We are now well into the throws of the Fall season and sales are underway. It is important to keep pushing and doing the little things along the day. Whatever you put first in your life will determine your decisions. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you finish up the Fall season in fundraising:
1.Do you start with a plan each day or do you wing it? 2.Did you follow up on anything leftover from yesterday? 3.How are your daily plans lining up with your 3rd and 4th quarter goals? 4.Did you ask for a referral or two? 5.Did you evaluate a successful program and pull out the things to repeat? 6.Did you evaluate a less than successful program and determine what not to repeat? 7.Are you closing out August and September groups? 8.Are you continuing to kickoff October and November groups? 9.Have you incorporated a Sprint One Hour sale into the mix? 10.Did you write a thank you note or a thank you email follow up?
Remember, that there is very little traffic on the extra mile.
So here are a few action steps as you finish up …
1.Do the extra things that matter - don’t be ordinary, but rather extraordinary. 2.Show up early and stay late - be available. 3.Respond promptly. Even if to say I’m working on it - let them know you are on it. 4.Evaluate - what worked? What didn’t work? Make notes and suggestions for next time. 5.Say thanks - a quick handwritten note can mean SO much to your customers.
All of this to say - do the little things and do them with conviction and enthusiasm. What you do does matter and sometimes a smile or a thank you can set you apart from your competition. Don’t be afraid to call and ask for help or get a question answered. The team at SaveAround is here to help and we are glad to assist.
Referrals
Have you asked for a referral? As you close out your groups that ran in August and September, remember to ask for a referral from your chairperson. They know other groups in the school that need to raise funds. Coaches or Athletic Directors know other coaches at other schools who are probably in need for fundraising - similar situation. Or if you are working with a schoolwide group or a PTO/ PTA ask the parent volunteers if they know other groups (probably outside the school that might be interested). You would be surprised at the number of groups that run based on a referral situation.
Closeouts
As groups continue to wrap up their sale it is important you complete the closeout form in a timely fashion. Go to the chairperson portal and fill out the closeout form. You will need to know how many books were purchased via cash and check; prize books; and any lost or damaged books. All online sales will automatically be calculated and included in the closeout form. From here you can generate the invoice and shipping return labels (if needed). Once the closeout form is completed and the invoice is generated, make sure you send an email to the Group Relations team letting them know this group is finished and we are awaiting payment. This allows them to match the system to the closeout numbers, etc. If you have any questions about the closeout process or need assistance, email the team: grouprelations@savearound.com.
1. Halloween dates back more than 2000 years.
2.Jack O’Lantern comes from the Irish legend of Stingy Jack.
3.Candy corn was originally chicken feed.
4.Jack O’Lanterns originated in Ireland and were originally carved out of turnips, beets, and potatoes.
5.Trick or Treating started in medieval times. Children went door-to-door, wearing costumes, looking for food or money in exchange for songs, poems, or other “tricks”.
IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS, OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEWSLETTER?
Do you have an idea or topic that you would like to see covered in the Community Conversation newsletter? If so, please send it to sales@savearound.com and we’ll get right on it. Remember if it is something that you would like to know more about or learn about then chances are someone else needs to know it, too.
