Posted by Aaron Jeschke on November 19, 2009
For some years I was heavily involved in youth ministry and during that time I performed a number of different tasks and helped put together my fair share of youth events. I often got so caught up on putting on a spectacular event or a producing a quality product that I lost focus as to why I was doing it. What was the purpose of my events? I think the same thing happens in Christian Fundraising all of the time. I have seen many groups get so caught up in raising a specific monetary quantity that they forget exactly what that quantity is for. There are a number of reasons to always keep in mind the purpose behind your Church fundraising efforts.
First, you as the leader of your Christian Fundraising team are responsible for motivating and encouraging your team. If you become overly focused on meeting a quantity goal and not focused on the heart of your mission motivation and purpose will suffer. If your desire is to build homes for the homeless then engage in Christian fundraising for that purpose. If your goal is to see Christ glorified let that be your purpose. The heart of a man is much more important than his hands just as the heart of a fundraiser is much more important than the money that it raises. The heart dictates the actions.
Secondly, the more in tune your team is with the vision the more motivated they are going to be to raise the funds they need. This is pretty obvious but is worth pointing out because without a properly motivated team it doesn’t matter how good your Christian Fundraising product is.
Part of the reason that we at Samaritan Fundraising desire to provide you with the best Christian Fundraising products is so that you can focus more on your mission and vision and less on the bottom line. That’s why we offer the Samaritan Card, a shopping discount card that provides donors with discounts of up to 50% off at over 100,000 merchants nationwide. A faster, easier church fundraiser means a more focused church. A more focused church or ministry is more effective.
Posted by Aaron Jeschke on November 18, 2009
A method that is used frequently in various business settings that is very effective in simplifying and understanding processes is process mapping. What does this have to do with Christian Fundraising? Keep on reading. What we are going to do is use a similar idea to process mapping and simply map out the steps involved in putting together a successful Christian Fundraiser. This idea can easily be used to evaluate the complexity of any Christian Fundraiser that you are considering. Lets take a typical cookie dough fundraiser and draw up a brief process map (of sorts) just as an example.
1. Order Cookie Dough forms from Supplier -> 2. Receive Order forms and distribute to fundraising team -> 3. Team approaches potential donors and has them fill out order forms -> 4. Team returns order forms and orders are processed -> 5. Cookie Dough is shipped to donors.
As you can see in the above example it gives you a good idea as to the complexity of organizing your church fundraiser. Obviously most of you guys are not going to take the time to map out each fundraiser that you consider but a brief mental outline could go a long way in deciding on which type of Christian Fundraiser to use. The above example literally took me one minute to write up. Each step in the process does take a significant amount of time. For example, it may take a week for the cookie dough to be shipped to donors. It is important to consider just how much time you expect each step to take. To give you an idea of how this process will help you we will compare the cookie dough map to a map of the Samaritan Card. The Samaritan Card is simply a shopping discount card that provides donors with up to 50% off at over 100,000 merchants nationwide. The following is the map of the Samaritan Card.
1. Order Cards from Samaritan Fundraising -> 2. Receive Cards and distribute to Fundraising team ->3. Approach and sell cards directly to donors
As you can see in the above example cutting out one or two steps can make a big difference as far as time spent putting together a fundraiser. In this comparison you save time for the donors because they don’t have to wait for the cookie dough in the mail and you save time for your team because they don’t have to return and compile order forms. A simple mapping exercise can reveal a lot about the complexity of a Christian Fundraising product.
Posted by Aaron Jeschke on November 17, 2009
I think an aspect of Christian fundraising that is usually overlooked when ministries put together a fundraiser is service. When we examine the wide variety of Christian Fundraising ideas available we must consider how we can best serve our donors and our Christian Fundraising team. The purpose of a Christian fundraiser is not only to raise the money you need for whatever cause you are supporting but also to meet the needs of the donors and team members themselves. It is paramount that donations are rewarded with a quality product. Many popular products are merely luxury items (popcorn, candy, cookie dough) that most donors can do without. How can we provide a product that allows us to raise money quickly and easily while still serving donors by meeting their needs?
At Samaritan Fundraising we strive to meet the needs of donors and fundraisers alike. That is why we believe firmly in the Samaritan Card, a shopping discount card that provides donors with up to 50% off at over 100,000 merchants nationwide. The cards are easy to handle and easy to sell. They also provide the fundraisers with profits of up to 70% per card. The Samaritan Card also provides for the needs of the donor by giving them savings. It pay for itself in a single purchase and can potentially save a donor hundreds! What better way is there to serve donors than by providing for their needs by offering savings! The Samaritan Card: easy for the minister; great for the donor.
Posted by Aaron Jeschke on November 16, 2009
Too often have I seen groups involved in Christian Fundraising programs that require an exorbitant amount of work from the fundraising team. The truth is that usually Christian Fundraising is a secondary concern. There are very few ministries that have access to individuals who are full time fundraisers. The majority of Christian Fundraising is done by part-time volunteers which means that is of the utmost importance to have a Church fundraiser that is simple and easy. Time is even more of the essence during the Holiday season where everyone is caught up in the Pre-Christmas pandemonium. The key is finding a fundraiser that will work for you. Something that avoids forms, bulky products, return visits, and low profitability. Some of the more popular Christian Fundraising products, such as cookie dough, popcorn, wrapping paper, etc., simple aren’t cutting it as far as the above categories are concerned. Both you and your Christian Fundraising team’s time is very important.
Selling the Samaritan Card is an excellent holiday fundraiser that allows you and your team to raise money quickly and easily. The Samaritan Card is a shopping discount card that provides donors with discounts of up to 50% off at over 100,000 merchants nationwide. There are no forms, orders, or return visits after the initial order and the card is so easy to distribute to the members of your Church fundraising team. The best part is that takes only minutes to sell. With the Samaritan card that is no more organizing of complicated fundraising events! You also can earn profits of up to 70% per card! Why settle for less when it requires more time and effort? Christian Fundraising has never been easier.
Posted by Aaron Jeschke on November 13, 2009
Considering that it is only a couple weeks until Thanksgiving it is important to draw some attention to giving thanks for those who serve and labor on your Christian Fundraising team. Putting together a successful Church fundraiser is much more than selecting a quality fundraiser. In order to ensure fundraising success it is of the utmost importance to have passionate and caring people involved in the process. Whether you are a leader or simply part of the Christian Fundraising team it is vital that you show appreciation for all the hard work that your fellow team members. Why not celebrate Thanksgiving by giving thanks for your fundraising team? In every vocation that I have had from youth ministry to Samaritan Fundraising I always perform better when I know that I am appreciated. The same holds true for your team.
At Samaritan Fundraising we strive to be your fundraising “Armor-Bearer”. We realize that Christian Fundraising isn’t always what you want to be doing which is why we want to make your fundraising experience as simple as possible. That is why we recommend the Samaritan Card. Selling the Samaritan Card is fast, easy, and beneficial to donors. Who doesn’t want a discount card that gives you up to 50% off at over 100,000 merchants nationwide? Our goal is to ease the Holiday stress by providing you with great church fundraising products!
Posted by Aaron Jeschke on November 11, 2009
Don’ t look now. It’s about time to start thinking about those Christmas shopping lists. The Holiday season is always a hectic time for ministers and donors alike. The problem is that even during this time many groups put on church events and activities that require some measure of Christian Fundraising. The typical Christmas fundraisers usually involve products or services that can only be used seasonally and is something that donors may already have, such as Christmas wreaths. Wouldn’t it be great to provide people with a gift that keeps on giving throughout the entire year and raise the money you need? Can such a Christian Fundraising product exist?
The Samaritan Card, a shopping discount card that gives donors up to 50% off at over 100,000 merchants nationwide, is the gift that keeps on giving. The card can provide savings for an entire year and is extremely easy to sell. In times such these savings might be the best gift that you can give. The cards are also wallet-sized so they can be a great stocking stuffer! If you want a low stress Church fundraiser that can yield profits of up to 70% per card than I recommend you check out the Samaritan Card.
Posted by Aaron Jeschke on November 10, 2009
When putting together a Christian Fundraiser it is of vital importance to have goals in mind. Having written goals is proven to increase one’s chances of success in any area of life. It is important not only to approach goal setting from a financial perspective but it is also important to have goals concerning what type of Church fundraiser you want to engage in. What do I mean by this? You want to set specific categories for your Christian fundraiser such as profitability, ease, benefit to donors, etc. Here is an example: We want a fundraiser that has a profitability of 50% or more, a product that can be sold by anyone in our organization that doesn’t require forms, up front costs below $500, and that gives donors a very practical and obvious benefit. We would also like to raise $2,000. When you set up your Christian Fundraiser this way you are much less likely to settle for an average Christian Fundraiser that doesn’t meet your needs.
There are a few specific categories that I would recommend you include in any goal setting process. Those include profitability of the Christian Fundraiser, low risk, simplicity, speed at which money can be raised, and benefit to donors. If you can find a Christian Fundraising idea that allows you to meet your goals in all of these areas you are well on your way to putting together a successful fundraiser.
Is there a product that gains high marks in all the above categories? I believe that the Samaritan Card, a shopping discount card that provides donors with up to 50% off at over 100,000 merchants nationwide, does just that. The Samaritan Card can provide groups with up to 70% profitability. After the initial order you do not need to pay for your cards until 45 days after which greatly lowers risk. The cards are remarkably easy to sell and can be sold in just minutes. Lastly, the cards are significantly beneficial to any donor. What donor doesn’t want to save more than they give? Christian Fundraising has never been easier!
Posted by Aaron Jeschke on November 9, 2009
It is always important when putting together a Christian Fundraiser to know just to whom you will be pitching your fundraiser. This could have a very significant impact on the profitability of your Church Fundraiser. If your “target market” includes those desiring to save money and not spend uselessly then likely a cookie dough fundraiser for you. Too many groups attach themselves to a Christian Fundraiser without ever thinking critically about their audience. If you have a group of donors who are willing to donate a significant amount than I wouldn’t suggest selling small items such as candy bars.
The vast majority of those to whom ministries will be “pitching” their Christian Fundraiser are typical Americans desiring to save money in tough economic times. The unemployment rate just recently climbed above the 10% mark so donors will be looking to save more now than they have in recent years. It is of vital importance to select a Church fundraiser that meets the demands of donors. Something that doesn’t cost much up front and ideally might even save them money in the long run. Savings are of the utmost importance. Every dollar counts.
I believe that the Samaritan Card is the perfect fundraiser for the majority of American donors. Individuals who purchase the card tap into exclusive savings of up to 50% off at over 100,000 retail, recreation and restaurant merchants nationwide. After just a couple of uses (sometimes only one use) it is as if the donor has paid anything at all. All the donor needs to do is make a one-time $20 payment and then begin saving what could amount to hundreds of dollars over the course of the year. Providing a quality Christian Fundraiser that meets donors needs has never been easier.
Posted by Thomas Freiling on November 6, 2009
In our modern society it seems that we enjoy making everything as complex as possible. Everything is multi-tasking, technological innovation, and mass communication at lightning speed. As we delve further into the information age life it seems things are going to increase in complexity. Often this emerging complexity puts undue strain on ministries and church groups who not only have to deal with technological complexities but also the intricacies of the human personality. Ministers are now required to wear so many “hats” (manager, fundraiser, pastor, event coordinator, web developer, etc) that life can sometimes seem impossible. It is very important for ministers to simplify where they can, especially in areas that they don’t particularly enjoy dealing with. Why not start by simplifying your Christian Fundraising? So many Church fundraisers include pesky forms, impractical products, and are difficult to coordinate.
At Samaritan Fundraising we strive to provide Christian Ministries with the simplest and best Christian Fundraising products. A prime example would is the Samaritan Card, a shopping discount card that gives donors up to 50% off at over 100,000 merchants nationwide. After the initial order there are no forms or return visits. It couldn’t be any simpler. The Samaritan card also pays for itself in as soon as one use! No more impractical products and pesky forms. Keep it simple with the Samaritan Card!
Posted by Aaron Jeschke on November 5, 2009
During this time of year it is not uncommon for one to see various groups selling large tins of flavored popcorn. Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks and the pictures always look delicious. As is the case with many Christian fundraising products I love the idea of popcorn as a fundraising product but is it really as effective as it is often made out to be? For me, popcorn is one of those products that I enjoy but I can also easily do without. In recent months I have rarely had the opportunity to have any popcorn and I actually hadn’t noticed until I had been thinking about popcorn fundraisers. Can a product that is very much secondary in the minds of society be a genuinely effective Christian Fundraising product? Perhaps, but are there better Church Fundraising methods?
To me, popcorn has a couple of flaws as a christian fundraiser, it is a secondary item (and by that I mean nonessential to daily life) as we have discussed and it only yields a maximum profit of 50%. Popcorn tins are also quite large and cumbersome so it is difficult to transport them. What donors really need is a product that can meet essential daily needs, that allows groups to raise money quickly, easily, and that is highly profitable.
I believe that the Samaritan Card, a shopping discount card that gives donors up to 50% off at over 100,000 merchants nationwide, provides the solutions to all of the problems surrounding the popcorn Christian Fundraiser. First, it is helpful to donors in the most primary of senses. Savings, especially in this economic climate, are a daily need of potential donors everywhere. It is something that almost anyone can use year round. Secondly, the Samaritan Card provides Christian groups with profit margins as high as 70%! Lastly, the Samaritan card is wallet-sized which makes it extremely simple to transport. What’s worth more to you? Saving money for a year (with which you can buy popcorn) or taste popcorn for a moment?
