Tips for Fundraising Success

Let us help you revise the age-old success steps to profitable school fundraising. We do not apologize for bold statements between the lines. Now for the tips to your success.

Tip 1.  Choose your fundraising program.

Absolutely evaluate the available programs.  The Internet opens the world to your committee.

Tip 2.  Plan your Program.  Set financial goals, the length of fundraising (2 weeks is often recommended), and stick to the time frame.

Check on the planning aspect. Time is your friend, and is no longer a driving constraint.  Yes you should keep it short from a conventional publicity mindset, but keep your mind open as you continue down this page.  Our program is open-ended AND physically unconstrained from a local community / neighborhood perspective.

Tip 3.  Publicize to your community

Check.  But let's redefine community.  It is your local community, your extended family, friends, acquaintances, and your emailing list. Those with whom you share internet humor!

Tip 4.  Promote your fundraiser by letters to parents & members, posters, and community announcements.

Check.  Add email to that list. We provide a link with sample emails kids can copy-n-paste and a link to 'send a bookmark' right from your unique school fundraising web page. At your school discretion, we can automatically generate a gentle email campaign for your purchasers so every quarter (or month) they are reminded of your ongoing fundraiser offering specials, etc. 

Tip 5.  Have a 'Kick-Off" rally to build enthusiasm and educate the students on what they have to do for success.

Absolutely.  Kids understand the web.  They really understand how to email and use the world wide web!

Tip 6.  Start the fundraiser.

Check.  Your leadership can evaluate products even before you commit and publicize the fundraiser. Once we are notified, your site will normally be operational within a week.

Tip 7.  Track progress.  Encourage the students to maintain motivation.  Consider incentives.

Check.  However, progress is instantly updated and accessible to your leadership.

Tip 8.  At completion of the fundraiser, collect the order forms and payments.

Oops, sorry.  The system is instant and no action is required from you.  Payment is collected as people order online.  They even use credit cards on a secured shopping cart.  No order forms, no payments to handle, no mix-ups, no lost paper nor money.

Tip 9.  Tally results

Sorry, already completed.  That is done automatically for you.

Tip 10.  Send payments and the tally forms to the fundraising company.

Done automatically. 

Tip 11.  Plan the product delivery date with the fundraising company.

The product is shipped within 2 business days of when it is ordered by each customer so this is not required.  A full customer service system is in place for any problems or questions.  And thanks to email, United Parcel Service tracking is delivered to the customer as the product is shipped.  This includes expected delivery dates!

Tip 12.  Check arriving shipment for damaged products and any misorders.  Arrange for replacements.

Sorry again.  All taken care of by customers & our customer service.

Tip 13.  Have a time and place for students and parents to pick up delivered products.  Organize those orders using parents and teacher volunteers. Be sure to double check the orders as they are released.

Sorry.  We know you are getting the picture here.....

Tip 14.  Students should deliver the products they sold.

Already completed. Imagine the savings of time and energy complements of web technology!  And, instant successes for the kids!

Tip 15.  Use the funds for the betterment of our kids educational experience. 

Check. Mission completed, almost.

Tip 16.  Evaluate the just completed fundraiser, and begin planning your next fundraiser.

Check, but only the current 'campaign' is complete.  Your system is STILL in place and will continue producing sales for your profit. You can

• Plan another campaign,
• Do an advertising blitz, or
• Simply stay in touch with your ongoing contributors until the next school year rolls around

Technology serving your organization