How To Market Your Cheerleading Fundraiser On A Shoestring Budget
By: Alex Harper
Submitted: 2010-08-25 14:02:13 | Word Count: 592
You have your idea for a cheerleading fundraiser, and now you’re stuck. You don’t have a lot of money to market the fundraiser, so you think you don’t have any options. Sound all too familiar?
Well, fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case. You can actually get the word out about your fundraiser, even if you are working on a tight budget. If you follow these simple tips, your cheerleading fundraiser will be a success—whether you are counting your pennies or not.
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Blogging For Fundraising Success
First, you need a blog. Blogs are free to create, and a blog will help you greatly as you move toward your fundraiser date. You can use your blog to inform people about the big day and to get them excited. One of the best places to create a free blog is WordPress.com. Then, fill it up with the information you have about the fundraiser (and be sure to keep updating it frequently).
Be sure to include lots of pictures as well. People definitely like to see where their money is going. If they see pictures of the cheerleaders, they will feel as if they are helping real people instead of a faceless entity. This will go a long way in helping you raise money.
Appeal To Your Local Community
After you create the blog, you’ll need some press. The press will help you in two ways. One, you need press to help you market your blog. After all, your blog has some great information about your cheerleading fundraiser, and you need people to see it. In addition, the press will help you market the fundraiser itself.
The question is, though, how are you going to get that press? This is where the local media comes into play. Local newspapers love to cover area events. They will not charge you to run a feature story on your cheerleading team and fundraiser. You will get some great press, and you won’t have to write out a check. Does it get any better than that?
You have to play your cards right, though, and come up with a story that will really interest the public. Get to the heart of your cheerleading program.
• Why is this fundraiser so important?
• Will it give kids a chance they would not normally have?
• Is the team near extinction, and the money is needed to keep it afloat?
You need to find an angle, and then run with it.
Drum Up The Press Machine
Next, you need to approach the local newspaper. Explain why the fundraiser is so important to your cheerleading squad. Again, if you have a good angle, the local paper will graciously offer to run your story. You may have to write the story yourself for the paper (depending on how small of a publication it is), or they may offer to do it for you. Whichever the case, be sure to mention your blog, and let people know they can RSVP for your fundraiser by visiting it.
After you speak to the people at the newspaper, go to the local news stations. Tell them you have an exciting special interest story. Once again, explain the fundraiser, as well as its importance. If you can get a feature on the local evening news, the word will really be out about your fundraiser.
And remember—your cheerleading fundraiser can be a gigantic success, even if you don’t have a huge advertising budget. Grassroots works!
