Communication = More Profits!

After running nearly 2,000 high profit fundraisers and raising over $8M in profits I can tell you the one thing that will set a fundraiser apart is AWESOME communication. Good communication can turn a so-so fundraiser into one that exceeds expectations! The flip side to this is that bad communication can destroy a fundraiser. A fundraiser that is out of sight is also out of mind! 

Here are the top 3 ways to increase profits through increased communication:

Number 1... Communication with sellers

Here is an easy one. If you’re excited, your seller will be excited. You must communicate that to them!  If you communicate your excitement about the fundraiser, it will naturally rub off on your sellers. They need to feel your excitement. I cannot stress this enough. What does this look like? 

· Talk about the fundraiser on morning announcements. 

· If there is an opportunity to hand out daily prizes during the fundraiser, be that Principal that is at the distribution table giving out prizes and high fives. 

· Set a challenge with the sellers that if they reach a certain level in sales or hit a school goal you do something out of the box. Remember there are many fun fundraising ideas! (Water balloon the principal, slime the principal, work on the roof for a day, etc.).

· Let sellers know WHY you are doing this fundraiser. This will give them ownership in the fundraising goals and motivate them to feel proud of their fundraising successes along the way.  

Number 2... Communication with teachers

So goes the captain... so goes the ship. Your teachers need to see that the fundraiser matters to you! Believe it or not, your teachers can make or break a fundraiser. They need to know a few things:

· When does the fundraiser start?

· What will the money be spent on?

· Are there any benefits to them if they hit a certain level in money raised? Think gift cards, sub days, coffee… anything is better than nothing!

· Remember to remind them that this should be an easy fundraiser and it can be fun!

When they know what’s going on in the fundraiser, they can spend 30 seconds a day with their kids being the fundraiser’s biggest cheerleader. Trust me, it makes a difference.

Number 3... Communication with parents

Although prizes are fun... Mom and Dad need to know that this fundraiser is so much more than that. If you don’t communicate that, they will never know. There are a few EASY but effective ways you can keep your parents in the know:

· Explain why you are raising money on the parent’s letter.

· Utilize ALL forms of communication that you have at school, such as reminders, text messaging, emails, auto dialer, etc. to keep parents up to date about the fundraiser. 

· Find a company that will provide you with email templates to push out to parents. Pro tip: These emails need to go out by themselves. Don’t bury the fundraiser info between the lunch menu and field trip info.

If you implement all the things you learned in this blog post, from the three communication strategies to all the great  fundraising ideas, your profits will be sure to skyrocket! 

-Aaron Lynn

Believe Kids Representative