Did you know that 70 - 80% of your revenue will result from personal fundraising? Last year, 86% of ALL the funds we collected were from personal fundraising! Personal fundraising includes letter writing, email writing, making phone calls, and having in-person meetings with potential donors (when safe to do so). This is a critical piece of your campaign and we have resources and tips to help you!
Contact List
Everything starts here and it is potentially the single most important aspect of your campaign! We will work on building this list out during your Goal Planning 2 Meeting!
Plan ahead and collect email addresses and mailing addresses WELL BEFORE the campaign kicks off!
Schedule some time each week with your parents building this list!
Brainstorm a list of all the people you plan to send emails, letters, phone calls, texts, etc.
Family
Friends
Neighbors
Coaches, Instructors, Trainers, etc.
Teachers
Parents Co-workers
Letter Writing Campaign
Letters and emails are a HIGHLY effective and efficient fundraising method!
Each team needs to send at least 100 letters in order to achieve Hall of Fame status.
...and guess what? LLS will do all the heavy lifting! All you need to do is provide us with general information needed in this spreadsheet (save a copy to your computer and update that document) and we will sign, seal, and deliver them for you!
LLS will send up to 250 letters for you! Take advantage of this! (Stamps aren't cheap, friends!)
Use these templates to help you write your letter (Make sure to look at the ones labeled for Candidates and pick the one that best fits your candidate situation). Team Members don't worry! We have some for you too!
Send your letter choice and contact spreadsheet to your Campaign Manager by DECEMBER 13, 2024 BY 4 PM CT and you're all set to start fundraising!
Email Writing
Think of all the amazing contacts you brainstormed for your Contact List! Not only do we want to send them a letter, but also send them an email on our Kick Off date!
Emails are one of the most efficient ways to fundraise. Supporters tend to donate 20% more online so it is important to follow up with your network each week to ensure that they have plenty of opportunities to support you, receive updates about your campaign, and information about special events.
Don't know how to start or what to write? Don't fret! We've got a template for that too!
Personal Asks
A personal ask is when you meet with a donor one-on-one in person, via phone, or on some sort of video chat (FaceTime or Zoom). Having a discussions with potential donors can help create more meaningful connections and allow you to share your enthusiasm for this mission. Use this script to help you!
Fundraising Website
You will receive a customized fundraising website that you can personalize!
Use these directions to add the following information to your page (and check off this action item for the Hall of Fame):
Your WHY
A photo(s)
Your fundraising goal
Your website will allow you to:
Collect donations securely via credit card
Upload check donations using these instructions
Track your fundraising progress
Track your Team Member's fundraising progress
Social Media
You can use social media to your advantage during this campaign! Post your fundraising link on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or any other social media platform you prefer. Check out our "Marketing 101" tab to see all the amazing resources at your disposal.
Please note that it is imperative that you follow these instructions exactly to link your campaign to Facebook. If you don't this may result in funds you raise not being counted in your total.
Letter and Contact List Due Date
All candidate and team members should send their letters and contact spreadsheet to David Wettroth by DECEMBER 13, 2024 BY 4 PM CT and you're all set to start fundraising!
Reach out to your St. Louis Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign Staff with any questions!
Jamie Lamprecht, Campaign Development Director - Jamie.Lamprecht@lls.org
David Wettroth, Campaign Development Specialist - David.Wettroth@lls.org
Michelle Weigel, Executive Director - Michelle.Weigel@lls.org
Emma Bireline - Campaign Development Manager - Emma.Bireline@lls.org
Kari Hinkle - Campaign Development Manager - Kari.Hinkle@lls.org