Strategies that will help get your sale off to a strong start.
You’ve picked a sales brochure you feel supporters in your community will be eager to buy out of. Since you also realize that your students must be excited about selling, you’re confident that your prize program will do the job. You’ve discussed the start date with the principal, and you have placed it on the calendar. And you’ve been informed by your company that you should be receiving your sales materials shortly.
You think you’ve covered the basics, but you still feel there are some things you’ve left out. Are you ready for your school fundraiser kickoff? Here are some important items that should also be on your list that you may not have considered:
Promote Your Fundraising Purpose
Hopefully, you’ve established a need most people will buy into. The purpose is foundational to the success of your sale. People who believe in the why are more apt to support it. However, they also need to be reminded about it. Here’s how you can promote your purpose to the following people:
- Talk to your teachers before your sale.
- Remind students during morning announcements.
- Inform parents in your parent letter.
Plan Your Kickoff Presentation
Preparing ahead of time for your presentation is important. Your meeting should come across as both professional and exciting. You must be ready to persuade students to participate. Why is your campaign important? How will the students benefit? Your presentation outline might look something like this:
- Discuss why you’re asking students to sell.
- What are you expecting them to do?
- Take their student fundraising packets home and share them with their parents.
- Ask their parents to help them sell.
- When will they need to turn in their order forms and money envelopes?
- Introduce the brochure and prize program.
- What additional incentives are you offering?
- Close out your sale by:
- Summarizing what was already discussed.
- Reminding your students always to be accompanied by an adult.
How to prepare for your school fundraiser kickoff
Prepare Needed Presentation Equipment
Make sure you have everything you need to pull off your presentation. It’s also a good idea to test your equipment ahead of time. You will most likely need a:
- Microphone & sound system
- Introductory music
- Video equipment (optional)
- Table
Arrange also to have your meeting area cleaned before your meeting.
A successful fundraising kickoff will help create the momentum you need to reach your sales goals.
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.