WARNING: If you can't handle the truth, stop reading now. Here is how several charities have capitalized on fundraising to raise $Millions$ each and every year. I warn you, if you are not prepared to make the changes they did and do everyday and you are happy with very little, STOP READING NOW!!! I am going to share with you their TOP SECRETS to success.When I am thinking about writing a blog, I picture having a conversation instead of sitting here typing like I am.
The inspiration for this Blog comes from
our continual experience with our charity partners. Charities must look in the long term. In order to build a wall, you have to the lay
the first row of bricks, first. Many
charities host an event without understanding the long term commitment it
takes. Educating and training of your
guests is crucial. We will address “Guest
and Support Training” in yet another Blog to come.
Success comes in the long term because a
one-time windfall is great but being successful over the long term is truly
what success is all about and the Conservation organizations figured out when
99% of the other charities in the U.S. have not. Why?
First, let me tell you how I got my
start. A very long time ago, I was a
volunteer involved in two different Conservation charities. Through those charities, I learned the basis
of the company I represent today – BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising.
The outdoor charities are honestly the “Kings
of Fundraising” and should be applauded for their understanding of what it
takes. Their successful methods are TOP SECRET, or at least it seems it is because outside of their charities, no other charities are utilizing their successful methods. Whether you support them or not, everyone
should learn from these charities. I
have to hand it to the people involved in these charities because they figured
out how to be highly successful over a very long time and importantly, they
also learned how to grow their charities while hosting a fundraising event. Let’s discuss what they know, and most importantly,
what everyone does not and nearly refuses to believe - it’s a “Quiet Secret.”
But before I tell you how successful
they are, I believe looking at their numbers will put you in perspective. If you are not as impressed as I am, you
should be (These are just SIX (6) out of all of them that use this same model):
Charity Total Revenue
Ducks Unlimited $185,148,845
NRA
$272,950,038
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation $79,251,317
Pheasants Forever $43,041,536
National Wild Turkey Federation $35,391,581
Trout Unlimited $34,011,522
TOTAL
= $649,794,839
Their Successful Approach to Long Term Fundraising:
More than just a fundraising opportunity
– The Conservation/Habitat charities host fundraising events which are not
solely based around the charity in question.
Their events are fun and very relaxed, they are more like a party
instead of a seminar. Routinely, other “like”
charities will attend to support them.
1. Auction Items available – The conservation
and habitat charities reach out to companies who provide items that they
believe their guests will like. These
charities then provide a catalog (called a “National Package”) of the items to
their chapters with a price for each.
The chapters then PURCHASE the items for their events Live & Silent
Auctions. The chapters then sell the
items at their events. Of course, the
chapters do go after donated items but the events are centered on the items
which they purchased. They understand
that in order for them to benefit financially, they MUST have high quality
items.
Recently, I met with a Regional Director from one of the above charities. While talking about helping him, he said: “George we know that we can’t rely on
donations, they are generally junk and we rarely profit from them. We have to have great items at our events
because they guarantee us profit.”
By providing high quality items, these
charities know the appeal to their current and future guests. They have accepted and utilized the fact that
people attend their events just to get a chance at bidding on items that are
available. It is what “SELLS” their
events and helps people coming back each year to follow.
NOTE:
The most important word above is “PURCHASE.” They must pay for the items regardless if
they take a loss or not. The charities
can’t provide them at NO RISK to their chapters because of the carrying costs
if the items do not sell. BW Unlimited
Charity Fundraising provide items and travel at ZERO RISK to our charity
partners. BWU assumes all the risk, this
only guarantees profit for charities. If
the items sell at their events, they keep 100% of the profit. Each item has 20% profit at the very first
bid and even more as the bid amounts go higher.
2. Growing Long Term Support – Through their
fundraising events, they sell an amazing amount of memberships and differing
levels of support. When you attend their
events, ticket buyers also purchase a membership as part of their ticket. These events are so highly sought after
because of the items available, the membership purchase is a part of the deal
in order to attend. They understand that
a fantastic fundraising event is the best way to grow their support.
AN EXAMPLE: When I was a part of one of the above
charities, which by the way had no direct tie to the area, we used the events
momentum to sell more Life Memberships ($1,000.00) than any other chapter in
the North America – we sold 20 ($20,000.00).
3. Long Term Charity Growth – What is most important,
at these events, other people want to be a part of the charity by volunteering
to host another fundraising event somewhere else by opening up other chapters.
Summary:
The quiet secret that they are holding
back is the key to their success over the long term. They know that having a fantastic fundraising
event with great items helps them grow and grow and grow. They take advantage of this incredible
situation which most of the 104 million charities in the U.S. are not. Why?
Some of the charities outside of this
group resist what they know to have a proven successful track record…why? Because it goes against what most people
believe – but unbelievably, that is what BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising
offers our clients.
If you would like to know their secrets
and begin to do what they are doing while enjoying their success…shhhhhhhh….BW
Unlimited Charity Fundraising will tell you.
Contact us today at www.BWUnlimited.com.
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