School Fundraising: Measuring the Big-Picture Goals

Measuring goals isn’t always like measuring flour for a recipe. Some goals are based around improving skills, for example. It is still very important to have a system to determine your child’s progress. This article will be devoted to helping you find the ways you will be able to measure these goals so you can enjoy the reward of completing them.

When’s the last time you thought about doing good for others? Some people consciously make an effort and many help without giving it a thought. If your child is struggling in this area, you may have made a goal in dear hopes that your child will gain compassion through this school fundraiser. Is this a silly goal? Certainly not. Interacting with people under specific plans-of-action can get your child in the habit of doing good for others. It may also enlighten your child to the intrinsic value of selling, a reward that goes beyond any material goods.

So how do we measure this thing called compassion?

Begin by giving your child time to at least make three presentations. After these presentations, you will evaluate your child based on the following questions:

• Is your child beginning to talk to customers easier?
• Does your child use key words that signify compassion for the customers and not just the product?
• Does your child share stories about selling experiences?

Even if the stories your child shares are comical or poke fun at the customers, that does not mean your child is not compassionate. This may be your child’s way of showing care through awkward life stages. Listen to the true story being told. Does your child mention personality traits of the customers? If so, this means that your child is really taking interest in them. This will definitely be a gradual process, but keep evaluating every presentation after the third one. If you cannot be there for the sales delivery, ask your child about the experience. And remember, you have the opportunity to direct the conversation. Asking your child about these experiences may create a-ha moments for the both of you.

My child has all the compassion in the world but is shy during the delivery.

If this is a statement that resonates with you, one of your child’s goals may be to become more comfortable with the presentation. This goal is another long-term goal (like being more compassionate) and should also come with short-term goals. It will be easier for your child to measure the progress if there are steps.

For example, a few short-term goals might be:

• Laugh five times through my presentation. This will keep your child on track, having strategically placed where these laughs will be throughout the presentation. It will also lighten the mood; who can stay tense while laughing. Relaxation is half the battle to accomplishing an effective presentation.
• Take control of the conversation from the beginning when faced with elders. It is very tough for children to ‘take control’ of a conversation because they are often taught to be quiet around adults. It is very important to listen during the conversation, but your child can work on taking control by asking the customer a specific question when they first meet. The customer will answer, which will give your child leverage to comment and move into the presentation.
• After my customers make a comment, I will make one comment and then ask one question. This will keep the presentation moving fluidly. For example, if a customer says, “I like the floral print of this paper,” your child might say, “Yes; it is beautiful; there are two other floral prints as well. Do you have a garden; or have you just always admired flowers?” These questions will show your customers you care and will give you an idea about their lifestyles. Maybe your customer does have a garden and you have gardening shovels and gloves in another fundraiser. This will give your child a selling point.

Now that you have developed these short-term goals, you will be able to make a checklist of how often your child is completing them. Soon they will be part of a confident presentation, and you can leave your checklist at home!

If you have any specific goals you need help with, don’t hesitate to ask. Cheers to a beautiful (and windy) day!

"School Fundraising for Mommies" is under development through MommiesLine.com. The book covers how mommies can help their children master the art of sales through their school fundraising experiences by developing planning, selling, and networking skills.