Turn your high school fundraiser into a big success. Learn 3 ways to drive more sales. Improve fundraising results by being more focused & goal-oriented.
3. Every high school sponsor, whether they’re asked to
head up the freshmen class, or they are the head
football coach, knows that they’ll probably need to raise
money. Having the necessary funds so the group can
function and carry out its objectives is paramount. It’s
constantly in the back of everyone club sponsor’s mind.
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4. •When it comes to preparing for a high school
fundraiser, no one goes in expecting to fail. Most are at
least reasonably optimistic that they’ll reach or come
close to their financial goals. Yet the odds are against
them, and the statistics bear that out. Most high school
sales end up producing average results, at best. In
other words, they don’t reach their full potential. But if
raising money is that important, why do so many groups
fall short?
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5. Another way to answer that question is to ask, “What
are some of the key differences between average, and
amazing high school sales results? Obviously the
answer to that question depends on several factors.
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6. There are other factors to consider, such as the group
size and type, how organized, type of sale, as well as
the groups purpose and mission. When to have a
fundraiser can also prove to be important. For instance,
smaller, close-nit groups, like cheerleader squads tend
to average a higher dollar amount sold per seller.
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7. These groups can be extremely motivated and usually
have large financial obligations, such as raising money
for competitions and uniforms. Group members know
that these things are essential to their involvement in
the group. Many cheer sponsors choose to have their
sales campaign right after tryouts in the spring when
the students tend to be most proud and excited about
becoming a part of the team.
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8. Perhaps some organizations don’t have the same
intrinsic advantages that cheer groups have. Maybe
the group as a whole lacks focus and direction. Some
groups are new to fundraising and lack experience. Or
possibly the reason is financial. You might be in a
poorer economic area and you just don’t expect to do
that well. Are these legitimate reasons or simply hurdles
that need to be overcome?
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10. Big Fundraising Ideas
3 keys to experiencing an
amazing high school fundraiser.
1. PLAN FOR FUNDRAISING
SUCCESS
2. STRONG FUNDRAISING
SPONSORS
3. A CLEARLY DEFINED
FUNDRAISER GOAL
11. 1. PLANFORFUNDRAISINGSUCCESS
There’s no way around it. If you want to succeedat anything, you have to prepare.
Bobby Knight, a former college coach once said, “The will to succeedis important,
but what’s more important is the will to prepare.”
• Designate a Fundraising Committee: Create a committee of 3 to 5 students who are in charge of the
planning. Their job is to report and ideas and updates to the sponsor.
• Choose a Product: For example, should you sell food or no-food items?
• Getting Ready to Start: Make sure you have a presale checklist and that everything is checked off.
With the right preparation, every group can succeed. Everyone has their own unique challenges;
however there are specific things that successful groups do that help them overcome these obstacles.
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‘wikiHow’ breaks setting up a school fundraiser into 3 parts:
12. 2.STRONGFUNDRAISINGSPONSORS
Every good school fundraiser starts with a strong sponsor. Sponsors that
actually expect their group members to sell will always experience greater
financial success. We’ve worked with many high school groups over the years
and have found this to be a key factor.
Some sponsors will even tell their group that if their parents can't write a check, then
participating is not an option. It’s that simple. These sponsors also understand that it’s
important to have high expectations of their students. Students will usually achieve
what others expect of them. They see their sales campaigns as an important tool that
not only helps the group achieve their objectives, but as a character-building tool as
well. And groups that are successful at raising money already have a strong sense of
purpose to begin with.
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14. 3.ACLEARLYDEFINEDFUNDRAISERGOAL
High school sponsors that succeed at fundraising already have a
predetermined sales goal for their students. The sponsor knows what the
group’s financial needs are and how much each student will need to sell. Thus,
students know what’s expected of them from the beginning.
Classy, an online fundraising software company, outlines a five-part method for
creating smart objectives that are also used by many industries. They define what they
call SMART goals with the following terms:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Ambitious but Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-based
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15. SUCCESSFUL HIGH SCHOOL GROUPS UNDERSTAND THAT
SELLING IS NECESSARY, AND THEY EMBRACE THIS AS
PART OF THEIR CULTURE. IN OTHER WORDS, FUNDRAISERS
ARE NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT BUT RATHER A PART OF
WHAT THEY DO. EVERYONE KNOWS THIS AND THEY
EXPECT THEM. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT FOR THE GROUP
TO FUNCTION, FUNDRAISING IS NECESSARY, NOT
OPTIONAL.
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16. Groups that are good at raising money
have a strong sense of purpose about
who they are and what they plan to
accomplish. Sponsors of these
organizations impart this type of
environment from day one. And it’s no
different once the sale starts.
BY CLAY BOGGESS
WORDSTOLIVEBY
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