students, is a plus.

You’ll want the principal to know certain things about your sale, like the purpose, sales goal, and when orders and money are due. Make sure that she emphasizes the importance of making sales every day. In addition, make sure the principal also wraps up the assembly with powerful concluding remarks.

Perform Daily Reminders

Ensure also to get the principal involved with your daily announcements once your sale is underway. Creating essential points, you’d like covered or even scripts for her to read may also be a good idea. Make sure you have something unique for her to talk about each day. Daily announcements become more potent if you incorporate some activity. Many schools we’ve worked with have successfully used our prize drawing game.

Become the Grand Prize at the End

This can make your fundraiser much more exciting for your students. You can ask the principal to do something fun and out of the ordinary if the entire school achieves a specific sales goal. By involving the principal, you’re challenging your students to reach it.

Calculate your fundraising goal.

Here are some ideas:

• Duct-tape the principal to the Wall: Students who reach their individual goal receive a foot of duct tape.
• Kiss an unusual animal: A fairly typical example is to kiss a pig or…
• Do something funny: Some examples might be wearing their pajamas to school, spending a day in jail, or a day on the roof.

Whatever you decide, daily promotion is crucial. It’s also essential to mention that if the goal isn’t reached, all bets are off, and the principal is off the hook.

If you want the principal to become involved, it’s probably a good idea to arrange a meeting with her when you’re still in the planning stages. This way, you can strategize your promotional efforts accordingly.

Better fundraisers are possible regardless of the types of incentives you use as long as your students are excited about them.

See our brochure fundraisers.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.