Are you pushy when it comes to fundraisers?

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My church is currently working on it's anniversary in about a month or so and I'm on the programming committee. One of our fundraisers to reach our goal is to sell popcorn. Each person had to set up an online store then the fundraiser went live this past Friday at 6 PM. Each person was asked to set a $1000 goal. I posted my online store on Facebook and asked a few friends to share it to their page. A few of my family members have all purchased popcorn and I'm a little less than $250 in sales. The fundraiser campaign ends tomorrow at 5:59 PM. That is just how this particular popcorn company does things. They only give you so many days to do a fundraiser. Well, Fri night, a group of us from the church are in a group text chat and several people had sold almost $900 before 10 PM, only 4 hours after the fundraiser started. Maybe I'm just not one of those pushy salespeople who are always in your face with a sign-up sheet or constantly reminding you about the fundraiser. Honestly, I'm not that big on fundraising anyway so this is my first time actually doing one. Yeah, if your daughter is selling Girl Scout cookies I'll sign up for a few boxes but do not keep coming to me asking me to buy this or that or just to remind me you're doing a fundraiser. I have plenty of friends on Facebook and not one of them have purchased anything. Again, only family, sisters, my mom, my mother-in-law, myself, and my wife. In speaking with the guy was was in the lead at the time, I was joking with him that I needed some of his friends and he said that he will probably be in HR come Mon because he hit up all him co-workers. And even now he, along with several others are pushing towards the $2000 mark in sales.

Are you a pushy salesperson when it comes to fundraisers or are you like me, you put it out there that if they buy they buy, if not, oh well. Or when they come to you, you put your name on their sign-up sheet to support them but now that you are asking, no one else has signed up? I'm not at the bottom of the sales right now and all monies are going to the same cause but how aggressive are you when it comes to fundraisers? Do you hit up everyone you know individually? Are you passing the sign-up sheet around your office? Are you calling friends and family across the country to support you? And how would you look at this going forward? Yall didn't buy from me when my group was doing a fundraiser so in the back of my mind I'm going to remember that the next time your child or civic organization is asking for support?

I just think some people have the gift of gab and can sell ice cubes to an eskimo. I'm not that person.

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@Barry2021,

I cannot stand fundraisers from the side of selling. I do not like bothering people and making them feel obligated to buy anything. I usually just put it out there and say if you feel you want to contribute or buy this useless item then feel free to do so.

When my kids had to do any of this - usually I just contributed more money. I honestly think it is unfair from whatever organization that sets up a goal to make you feel bad or to really hold you to that goal at all. Everyone has different situations - you could come from a family that does not have much money, or you do not have many family members or friends. So I can see setting a goal per person/family but not to pressure anyone to meet that goal or even discuss with others participating in such fund raisers.

On the flip side - I do not mind contributing to fund raisers - I almost always do - especially when it comes to kids - I cannot say No to them and now I guess it is payback as my kids are older. As long as I know the fund raiser is legit (and someone is not just trying to scam you) I have no issue to contributing.

As an aside some people even strangers can be surprisingly generous. My daughter did canning once for her softball team. --- I actually prefer canning as you just give money and not buy something you don't really want and then it is all money going directly to the fund raising -- anyway canning is when you have a can and basically just ask for cash, typically standing in front of a grocery store. Anyone my daughter was there with another girl and or course a couple of parents to supervise and make sure no crazies bothered them or stole their can - and some guy came by. He looked a bit shady then proceeded to pull out a big wad of cash and began peeling bills from his wad - he had to gave them like a $100 bucks.

The only time I personally do not give, is if some kid is just standing or sitting and they do not ask you (politely of course) - I feel they should learn to explain what they are raising money for and show some appreciation and a little work - I don't expect much just a little and a thank you.

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I never give to churches or religious organisations, I give money to homeless people, because they needit.

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@Linkat,

My brother in law feels like you. When his son was in school and had those fundraisers he said it was a lot cheaper to not sell anything and just go buy the prize you would get for selling a particular amount. Granted, we're selling popcorn and not just some useless wrapping paper or candles. I'm just not one of those people who knocks on every door or stops everyone walking by asking them if they want to contribute.

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I’ll happily go to a church jumble sale or fete and buy something but that’s about it.

We don't have a culture where organisations sell existing products at inflated prizes for charitable causes, like chocolate or girl scout cookies or stuff like that.

The nearest we had, and I don’t know if it’s still going, but the boy scouts used to have “Bob a job” week once a year where scouts would do errands for a bob, which is a slang term for a shilling which no longer exists because it’s old money, pre decimal.

When I was doing it in the early 70s it was already the victim of inflation, nobody paid a shilling, it was too mean.

Today a shilling is worth £0.05.

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@Barry2021,

Barry2021 wrote:

My brother in law feels like you. When his son was in school and had those fundraisers he said it was a lot cheaper to not sell anything and just go buy the prize you would get for selling a particular amount. Granted, we're selling popcorn and not just some useless wrapping paper or candles. I'm just not one of those people who knocks on every door or stops everyone walking by asking them if they want to contribute.

To some people though popcorn would be useless and to others wrapping paper or candles are useful...depends what you like.

One other thing as far as selling at work and to co workers...you need to be careful..some work places don't allow it or have policies where you cannot pressure or push people o buy. Like my work place ..you can sell but it needs to be a very soft sell as they don't want other employees feel they need to buy something.

When my daughter was selling candy bars ... I out the box in the kitchen with a note exposing what the sale was for and to take one and contribute if they would like. Yeah you risk someone stealing the money or candy bars but I wanted it to be no pressure.

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@Linkat,

I feel you. I do not mind a fundraiser per say but don't be pushy about it. If you ask me and I say "no, not today", then don't give me a sales pitch as to what cause it's going to or how it's going to help out a group or organization in need.

I just rechecked the leader board for my church's fundraiser and the one guy is over $2000 and the 2nd place behind him is just $15 shy of $2k. How many people do you know who are willing to buy popcorn like that? Looking at his list of contributors he's getting sales from all across the country. FL, VA, NC, CA, MD, SC, etc. How many people do you know in the various number of states to where when you hit them up they gladly buy from you? I'm not that connected.

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Popcorn and candy drives work best for people with kids.

A building drive is usually funded by selling bricks, memorials, or assessing members.

At my age, I’ll write a check rather than hawk candy in the street.

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@Linkat,

I was manager of a department that had 32 secretaries. Can you imagine the sales of their kids' stuff there? I have no trouble saying no to something, but I sure didn't like it when they came to my office door with whatever they were selling. Put it in the lunchroom, by all means, with a note, or send out an email. But overall, I think it should be up to the kids to get out there and ask. Consequently, when kids come to my house with their parents asking if I want to buy so-and-so, if I don't want the item, I just give them $5 or so.

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@PUNKEY,

PUNKEY wrote:

Popcorn and candy drives work best for people with kids.

A building drive is usually funded by selling bricks, memorials, or assessing members.

At my age, I’ll write a check rather than hawk candy in the street.

Exactly the candy that didn't sell easily I just bought and gave away

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@izzythepush,

I give to the homeless when they're old, disheveled or appear mentally ill. I am not giving to healthy, fit youngsters who want to feed their dog. I had two teenaged nieces from decent homes who chose that lifestyle for a time.

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@Mame,

I don’t think anybody chooses to be homeless.

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@Mame,

Mame wrote:

I give to the homeless when they're old, disheveled or appear mentally ill. I am not giving to healthy, fit youngsters who want to feed their dog. I had two teenaged nieces from decent homes who chose that lifestyle for a time.

I give to kids because if it is something positive for them. Keeping them off the street and say playing softball in a youth program is positive. Many of these kids playing in these programs are not weathly healthy fit youngster - many of them this gives them good role models (coaches for example - often times the very young kids are coached by high school volunteers). Usually the wealthier towns (like where we moved when are youngest started middle school, typically don't have fund raisers for their youth sports - less wealthy cities like where we lived before survive on these fund raisers --that was where my daughter got like a hundred bucks from a shady character.

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Thank goodness, today is the last day of the fundraiser and I'm glad for several reasons. (1) Because it will be over and we can move on to other things. And (2) because I'm tired of this group text chain I'm in where every time someone gets a sale they notify everyone. Anytime there's a new leader, you, a text. Anytime some posts a funny gif everyone must comment on it. As of right now I am currently in last place. Some of these people have sold over $2000 in popcorn since Fri 6 PM. When do you work if all you're doing is calling friends and family to buy popcorn? I do love my church but my job comes first. I do not have the time, ability, or energy to hit up everyone I know pushing popcorn. Because what will happen is when their child or organization has something then they're going to want me to return the favor. Again, I don't like it when people approach me with a sign up sheet asking for donations and I hate it more to ask people.

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@Barry2021,

I think the sales leaders might just have bigger social circles instead of being more aggressive.

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@engineer,

You might be right. I've never been one of those aggressive sellers who hits up everyone I know on FB or whatever social media I may have and I do not contact everyone in my phone asking them to buy something. I'm sure it can be done and I don't doubt those on the leader board didn't do that. I just don't have the time to do it. . . . nor would I want to.

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