Question about fundraisers

[vickilyn32]

Heres the deal, Ambers competition cheer squad is "selling" advertising space on the back of their t-shirts that they wear over the cheer uniform at competitions. They are buisness card size for $25 each, and you can have anything you want on them. Now we have to go around to business and ask for sponsorship. What do I say! I have never done this before and I dont like to talk to people I dont really know. Please help me come up with some ideas. Has anyone ever done something like this before? I am going nuts here. But with Andy out of work, I really need to come up with some sponsors so we can get Ambers uniform, her first competition is Oct. 30th.

[milesofsmiles]

I am in the same boat with not wanting to ask people for things. But the one time I had to do it, I just marched into the business, explained that I was looking for a contribution, what it was for, and if they would be willing to help out. I made sure that they knew how their business would be displayed on the flyers (or shirts in this case) and most contributed. It's all about advertising. If the business can get their name on something cheap, most will do it. Out of the 10 I contacted, only 3 said no thank you. Best of luck. Oh, I forgot to add, it is best to go there in person. It is a lot harder to say no in person rather than over the phone.

Miles

[kurs10b]

Go to the locally owned places. They are more likely to support a local group. Mom and pop places are the ones that sponsor the baseball, football, soccer, etc teams. People see their names on those shirts and are more likely to go there.

[Kaiti]

;)Man, we pu ttogether an ad book for the halloween parade, and I know what you mean aboutasking people for money.

go to www.allowayhalloweenparade.com

Our co chair....my cousin, has it worded beautifully there when we are trying to attract new business to advertise.

Make sure to find out if the " Donation" is tax deductible or not. Some businesses have gotten frustrated with us because we aren't tax deductable. BUT there is something about the money they pay for advertising that can be deductable.

"Hi, my name is.....I'm with the .........we are doing a fundraiser by selling advertising space on our over the uniform cheer shirts. The space is the size of a business card and is $25. Would you be able to sponser me this year? We need to get "x" amount of sponsorship so that we can go to our compitions"

Does that help? "x" can be a goal that the girls set for themselves. So if they get say 20 sponsors, let the people know what number they are toward the goal.

If they seem friendly enough, ask THEM if they know of any other businesses that they could recommend that might sponsor as well.

Good luck
Kaiti

[Anna]

We're selling ads for my daughter's gymnastics competition as well. I haven't worked up the courage to go around and ask for any help yet, but figured that I'd just go to those places that we normally shop at - or know from family members. BUT in all honesty, I think we'll get more money selling ad space than say...candles or something.

Anna

[sportsmom]

"Hi, my name is.....I'm with the .........we are doing a fundraiser by selling advertising space on our over the uniform cheer shirts. The space is the size of a business card and is $25. Would you be able to sponser me this year? We need to get "x" amount of sponsorship so that we can go to our compitions

That is a great thing to say to the businesses you visit. I work in a gas station/convience store/resturant and we have LOTS of people come in and want us to do advertising like this. We always do it because it is a very very cheap way of advertising. You will be surprise that you will get more yes's then no's. As for the tax deducation I know our small business had already went over our limit for the year but it is always a good thing to offer just so they know you are an honest person. Good luck

[Kaiti]

That's another thing I forgot. Don't go to Big Stores. They don't have the capacity there to whip money out of the register.

Our Walmart has to have things in by September to even be thought about putting in an application requestiong charitable causes. And that is for next years budget.

The smaller mom and pop's are usually really good. You could even try car dealerships. We usually don't have too much of a problem from the area Volkswagon dealer.

[camismom]

For Cami's swimteam, we have to do a MANDATORY fundraising of $250.00 or pay it ourselves. It will be Joe Corbi's pizza.

Bob & Sherri (th syndicated radio show) was talking on this very subject this morning. Anyone listen to them? Sherri commented on the fact that she has enough Sally Foster wrapping paper to wrap her entire house right now and her own children haven't even started school yet! ;D ;D Bob said he thought it would be easier if the schools just outright said, "we need your financial support and donations to help us succeed" and left it at that. Just let parents give what they can without trying to sell useless "junk".

Just about everyone I work with has children so we are just inundated with fundraisers every year...all of the school's fundraisers as well as what each of our children are into extra-curricular wise (football, drama, swimming, band, chorus, etc., etc.). I have already bought Sally Foster paper from a coworker, sponsored by bf's dd in two track meet runs, bought a raffle ticket from her for her track, a chicken salad sandwich plate from another coworker for her church's youth group, as well as magazines for Cami's school PTA, chocolate for her chorus, and will be doing the pizza for the Hurricanes when it gets passed out. It really does get to be too much!!

I do find it easier to sell if it's something the person can truly use, and advertising is always something small businesses need...but I too am very shy when it comes to approaching people I do not know and asking for money for something. I just hate it!

Good luck Vick! How much does she have to sell?

[milesofsmiles]

Whenever Nate comes home with a junk flier we don't even bother to buy the stuff. We figure we give $20 to the cause and they get $20 worth of benefit, not $1.99.

Good luck with talking to the businesses, I'm right beside you.

Miles

[sportsmom]

Yesterday we got back some stuff Levi sold in a fundraiser. As an extra if the kids sold X amount of items they got to pick out a prize out of a box (the company does this as an inncentive). Well Levi pulled out a $100.00 bill!! Finally something pays off for all the selling that we do.

[Kaiti]

:oand it was real

good for him