Fundraisers

Helping others is very rewarding for you, your business and your workers, associates and clients, as you see those you help reap benefits while earning some recognition for your company efforts in the process. Plus check out the words from inspirational pro Zig Ziglar, "If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want." Here are tips to help with your own fundraiser marketing campaigns. 1. FLYERS - Create flyers for bulletin boards of the organization involved in the fundraising and for local area stores, shopping centers, community centers and other places. On the flyer, make sure to include complete contact information with your website, email address and a phone number. To save on full color printing, print with standard black ink on colored paper. Along the bottom of the flyer, have tear out tabs with your website link and phone number on them so that people can tear them and off and take them home. Tip: pull off the first tab to get the motion in action. Otherwise, passers-by will think your flyer is too pretty to tear and won't take any strips home for following up. 2. COORDINATE - Make sure the group or organization you are helping takes part, too. Have them cross promote, linking your fundraiser web page to their own website. Create a special email message for them to send to co- workers, their own clients and other contacts. And help by submitting a newsletter article about the fundraiser to their company newsletter. Speak often with the person coordinating the fundraiser within the organization to develop and follow through with your joint marketing plans. 2. PRESS RELEASE - Announce your fundraiser to local media; print, radio and television. Have digital photos on hand to supplement and plenty of information for follow up in a media kit - online is great for quick reference and handy downloads. Include a link to your media kit in your press release. It helps to have someone available for speaking opportunities. Radio and television hosts may want to interview someone about the event. If you have an open house or kick-off event, invite the media, too. Have media kits on hand to distribute (in print and on CDs, if possible). So reach out and help others with fundraiser marketing. Helping others is a great way to help yourself, in the process. And do remember to include your website and email address on all of your marketing tools.