How to Create Income for Friends & Family and Raise Money

Create Income While You Raise Money

How often have you needed to raise money?

How often have you thought about your friends helping you?

How often have you thought, “How can I help my friends make money while helping my fundraiser?”

You see all those coupon sheets out there that you get as a thank you gift for the donation you made to a fundraiser? Those coupon sheets can be made up of different businesses that your friends own or work at.

First, all you have to do is talk to each one with a skill they are currently working with. For example, if you have a friend who braids hair, they can have a coupon on your sheet. I have friends and family who sell Avon and Mary Kay, make cakes, work as qualified massage therapists and much more. I know you have friends with similar talents and jobs, if you are asking yourself how this works for you? Decide where you are going to market this coupon sheet. i.e. Where will you be set up with your fundraiser when you give the sheet away as a prize? They are going to want to know that you are reaching people that would shop at their business. Now, I have some friends who are happy with the clients they have and do not wish to grow. They say things like, “No thank you. I don't like getting new clients that way because then they always want a discount and I can't work at that price year-round.” Don’t worry about them too much. Some people just will not want to do anything to increase their business. Just let them go down that path and you keep pushing on.

Step 1. Make a list of your friends and their skills.

Step 2. Make up some sample coupons for them (people want things to be easy). I use MS 2010 to create my coupons but you can use anything. If you are not great with designing, I can design it for you.

Step 3. Decide how you want to offer the coupon to your friends. For instance, you can offer the coupon for $$$.

On a side note you could tell your friends & family that you are making these coupons and that you would love to give them a chance to be first on your list. If they are willing to invest just $20 in themselves, here is what they will receive: A coupon 1/2" x 1/2" listed on my sheet which is going to be distributed to 200 people during my fundraiser. That is a great deal. Advertising alone can cost much more than that. It will only cost them 10 cents for every person that receives their business coupon.

Or they can pay $40 and you will create them a coupon sheet with only their business listed. They can pick up to 7 discounts to place on it - 1" x 1".

*Remember: “A closed mouth cannot get fed!” Don’t be afraid to hear NO. Ask for the $40 first. If they say no, then tell them about the smaller $20 ad. A smart business person will say “YES, please hand out my ads for .10 per coupon”. If they get one person to come in, they’ve made their money back.

 Or you can offer it for free; however, people who will not invest in themselves may not be the best people to do business with. While doing customized coupons doesn’t really cost you too much money, you don't want to spend anything that you do not have to.   

Step 4. Call them and set up an appointment to sit down and discuss this. If your friend is far away, you can talk online or over the phone. Just be sure to scan the coupon you created with their business in mind. People are visual creatures by nature and literally need to see what you are offering to do for them, so they can experience it. A 10% ad response is an estimate as to how many people shop with you from the ads businesses place out there. A 10% response to 200 coupons should get you about 20 people that will come in to patronize your business…and those 20 people mean sales!!! Think about it: Why else would they take time out of their day to come in to your business? Advise the business owner on the fact that they may want a special code listed on the coupon so that they know the customers are coming in direct response to your fundraiser coupons.

Step 5. Have your receipt ready the day you have your meeting and present it to them once they pay you. Know the time frame that the fundraiser will be happening, for example from Mar to April. Inform them that you will follow up with them within 1 month after the fundraiser ends to check how many new clients they have received.

Now that you see how easy it is, are you making your list of potential coupon clients yet?

http://www.customizesweets.com/fundraiser_coupons.html to see a picture of a fundraiser coupon sheet.