In the modern arms race that has become college athletics, fundraising is almost as important as the games themselves. Sure, the enormous influx of television revenue means there has never been a larger divide between the haves and have-nots, but fundraising can still be the great equalizer.
Find the right alum, tug at the right heart strings, and your wishlist can become reality. To the outsider, it seems simple. It sells itself.
Kind of like Girl Scout Cookies.
But we all know that couldn’t be further from the truth. Two million boxes of cookies don’t move themselves every year. Even Girl Scouts have to get out there and sell. So, why don’t we take a few pointers from one of the most prolific sales forces the modern world has ever known? Just try not to get hungry.
The number one reason people don’t buy cookies is because they were never asked.
Sure, you went door to door, so to speak, at a few events. You even made a few phone calls, but did you truly ask everyone? Don’t take for granted that people just assume they can donate at any time. Put the message out there any time you have an audience. At games. On social media. Everywhere. We all want to spend our time going after the big fish, but the little guys love their school just as much. Put enough of those in the boat, and everyone can eat.
Encourage customers to buy enough to last until the following cookie season.
Scarcity is probably the biggest driver of cookie sales and the reason Girl Scout cookies have such a following. Believe it or not, you have it too. National Signing Day. The College Football Playoff. March Madness. They all only happen once a year, and the right donation at the right time can make this the year. Don’t miss out on it now, because all your rivals will be passing you up if you do.
Always tell customers your goals for selling cookies.
It is extremely hard to write a check and let it just vanish into the operating budget of an athletic department. Show the donor what the are buying. You won’t be able to promise a new weight room to everyone, but even sending them a link to the individual weight bench, the best one money can buy, creates a sense of satisfaction. They didn’t “give away” their hard earned money. They bought their favorite team a gift.
Save your order cards from year-to-year and contact previous buyers first.
This one is obvious, and something I’m sure you all do. Give long term supporters the first crack at funding that new nutrition center or practice field. Let them get you as close to your goals as possible, and go after new donors to finish a project or provide those extras.
Host a troop door-to-door sales party.
How many people in your department are involved in fundraising. If your answer was anything less than “everyone” you need to change that. I’m not saying you should have student equipment managers cold calling VIPs, but you should make sure they know what the sales pitch sounds like. Let them know what to do when they come across someone who is willing to donate. Show them the process and what it can build. You never know who your team member might be connected to, or who they might one day become. Make sales a team effort, and the team will sell.
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