Call Reminders
Have you ever been at a fundraiser distribution, near the end, and looked around to see that there were still a lot of boxes? Unfortunately, this is a common fundraiser problem. Parents just forget all about the pick up. At the very least, this is an extra hassle for you, as you have to arrange storage of these extra items and then track parents down. If you are working with frozen items, you have to find a big freezer to store them in!
People Forget
It seems so simple. All the parents have to do is write down the date on their calendar, right? That is probably what you are thinking in your frustration as you try to shove boxes in the back of your SUV. But we have all forgotten important dates, haven’t we? Even if the parents were paying attention and wrote the date on the calendar when they read the letter you sent home, they could still forget.
A Solution is Discovered
We see this problem so often in fundraising that we decided that we had to do something about it. We aren’t scientists, so we couldn’t figure out how to cure forgetfulness. Instead, we came up with a plan. It started with a suggestion. We noticed that if coordinators started to call parents that hadn’t shown up by the last 45 minutes of pick up, that most parents could be reached and reminded. They would then be able to make arrangements to get their fundraising orders before the end of distribution.
We started to recommend this tactic to all fundraising coordinators. It still works great. Bring a cell phone and a list of numbers (or check for the number on the fundraising orders that are included in our pre-packaged boxes), and be prepared to call. However, it wasn’t a perfect solution. Sometimes, there were a ton of orders that didn’t get picked up. And not every coordinator is comfortable calling a bunch of parents using their personal phone.
Phone Calls the Night Before
That is when we had a bright idea. If a phone call during distribution works, why not a phone call the night before distribution? Parents were receiving information about the pick up date in their fundraising letter at the beginning of the sale, and in many cases in a separate letter home nearer distribution, but a final phone call reminder could serve as a great last minute reminder.
We decided to try it out. We recorded a message and sent out automated calls prior to a customer’s pick up date. It worked great, and we have done it ever since.
Fewer No Shows
Our automated call reminder service cuts down on the number of no shows at pick up, making the job much easier for fundraising coordinators. There may still be a few stragglers, but the smaller number of no shows is easier to handle.
Today, we offer call reminders as a free service to larger groups who can benefit the most from it. Smaller groups usually don’t need it, as they have an easier time communicating with all participants. Groups that take advantage of the call reminder service experience a better distribution with more parents remembering to pick up. This results in fewer hassles dealing with product that doesn’t get picked up. Another fundraising hassle solved!
Quick Facts
- We provide free call reminders to large groups
- Groups are required to provide a phone list for us to call
- We record and send the message with the pick up details the night before distribution
- We need to provide the fundraising coordinator’s phone number for the caller id, so if anyone has questions they can reach the coordinator directly
- Calls usually go out from 6pm to 9pm