T&T is in a perpetual state of fundraising. Churches, Schools, Sports Clubs, Associations and individuals, to name a few groups, are always looking for money. The projects range from the staple cake sale and BBQ to more complex events like the School All Inclusive Fêtes.
I’ve been around many fundraisers and have found one area to be commonly under resourced – the sales function. The single most important function of a fundraising committee is to attract people to the cause and that’s a sales function. We are good at preparing food but we also need to learn how to sell.
What should the sales plan look like? For one there needs to be someone whose sole responsibility is to sell tickets and they need to have a sales team. Here’s what else is needed:
– a clear goal that can be tough but must also be attainable (not pie in the sky)
– a breakdown of where ticket sales will come from by type of group (eg. parents/past students/companies)
– identify someone to be in charge of ticket sales by group
– use databases to reach prospects (permission based of course, through email and texting)
– targeted promotions to drive awareness of event (does NOT always have to be paid for)
– weekly sales updates 6 weeks out to event day
– telemarketing to relevant individuals and corporate prospects
Ticket sales are the lifeblood of fundraising. Without it all other efforts are fruitless.
