How to Gain Support and Increase School Sales

Your fundraising success depends on these three groups.

If you want to be successful at raising money, you need to become effective at gaining needed support from others for your cause. For example, it's not enough that your students are excited about the prize program. They'll need to be the engine that drives your sale, but they can only do so much.

Without their parent's help, not much selling can be accomplished, nor should it be. After all, school sponsors should emphasize that students only sell when accompanied by an adult. Therefore when specific people like your parents are also on board, you'll help to increase school sales. Raising money is a team sport; getting the following people on board will be essential before your sale starts. Here's how you can gain needed support.

Gaining Support from School Administrators

Your principal can become one of your greatest allies. Even though they already have a lot on their plate, please set up a short meeting to discuss your objectives with them. Ensure they're on board with the type of sale you're planning and how you plan to spend it. It's also a good idea to ask for their input. Perhaps they will see other ways to spend the money as well. Here are some ways they might be able to help:

• They can introduce the fundraiser at your kickoff assembly. You will want to start your kickoff assembly by having an authority figure speak with your students. The students usually respect the principal and will understand the importance of participating in your sale. You will also want to have them wrap up the assembly with some closing remarks.
• Involve them in the daily announcements. Plan to write short scripts about your sale for them to read to the students during morning announcements. It could be as simple as reminding them about a couple of the big prizes to announcing the winners from a periodic prize drawing.
• Convince them to do something fun. Motivate your students at your kickoff assembly by having the principal do something fun if the goal is reached. You can have the principal agree to be taped to the wall, wear their pajamas to school or kiss a pig, for example. Your students will be excited about the opportunity to see the principal do something fun.

Getting Teachers Involved

Plan to meet with your teachers before your fundraiser and tell them how it will impact them. They may be more apt to get involved if they understand how the money will benefit the students and the school. They can help you:

• Remind their students to sell each day
• Collect order forms and money for their class once the sale is over
• Do something fun as a reward to the students for selling

Parent Participation is Important

Parental involvement is essential. They will help their students sell by accompanying them as they approach neighbors, family, and friends. They can also take the brochure to work if you can; plan to introduce your fundraiser at an upcoming parent meeting. Many of our schools show their big event fundraising video at parent night. Tell them about your campaign by sending home a parent letter in your student packets and announcing it on the school marquee.

By gaining fundraiser support for your cause, you're helping to increase school sales and possibly exceed your goals.

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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.