How to Fundraise Door-to-Door

Need money for a trip, a community service project, or a school program? Fund raising is a great way to make fast cash. Though it requires a sacrifice of time, energy, and personal dignity, door-to-door fund raising can often generate profit much faster than a regular 9 to 5 job.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• A product to sell
• A backpack or bag to carry product and earnings
• Good walking shoes

1. Find and purchase a product to sell. Children's toys, fresh flowers, candy , sunglasses, or home decorations, such as art or sun catchers, are possibilities. Search wholesalers, dollar stores, and catalogs for an interesting or eye-catching product.
2. Create a spiel-- a speech to catch your customers' attention and entice them to buy. Is there something different about your product that would be of interest? Is there a good cause that you are fund raising for? Think about why someone would want to buy from you and develop your spiel.
3. Set a time frame to fund raise. Set aside a few hours in the afternoon or clear your weekends to commit to your selling.
4. Set an inflated price for your product.
5. Pick a residential area or a commercial area (if you would rather fund raise shop-to-shop). If you're selling flowers, going from bar to bar can often be effective as people buy roses for their dates.
6. Knock on door or approach customer and present your product and spiel. If he or she shows interest, try to make a personal connection which will influence the customer to buy. If not, proceed to the next customer.
7. Keep going until you reach your monetary goal. With experience, your spiel will develop, and you will what influences people to buy and what doesn't.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep going! You will probably face a devastating amount of rejection. Don't take it personally, and just keep your goal in mind.
• Purchase a small amount of product first in order to test how it sells.
• People often respond to the idea of good luck or symbolic meaning attached to objects. You can incorporate this into your spiel. For example, if you are selling pictures of butterflies and elephants, tell them that butterflies symbolize hope and that elephants are good luck.
• Make sure local laws permit soliciting. "No soliciting" signs in the front of buildings are usually an indicator that they don't.