Learn which incentives you should be using.
No, we're not talking about prize programs. These are complimentary incentive plans offered by the brochure company and take no extra effort on the sponsor's part to implement. You're settling for average results if you think your prize program is enough.
On the other hand, implementing brochure fundraising incentives along with your prize program can potentially add thousands to your bottom line. These motivators will encourage additional sales per seller and motivate more students to jump off the fence and become involved.
Many seem willing to offer advice about motivating your students to sell; however, the following ten brochure fundraiser incentives have worked exceptionally well. So choose one and make the most of it.
- The Prize Drawing Incentive Game: Students can win prizes during the sale by entering their prize coupon in a drawing every time they sell five items. You can use smaller inexpensive prizes or even special privileges that won't cost you a dime. You can conduct as many drawings during the sale as you'd like. The more, the better. But make sure to draw out multiple names so more students feel like they have a chance to win.
- Super Student VIP Card Incentive: Only students who sell 25 or more items can win a VIP card with five special privileges. You decide when to have your VIP days, although we recommend once a month throughout the school year. Each VIP day allows card-carrying members to exercise their privileges. Choose things like a free dress day or no homework pass. You decide what privileges you want on the card, and we'll create your card for you.
- Jump for George Incentive Game: Reward either your top 10 sellers or the top seller in each class. Line up dollar bills end to end and have each student broad jump as far as possible. Hand out as many dollars as they're able to jump past.
- Video Game Truck Incentive: Students love to play video games. You can arrange a portable indoor game room at your school for every student who sells 20 items or more and rotate them every 20 minutes, or give your top 15 sellers a 2-hour video game party.
- Mystery Person Incentive Game: You need brochure fundraising incentives that also work for middle and high school students. Assign 1 to 3 faculty members to be the mystery people. The first students to find them and ask them to make a purchase win a prize, privilege, or cash. For proof, give your mystery people a ticket or certificate that students must bring back. This is a great way to get students out selling.
- Money Incentive Game: This is a perfect way to motivate sponsors of smaller groups to monitor their sales. Set 3 periodic goals that students have to hit during the sale to qualify to win $20. Place everyone's name in a hat and draw out one name. If that student can show you their order form and money envelope to prove they've reached that day's goal, you will hand them the money. However, what happens if that person doesn't win the 1st drawing? The $20 becomes $40 for the next drawing, and if no one wins the 2nd drawing, the 3rd drawing amount goes up to $60. You may not give away any money if the three names you draw out don't reach their goals, but you'll motivate the rest of your students to sell because they don't know if their names will get drawn out.
- Sell 10 to Get In: Students must sell ten or more items to get into a fun activity or event like a pizza party. Middle school students will sell to have a chance to go to a DJ party. See if you can get the principal to be the DJ.
- Principal Incentive: Ask the principal to do something funny or crazy if the school reaches a specific fundraising goal. Ask them to kiss a pig, come to school in their pajamas or dye their hair green.
- Grand Prize Drawing: Offer a big prize at the end of your fundraiser. Sell 5, and get your name in once. Sell 10, get your name in twice, and so on.
- Top Seller Prize: Offer your big prize to the student who sells the most, or give away three prizes to your top 3 sellers.
The key to the success of your sale also depends on how well you promote your brochure fundraising incentives.
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.