3 Ideas That Will Transform Your Fundraiser Kickoff

Simple ways to raise more money by transforming your kickoff meeting.

You’re optimistic about your upcoming sale because your community will like your fundraising brochure. Furthermore, you feel that your students will want to show the brochure to friends and family because of the prize program.

So what’s missing? The most critical period for any sales campaign is the kickoff. This is where you can sell your program to your students. It’s important because you need to establish initial sales momentum.

Yet the fundraiser kickoff is about what you say and how you say it. In other words, unless you effectively communicate your objectives with your sellers, your sale will never reach its full potential.

Thus, here are three ideas you should consider that could transform your meeting with your students.

1. Set the Tone for Your Kickoff with Music

You’ll never be able to make a second first impression. Any elementary school kickoff aims to generate as much enthusiasm for your campaign as possible. Nothing sets a more exciting tone than having music playing as your students enter the assembly.

Ensure you fade the music once your presenter is at the podium and ready to go. And make sure to start the music back up as the students walk out at the end of the assembly. This method will signal to the students when to stop talking and when it’s ok to resume.

It’s important to select music your students will enjoy; however, make sure you’re careful about the lyrics. You can do this by choosing radio-edited music.

2. Conceal Your Big Prizes Until the End

What do students get the most excited about at a fundraiser kickoff? It’s the prizes. Many schools will let the students see the prizes as they enter the assembly. This is fine; however, if you do that, you’re not allowing for the suspense to build throughout the assembly.

A more effective approach is to allow the anticipation and enthusiasm to intensify. Nothing does that better than making your students wait to see what they came for. We recommend covering up the prizes with a bed sheet or blanket. Everyone’s going to want to know what’s underneath.

3. Have the Principal Introduce Your Fundraiser

Establish credibility with your students by having your principal introduce the sale and close it out at the end. You can ask them to briefly discuss the reason for the sale and the importance of student participation. They can then introduce you so you can explain the specifics of the sale.

By performing these three things at your fundraiser kickoff, you’ll help establish the importance of your sale and create a real enthusiasm for selling.

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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.