| With car wash fundraisers it pays to sell tickets in | | | | their tickets are sold they quit. Since every kid will |
| advance, there is a right way and a wrong way. | | | | go to the easy sell areas then get depressed |
| It is essential that you understand the sales | | | | when they don't sell any tickets there because |
| strategies necessary to maximize your pre-sale | | | | 'Billy' hit all the good areas first, this will be their |
| efforts. Not every person is a crackerjack sales | | | | excuse for not selling any tickets. You will be |
| person. Some people are introverts rather than | | | | facing this excuse. Also, if four kids live in the |
| extroverts. What may seem to come naturally | | | | same area, the first kid who is not scared to sell |
| for some will seem like an insurmountable task to | | | | will go out and sell leaving nothing for the other |
| others. | | | | three in that area. The most likely to |
| If you find that a few sales people are falling | | | | procrastinate until the last minute will be the |
| behind, put them in a team with an extrovert. If | | | | introvert who is terrified of selling and when he or |
| you can't do that, put them with an introvert. | | | | she goes to sell in this area, the neighbors will |
| Two introverts together will find success because | | | | reaffirm the child's belief that they can't sell and |
| they will draw upon each other. They will lose fear | | | | they will refuse to knock on any more doors. All |
| of rejection and will not be afraid. In the case of | | | | because your best salesperson already sold there. |
| kids, they may not tell you that they are totally | | | | You should also realize that if they fail at the last |
| terrified of knocking on a stranger's door and | | | | minute, it's too late to send them out in teams, |
| asking them for money. Since you don't have | | | | too late to motivate them and it's too late to help |
| time to fix this problem now, simply put them | | | | them overcome their fears. Even if you're a hard |
| with an extrovert or perhaps their best friend in | | | | liner, "They'll just have to deal with it. I did when I |
| the group. This usually works. Whatever you do, | | | | was a kid," if they fail your group loses money |
| don't criticize or ridicule them in front of their | | | | and you may have to do a whole other fundraiser |
| peers. Even simple teasing will only worsen | | | | if this happens to too many kids in your group. Be |
| problems. I've seen kids go home and cry, stop | | | | very cautious. This is serious. |
| selling altogether and even quit the group. | | | | OTHER LOCATIONS |
| Remember kids join groups to feel like they | | | | Where else can your group sell tickets? There are |
| belong. If they no longer feel like they belong why | | | | a number of prime locations and I mean prime |
| should they stay. You may or may not realize it | | | | locations. Ask the owner of the bowling alley if |
| but you can cause psychological damage to a | | | | you can ask bowlers to buy tickets. Same with |
| young person by submitting them to something | | | | the manager of driving range at the golf course. |
| that terrifies them and then ridiculing them in front | | | | Outside of major grocery stores are good. |
| of their peers for not performing. | | | | Medical centers where there are individual doctor's |
| DIVIDE AND CONQUER | | | | offices are good stops. Casinos are good if you |
| It may be wise to start a full-blown assault in | | | | have parental escort. Regional shopping centers |
| ticket sales or pledges. You'll have to have a | | | | can also be great. Pizza places after softball |
| game plan. We suggest you ask each salesperson | | | | games are good. Ask large corporations to put up |
| or pledge driver to put a dot on a map of where | | | | a small shoebox for donations or a pledge sheet |
| they live. Try to assign streets near their house | | | | with a stack of free car wash coupons. Small |
| for them to target. Be careful not to duplicate | | | | business clusters, office complexes or high-rise |
| streets otherwise you will be competing against | | | | office buildings can be good. Soccer fields, baseball, |
| yourself. The larger your group the more | | | | basketball, hockey and softball games work well. |
| neighborhoods you'll be hitting. It's similar to | | | | Try a local farmer's market. Service clubs such as: |
| precinct walking during elections; each person | | | | Rotary, Kiwanis, Optimists, Soroptimists, Elks, |
| must commit to knocking on every door in their | | | | Lions, Mesonic Masons, Toastmasters, Promise |
| assigned area. Again, remember that teams might | | | | Keepers, Networking Groups are excellent |
| be a good idea. Try to pick between 75-150 | | | | because lots of people who really care about your |
| home areas per person. If it's a high-income area | | | | community are at these meetings. Some |
| or a medium income area but is mostly families, | | | | members may even volunteer to take a booklet |
| 75-150 homes will be ok. Low-income areas will | | | | of twenty tickets and sell them for you at other |
| need 125-150 home areas. This should net you | | | | clubs or at work. |
| approximately twenty to thirty tickets or pledges. | | | | Senior citizen groups and citizen/city sponsored |
| If you are desperate for cash go on the high side | | | | committee meetings are good. How about bingo |
| with 150 homes. Don't bother counting houses. | | | | nights? You should also try car clubs that meet |
| Use your best guess. If you don't know which | | | | monthly. |
| areas are high income ask the kids where all the | | | | If you are a sports team, associated student |
| rich people live. They know. It would be better if | | | | body or school club, anything associated with |
| you drove through various neighborhoods before | | | | schools, then go to: Back to school night, PTA |
| assigning streets to be targeted by each kid. We | | | | meetings, High school football games, Baseball |
| suggest getting a big map, put it on a poster | | | | games, Track meets, Basketball games, Wrestling |
| board and let the kids put a mark where they | | | | matches and School District Office (Make sure |
| live. If you have a roster of homes addresses do | | | | you have permission from the school district for |
| this yourself. Then go and assign areas after you | | | | your car wash first for this). |
| do some marketing by driving around (MBDA). | | | | Craft shows, bazaars, trade shows, chamber of |
| OVER LAP PROBLEMS | | | | commerce are good places to go. Chambers of |
| If you don't assign areas for a small group you | | | | commerce have regular: Board of Director |
| may be ok. With a large group you will have | | | | meetings, Seminars, Mixers, Luncheon meetings, |
| some overlap problems. One or more of your | | | | Breakfast meetings. |
| pledge drivers or ticket salespeople will knock on | | | | You should figure out how much money you need |
| doors and the people answering will say they | | | | to earn from this fundraising event. How many |
| already came here. Even if they didn't buy a | | | | people do you have in your group? Figure out |
| ticket, they will lie and say they did. Even more | | | | how many tickets you will sell or how many |
| discouraging, they may say four people already | | | | pledges you will most likely receive. Also, how |
| asked me. Don't come back. Whoops. The | | | | many cars you can wash. Extrapolate these |
| question to your salesperson/pledge driver is now | | | | figures out and decide if it is feasible to reach |
| where did they start and where did they stop in | | | | your budget goals. Make sure you know your |
| that neighborhood? This is a dilemma since it will | | | | goals before you start. Let everyone in the group |
| probably be in a high income area. Kids are not | | | | know. Figure out a worse case scenario and best |
| stupid. They go sell in the rich areas first. When all | | | | case scenario and then go for it. |