Fundraising Sales Secrets

How do you maximize your fundraising sales? Here are some fundraising sales tips from my book,
Fundraising Success!

1- Emphasize setting a personal challenge goal
Have sellers make a commitment to be their group or sub-group's best salesperson. Structure their sales efforts to emphasize achievement, not failure.

2- Have sellers state their solo goal out loud
By publicly stating what you'll accomplish to your peer group, you've reinforced the commitment. Who wants to say publicly that they'll fail to achieve?

3- Make a prospect list
All sellers should make a list of prospective customers before they start. Review it and make sure they have at least ten targets.

4- Define your best customers
Stick to the people you know - friends, relatives, neighbors, etc. Don't forget co-workers and out-of-town contacts for your major fundraisers.

5- Rehearse the sales pitch
Have everyone practice your group's sales pitch at home. Fine tune your two-sentence value proposition and make sure that every seller uses it. Be armed and dangerous

6- Be prepared
Sellers should carry their order form and sales materials wherever they go. You never know when a good prospect will emerge!

7- Smile and introduce yourself
Remind all your sellers to smile and introduce themselves before launching into their two-sentence pitch. Use the power of the word need when stating the group's goal and your first request for help. It's an extremely potent trigger word. We need your help because our band needs new uniforms.

8- Ask for the order
Always include a direct request for an order in your sales script after the because statement. Can you help us meet our goal?

9- Personalize by picking favorites
Tell each seller to find one or two items that they like and then promote those enthusiastically.These green ones are great.

10- Ask for more business
After the initial order is placed, offer supplemental items for more revenue or ask for referrals, etc. Ask these questions:
Can I show you another program we're offering because it's a great deal too?
Can you think of anyone else I should contact?

11- Make it easy to buy
Do everything you can to make buying your offering easier. Offer to fill out the form yourself. Remind the prospect that a certain item makes a good gift or that it's all for a good cause.