How to Keep Kids and Sellers Motivated

Fundraising is a great way for schools, sports teams, or church groups to raise money for themselves or their causes.  Often, fundraisers start out strong with lots of sales and enthusiasm from youth sellers, but then the stamina wears down, and kids/sellers become uninterested and don’t end up earning as much money as they ultimately could have. To circumvent that fundraising lull, we’ve made this list of tips to keep sellers motivated until the full sale ends, making your group more money for your cause and giving your kids a self-esteem boost!

1. Incentives and Prizes: Give sellers a good reason to continue selling by offering prizes, goodies, and other treats when they meet their selling goal, or if they sell the most in the group. Positive reinforcement is an excellent way to keep kids involved. If they feel like they are doing well, they will continue! We offer a variety of prizes. Be sure to check them out for your group!
2. Friendly competition: It makes sales a little more fun when there is an element of competition to them. By giving the top sellers a small prize, it will motivate everyone to try and sell the most they can, in hopes of “winning”.
3. Record Progress: It can be helpful to have your sellers record their daily sales and progress in some benchmark way. That way they can see how they are doing from day to day. When they look at their sales as a daily reminder, they are more likely to sell every day, so that they can raise their benchmark scores.
4. Parents: It can be very beneficial for kids to have parents helping them. If they feel like they are selling alone, they are more likely to get bored, and sell less towards the end. Whereas parents can be a great motivator, and keep their children selling until the end of the fundraiser to teach them how to follow through on a commitment.
5. Importance: Before sales begin, it can be helpful to explain just how important fundraisers are, and why they are selling. If you account for the importance of the sales, as well as what you are raising money for, kids will be more likely to keep that in mind as they try to reach their sales goals.
6. Make note of your cause: As previously stated, telling kids what they are raising money for is a great way of keeping them motivated. Especially if it is for a cause that means a lot to them, it can significantly encourage them to put effort into their fundraiser.
7. Ask for the Sale: It is important to teach your sellers how to ask customers properly to make a purchase. Sellers should concisely explain what they are fundraising for and what group/organization they represent. Then follow up with what items they are selling, the cost, and ask if this customer would like contribute. When the seller(s) feel confident about what they are saying, they are more likely to keep at it, even if some customers don’t make a purchase.
8. Set goals: It would be a great plan to have each seller set a personal sales goal, as well as have the entire group set an overall sales goal. This way, each child can set a goal and work towards it. Then the group goal will most likely be met as well. Try offering an incentive if the group goal is met, such as a party, or treat for everyone as a bonus motivation.

Fundraising and sales can be involved with a group. Hopefully, this list of ideas and motivators can help you and your group with your next fundraiser! Keep them in mind, and sell sell sell!