8 Steps To A Successful Campaign

A "MODEL" United Way Campaign: 8 Steps to Success
A good United Way campaign can accomplish many goals. It can help raise funds for many local agencies providing services to our community, it can provide a team-building experience for your employees and it can improve employee morale. Following are steps to have a succesful United Way campaign!

Step 1: DEVELOP A PLAN & SET A GOAL

Good planning will be vital to the success of your campaign. A well-planned campaign will ensure efficient use of your time and maximize the interest of your employees. Remember the United Way staff and volunteers are available to assist you in your planning and activties. Attend a United Way company campaign coordinator's training session. Set a goal for your company, considering last year's giving by department, the number of employees, etc. Develop a timeline and tentatively plan your campaign activities. Outline your plan and present them to your CEO and management for approval.

Step 2: INVOLVE YOUR CEO

Your CEO will send a message to employees through his or her actions about just how important the United Way campaign is to your company. You need your CEO to: Give approval for the campaign activities you have planned. Allow you to form an employee team to coordinate the campaign activities. Send a letter to employees endorsing the campaign. Participate in employee meetings voicing the importance of United Way. Allow employee groups to tour United Way agencies before employee meetings. Participate in any activities or themes you choose to use for your campaign.

Step 3: FORM A TEAM OR COMMITTEE

Let the United Way campaign create a TEAM SPIRIT in your company. By putting together a committee or team, you notonely add extra help for yourself, but you add ideas and enthusiasm. The campaign can help your employees work together and energize the entire company to meet a common goal. Team members should adequately represent your company (various departments, hourly, management, etc.). The team will be of most help to you in adding details to your campaign plan and generating excitement throughout the company. MAKE IT FUN!!! - Establish a theme to customize the theme to your company. Plan the kick-off activities and any special events. Plan youremployee meeting dates and times, as well as how the meetings will be run. Arrange for pledge cards to have employee names on them before the meeting.

Step 4: PUBLICIZE YOUR CAMPAIGN

Promoting your campaign will encourage the involvment of your employees, promote the company's team spirit and foster enthusiasm and participation. The United Way office can customize payroll inserts or fliers with your company name or provide any other materials you may need. To promote your campaign: Develop an interesting thermometer to place in a visible area so your employees cam watch the progress of the campaign. (This often sparks a little departmental competition.) Plan tours of United Way agencies for employee groups. Use your company newsletter to promote United Way and your campaign. Distribute the enclosed posters, fliers and payroll inserts. Utilize all methods of communication in your company including bulletin boards, voice mail, electronic mail, etc. Order t-shirts for your campaign team and/or other interested employees.

Step 5: KICK-OFF YOUR CAMPAIGN

A kick-off party or special event which includes all employees can build the excitement about the campaign and encourage involvement by all. By having anf official kick-off the campaign becomes a company project, again promoting a team spirit! the kick-off or event should: Be well publicized. Generate enthusiasm for the campaign and foster a team spirit within the company. BE FUN!!!!

Step 6: MAKE THE ASK

Now that you are organized, you are ready to ask for contributions from your employees. There are two different types of solicitation methods: GROUP MEETING CAMPAIGN All employees meet together, or in smaller groups to be given the opportunity to give. Group Meetings are both cost and time efficient because the meetings do not interfere with the daily routine, employees are away from the job for a short period of time and many people can be approached at once. See "25 Minute Employee Meeting" outline for details. PERSON TO PERSON CAMPAIGN When group meetings are not possible, you should select a group of solicitors, train them and send them out to meet employees on a one-to-one basis to ask for a contribution.

**No matter which method you choose, be sure to include all of these     elements: Personalization and distribution of pledge cards to employees. A presentation about United Way which includes remarks by the CEO, Campaign coordinator and United Way representative. A showing of the United Way Campaign video. An explananation of agency services, payroll deduction and "Fair Share" giving. Employees are asked to make a pledge and all pledge cards are signed by the employees and collected.

Consider soliciting your managers separately to encourage giving to qualify them for the Leadership Society for outstanding individual contributions.

Step 7: REPORT YOUR RESULTS

In order for United Way to wrap up the community's campaign, it is crucial that you report your results as soon as possible. For your campaign reporting to be complete, you need to: Complete all forms (Employee Pledge Form, Agency Designation Report, Campaign Data Information Form, Complete list of Leadership donors with dollar amounts. Return these forms and a copy of the employee pledge sheet and any cash or checks to United Way of Greenwood and Abbeville Counties, 929 Phoenix Street, Greenwood, South Carolina, 29649.

Step 8: SAY THANKS

In addition to thanking members of your campaign team, finding ways to say "thank you" to your employees helps them realize just how important their contributions are. They will be more inclined to continue giving when they know their gift is appreciated and makes a difference.