How to Sell For a School Fundraiser

Make a list of friends and family you can sell to. You're going to be more successful getting purchases from people you know than people you don't. Most times schools don't allow soliciting (going door to door selling to people you do and, more often, don't know), as this is illegal in some subdivisions and unsafe for kids - so friends, family, and well-known, non-creepy neighbors will be your only option.

Remember who you've given donations to in the past (for things like charity walks) and ask them first. Often these people will be the first to give since they will want to repay your past kindness. This may backfire, however, if you sell to them too often and come off as annoying. Assess the person beforehand to see if they're the type to be annoyed by fundraisers.

Have a script to go by. It's hard for most people to talk to others, especially strangers, to get money. A script can help calm your nerves.^[2]

Add some jokes to keep the potential buyers interested. For example, if you're raising for your school, say things like: "Without better (school supplies/educational devices), think how many people we'll have working at McDonald's!"

Go for the heart. Say things like: "With all of those people working at McDonald's, who's going to find a cure for cancer, (Or any other illness/problem)?"

Always be ready to explain the why. People want to know where their money is going. They need to know that it's not going directly into your pocket. "We're raising money for... Because...".

Learn as much about your product as possible. Customers will want to be buying from someone who knows what the product is and what it can do for them.^[3]

Keep in mind that these people you sell to give you only a little bit of their attention, so make it quick. If you don't catch their interest within the first ten seconds of your pitch, they probably won't continue. Say something like: "Hi! I'm selling ____ for my school/[name of organization] fundraiser. I was wondering if you were interested in purchasing _____ today."

• Tell your potential customer why you are selling your product. For instance, to raise money for your school.
  

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Emphasize the special features of your product.^[4]

Do not mention any flaws in the product you are selling.

Always emphasize the cause. That's as much of a motivation for people to buy as the product itself, sometimes even more so. Remember to say what you are raising the money for and have as much (if not more) information on the cause as well as the product. Use specifics. Don't just say "this money is for the school marching band", but "this is so the marching band can have new uniforms as our current ones are x years old."

Never offer to give away an item for free. The buyer will take off with it and you'll lose a customer.

Don't act like you've sold much, even if business is doing well. You want people to think you really need this.

Smile while you talk to them.^[5]

Talk about the person as well as the product. Remember to ask them questions about themselves based on things you know about them, like how their family is doing.

• Never ask for any personal information. This could offend the customer.

If they ask when the product will arrive, make sure to be ready to tell them. Not knowing the schedule seems unprofessional and people will be less likely to buy.

Use your common sense. If it's clear that someone's busy, offer to come back at another time. Or, if you're really not wanted, shorten your script so that you can leave more quickly.