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How Do I Get Better at Fundraising

February 6, 2020

Many individuals entering the world of fundraising are often not certain what qualities make a good fundraiser. While experience breeds wisdom and confidence, there are several ways to improve your fundraising skills in more immediate ways. So how do I get better at fundraising?

How Do I Get Better at Fundraising – How does making mistakes help us learn?

With the benefits of fundraising, there is no question why someone would want to get better at fundraising. There’s more to fundraising than being a good marketer or excellent salesperson. In this post, we’ll point out a few skills that will make you better at raising funds for your cause.

Brush Up on Your Teamwork Skills

Fundraising experts say nearly every type of fundraising role requires you to work as part of a team. Unfortunately, you’re likely to be stuck with at least one colleague who prefers to work alone (it might

even be you). If you’re the lone wolf, it’s crucial that you make an effort to improve your teamwork skills. The overall morale and quality of work depend on it. Practice how to compromise, listen to others and work towards a common goal. Let go of a little control and chances are you’ll be surprised how good the results can be.

Write Letters

There are several different fundraising strategies out there, but after your event make sure you write a letter. Handwritten letters can make a huge impact. All fundraisers write to donors at one point or another, whether it’s thank you cards, social media or emails. Writing letters by hand is a special way to communicate with your donors. A real letter is more personal, heart-felt and conversational. And it’s likely you’ll get equally thoughtful responses in your mailbox.

Donate and Volunteer

As a major gift fundraiser, it helps to be a donor so you can solicit with genuine conviction. It’s also important to get away from your desk and go outside to reconnect with the emotion of your work. For instance, you can go outside of the office and give your money to causes that are close to your heart.

Fill Your Brain Bank

We’re all creative beings and being able to put ideas to paper becomes a lot easier as our brains become fuller. While coming up with great ideas may seem to come easy for a creative, it does take a great deal of effort and practice. It takes years to develop so be sure to read a lot. Read as much as you can about fundraising and other topics that interest you. Travel. Go on adventures. Let your imagination run wild. Challenge yourself. Watch movies. The more you vary your content, the more diverse and interesting your work will become.

Make Mistakes

In order to have a successful fundraiser, you will need to make a few mistakes. Making mistakes speeds up the learning process. The trick is to make sure you’re not repeating the same mistakes. Moreover, you also get to show people that you can eagerly apologize and admit you’re wrong. This proves that you are human so put yourself out there, take risks and recognize that nobody is perfect.

Bottom Line

Fundraisers are very important. The tips mentioned above answer the question: how do I get better at fundraising? It’s also important to understand that there’s always more to learn. So even if you’ve been in the fundraising industry for decades, don’t be a snob because you can’t see into the future and the industry is changing by the day.

How Do You Prepare For An Escape Room – Are escape rooms hard?

February 3, 2020

Playing escape room for the first time? It can be scary and intimidating; but not if you know what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. To get all that in one basket, you should ask the right question. How do you prepare for an escape room? Well, first you need to be composed and be a team player.

How Do You Prepare For An Escape Room

Escape rooms are great team-building activities. For the best escape room tips and clues of how to play escape room like a pro, this is the post for you. It will share tested and proven hacks that will get you out before the 60-minute deadline. Hang on, you are about to become an escape room pro in a short while.

Pick your team carefully.

Escape room gets better when you are a team. You could be 2 to 6 members. Choose people you can work with. If you are always getting into arguments, it is not the team you should work with.

You have to be at your best when you communicate. Another important thing you should insist on in your team is getting a mixture of skills. It is going to be teamwork and everyone should bring something on the table of the game.

Choose your room.

You will get a rich selection of themes for your room. Is it going to be horror or supernatural? Whatever gets you to A-game should be the kind of room you choose. For a newbie, be moderate with the room theme. Let it not be something that scares your guts. It should make you feel warm and immersed in the game. Remember that whichever room you choose, it will be filled with various types of puzzles.

Learn the storyline by heart.

Do not be in a hurry to get started. Listen to everything your hosts are going to share. They will share tips that will help you break free from the room. You will also get the background story to the setting you will be walking into. It helps to learn every twist of the story. There are clues in and you do not know when they can save your day.

Relax and enjoy it.

You are here to have fun. Relax and enjoy while at it. Get comfortable with the room and be attentive. Look around the room and spot any early hints. Everything you see and hear may help get help when you need it.

Tips to ace escape room like a champ.

Get started immediately. Time is of essence here and every minute counts.
Quickly scan the room and gather all information you can.
Don’t waste valuable time on one puzzle.
Let others know the clues you find. They should also return the favor.
Don’t ignore even the smallest thing.
Keep what you collect where you can see it.
Have the story background at the back of your mind.

How do you prepare for an escape room for the first time means whether you will have it easy or rough. Come with a team you can trust. Do not panic even when the time is running out. Stay focused and you will make a breakthrough in the 60 minutes.

How Do You Write a Follow Up Email – What should I say in a follow up email after an interview?

December 24, 2019

Have you ever tried to write a follow up email? Well, if the very thought out writing a follow up email makes you uncomfortable and confused, then you are not alone. There are many people who face the same problem. But as follow up email is important, you have to know about how do you write a follow up email. You have to make sure they are perfect and readable too. A follow up email can have a stronger impact than the first one.

How Do You Write a Follow Up Email

If during your job search you have followed up after an application, this should be fairly easy. But in order to make it happen, you have to write a great email. We are here to help you in writing a great follow

up email that can help you to gain more leads than ever. You have to follow some basic rules. First of all, the wait before you send a follow up mail to a person should not be long. Read on to know more about how to write one.

How to write a follow up email?

Before you start writing, you need to consider two main things

First, decide what you want to achieve. If you want to know how your interview went, you must state that. Once you have determined the main motive of the follow up mail, it will be easier for you to curate.

Second, before you write a letter or send to the person, be in their shoes. It is one of the best elements for the success of the business. You have to think about the frequency of the follow up emails. Too much can be irritating for the person.

Here are some of the steps that you have to follow to write a follow up email:

Add the context

Recruiting professionals say you have to add a context based on the purpose of your follow up email. Make sure that your message is direct and positive. You can open up the email with the line, ‘I just wanted to follow up about the interview we had recently…”. This will serve the purpose too.

Add value

It is very important to avoid the lazy follow ups. Make sure to send the email that contains value. You have to provide value to each and every information or interaction in the email. You must make it worth their while to click, open and respond to the mails.

Explanation for the email
How Do You Write a Follow Up Email

You have to provide an explanation or a reason for the follow up email. It should be in a manner which is both direct as well as concise in nature. Also you have to include the email with a call to action which makes the email much more relevant too.

Conclusion

If you knew what to do during a job interview, it is a good chance that you should follow up after the interview. If you wanted to know about how do you write a follow up email, then these are some of the points that you have to keep in mind. After these, you can close your email in a formal way. Make sure it has your name at the last too along with your contact details, in case it is necessary.

Outrageous Fundraising Ideas – How to Raise Money

December 20, 2019

Fundraising is getting competitive by the day. A lot of organizations are looking for support from the same circles of people. It is how you sell your idea that determines whether or not you keep the funds coming. To beat the competition, you can add some outrageous fundraising ideas. You can get a little crazy with out-of-the-box ideas and who cares, as long as you win the hearts of many.

Outrageous Fundraising Ideas

Do you want the benefits of fundraising? If you do, then you will need to have attention grabbing ideas. Looking for some crazy ideas to raise funds for your non-profit organization? This post has got your back. It will share some outrageous ideas that will win you supporters in their numbers. You will learn how to execute each idea and keep the money coming.

Dance marathon

How about letting people have a chance to showcase their dancing skills and make money while at it? Organize a dance marathon and invite as many

people as possible. Do not focus on couples only; individuals also need to be part of the dance. Fundraising professionals say play different kinds of music from old school to the newest genres.

Wine tasting

If there is one way that can convince people to open their wallets; wine is a sure bet. Partner with a wine store or a local vineyard to organize the location and a variety of wines tastes. Advertise the event aggressively and make sure you have enough space for the guests. To make it better, make arrangements for transport after the event. Do not assume that every person will hire a driver for the day.

A cultural night

Find a local cultural organization in your area and sell the idea to them. Organize a night to celebrate the culture of a particular region. The food, drinks, and music should be part of the package.

Simple auction

Auctions are not crazy, but you cannot rule them out. They know how to pull crowds and convince them to a little extravagant. Do not go for complicated stuff. Include groceries, everyday auto spares, and items that people use daily.

BBQ bonanza

People love barbeques and the chance to meet and make new friends. Plan for a BBQ bonanza and do a good campaign to promote it. Let your close

friends help spread the world. Target every age group because everyone loves good barbeque. You will be charging some entry to those who will be attending. When it is all done, you will have a crowd spreading the message about your organization. The next time you do this, you will have a lot of ground covered.

A movie marathon

Do you have some space in your home you can convert into a movie room? Find the latest blockbusters and let people know you will be holding a movie marathon at your home. It is an easy way to make money at little to no cost.

If you were looking for outrageous fundraising ideas, you have more than you may need. Pick whatever works for you, and make the dough. Remember, simplicity will always give you bigger returns. There is a great importance in fundraising, so create effective strategies and marketing plans to successfully raise money.

How to Wash Graphic Tees

August 27, 2019

Are you worried that most of your graphic tees are fading or cracking after wearing and washing them a few times? It can be quite frustrating. Although the durability of the design depends on factors such as the printing process and the type of shirt it’s being printed on, it’s also highly dependent on how you handle your tees, especially when it comes to washing. Here are a few pointers on how to wash graphic tees.

How to Wash Graphic Tees

This article points out some of the tips on how to wash your graphic tees so they remain as good as new for longer. It emphasizes the need to avoid using harsh detergents and washing with cold instead of hot water among other things.

Always Use Cold Water

Unless you need to disinfect hospital sheets or towels, there’s really no reason why you should wash your clothes in hot water. Hot water is not gentle on fabric and will destroy it over time. Cold water, on the other hand, is gentle on fabric and also gets your clothes clean.

Don’t Use Strong Detergents or Bleach

Like hot water, strong detergents and bleach are harsh on fabric. If you need to get rid of spots on your tee, consider a light stain remover as it should get the job done. It’s also crucial that you use mild detergents on your graphic tees.

Wash Them Inside Out

A general rule of thumb, especially when it comes to graphic tees is to turn them inside out before placing them in the washing machine. That helps to keep the design intact and lessen the fading. If you want the design to last even longer, make sure it doesn’t get into contact with the washing machine often to prevent the ink from getting strained.

Also, avoid washing your graphic tees after every use. That may seem extreme but think of it this way – each time you wash and dry your tees, you’re speeding up their aging process. It goes without saying that if your tee is really dirty you should go ahead and wash it. But if you’ve only worn it for an hour or two and it’s not dirty, consider folding it and putting it back in the closet.

Don’t Put Your Tee in a Hot Dryer

When drying your graphic tee, don’t set the dryer to the highest heat level. Another useful trick is to remove the tee before it’s totally dry and letting it dry naturally either in a clothing line outside or anywhere else. High heat is possibly your graphic tee’s worst enemy.

Wash Similar Clothes Together

If you’ve had a white design on your red shirt turn yellow after a few washes, the chances are you washed it together with some yellow attire, and the yellow color found its way into your white design. That’s why it’s crucial that you wash only shirts with similar colors together.

Bottom Line

Don’t forget the basics on how to wash graphic Tees – wash them in cold water, don’t wash them together, don’t use bleaching agents, let them dry naturally and use mild detergents. That’s how your graphic tees will maintain their printed designs.

How to Sell Things For a Fundraiser

August 9, 2019

Fundraising is an interesting concept for raising funds to support a charity, cause or for the development of a non-profit organization. The best way to organize a fundraiser is by selling things. But if you are worried about how to sell things for a fundraiser, then do not worry as we have a complete guideline for that. Read on to know more about how to go ahead.

How to Sell Things For a Fundraiser

Before the sale starts you have to:

Make contacts with different groups: You have to be aware of what other schools or organizations are planning for fundraising projects. You may want to stagger the fundraising or you may want to do them with other organizations.
Ensure that everyone is on the same page: You need to call for a brief committee meeting for reviewing the key dates and activities of your project. You have to let everyone know about the expectations regarding other’s involvement.
Decide on the payment methods: There are 3 types of payment methods from which you can choose one. There are – prepayment, pay-on-pickup payment and post-pay methods. You can choose anyone or let the customers choose the best option according to their choice.
Enough selling time: Make sure to plan the sale in such a way that it gets at least two but preferably three weekends. It will help to keep the awareness up during the sale with
the bulletin board, newsletter reminders and audio announcements. To get things started, you need to:

Once your important fundraising sale begins, follow the steps below. How to Sell Things For a Fundraiser

Start off the project in the right mood: You have to start off the project. For this, you have to start the publicity and let the volunteers work for you.
Send the message to everyone: You need to consider that everyone gets the news of the sale as soon as it starts. You can also ask the fundraising company for providing some sample of the products to show to the people.
Make it in writing: You have to send the product catalogue home with all the details about the cover letter attached. You can’t stuff everything inside. You cannot rely on the letter only. You can also customize the cover letter according to your own will.
Include cash donation option: Many will only prefer to make a cash donation rather than buying something. Hence, it is important to include the option of cash donation too. For that you can add a collection box to conveniently deposit the cash they want to donate.

Conclusion

So, this is all about how to sell things for a fundraiser. You cannot make the announcement and sit back to relax. You have to give constant reminders to the people to get it done successfully. Also, you have to ensure that your volunteers are working perfectly on the roles given to them. You also have to plan for the pickups and for that you have to keep the people informed about it. Appoint a group to handle the money carefully creating all the paper trails, collection and to do the calculations.

Most Effective Fundraising Strategies

July 31, 2019

If you’re raising funds, chances are you’re constantly looking for ways to better your fundraising strategies to raise more money for your cause. After all, strategies can always improve and there’s no better time to think about improving your fundraising strategy than when planning for your next fundraising campaign. Here are some of the most effective fundraising strategies.

Most Effective Fundraising Strategies

Integrating Fundraising Software

Software comes with numerous benefits, but running a fundraiser becomes difficult If your software solutions aren’t integrated. For example, if your marketing software won’t integrate with your event management software, which won’t connect with your CRM, then it becomes difficult to send invitations for your next event to your donors.

The trick, therefore, is to invest in integrated fundraising software. However, it’s important to be discerning about the features you want for your own before making your purchase because you may not need all the features. By implementing a more inclusive software solution, you’ll have an easier time streamlining your fundraising strategy.

Launching Crowdfunding Campaigns

Social media use continues to grow every year. As such, you need to find ways to harness the power of social media. Crowdfunding, for example, is a popular form of fundraising that leverages social media. Here are some of the ways social media and crowdfunding are integrated:

Reach: Rather than a few large donations crowdfunding draws lots of small donations. Social media offers an easy way to get the message out to people, including those you don’t have direct contact information for.
Design: Crowdfunding campaigns are usually hosted on a central website. These sites are well designed with “share now” buttons and videos that make it easy and attractive for social media users.
Content: Social media users love immersive content they can get invested in.

Enable Mobile Giving

Smartphones continue to grow in popularity every year, and that’s a trend that is not slowing down any time soon. They’ve become so widespread that we’re now storing boarding passes, grocery lists and even banking on our mobile devices. By implementing mobile giving, therefore, you can improve your fundraising efforts.

Mobile giving is highly successful for various reasons

It’s logically smart: Mobile fundraising brings your supporters to their phones, no more having to walk to the mailbox.
It boosts event participation: Rarely will everyone who supports your organization attend your events. But by accepting mobile bids or mobile donations for charity auctions, even absent donors can participate.
Leads to information capture: When running a fundraising campaign, you want to collect donor details to make it easier to segment later. Mobile giving gives you an opportunity to gather name, phone number and other useful details.

Making it possible for donors to donate via mobile is an effective way to take advantage of every opportunity for donations and show donors that you care enough to make it easy for them to donate.

Bottom Line

Those are just but some of the most effective fundraising strategies to improve your fundraising campaign. Other fundraising strategies to consider include hiring a fundraising consultant and getting creative with corporate giving. Overall, following the strategies above are sure result in a successful fundraiser.

All Kinds of Tractors

July 3, 2019

Since the invention of automobiles, tractors were introduced, and they have proved to be invaluable machines. These machines have made a huge difference to agriculture, making it easier for farmers and other laborers to operate with efficiency and much less effort. Below is a list of all kinds of tractors available in the market.

All Kinds of Tractors

Here are some of the most common types of tractors:

Utility tractors
Compact Utility Tractor
Sub-compact utility Tractor
Track type tractors
Backhoe tractors
Specialty Tractors

Sub-Compact Utility Tractor

Sub-compact Utility Tractors are specially used for farming purposes. The tractor typically features a small engine and lesser horsepower than other types of tractors. They also have comparatively smaller and thinner wheels with parts that can be removed easily or fitted again if necessary. Besides agriculture, the Sub-compact Utility Tractor gets used for gardening, land maintenance, raking, and landscaping.

Compact Utility Tractor

The Compact Utility Tractor is also used for farming but not for harvesting on commercial levels. They generally have higher horsepower than your Sub-compact Utility Tractor, ranging from about 24 horsepower to about 60 horsepower.

Utility Tractor

The Utility Tractor has higher horsepower than the previously mentioned tractors, ranging from about 45Hp to 140Hp. These tractors are primarily used for farming and landscaping. The Utility tractor is also popular because it can be used for multiple purposes. You don’t have to purchase different parts of the machine separately as your typical Utility Tractor will have various parts attached as well as many other types of equipment for performing other field work and tasks.

Specialty Tractors

As the name suggests, these are tractors designed for particular purposes. For instance, if a crop needs to be specially harvested, then you’ll need a Specialty Tractor for that sole purpose. The horsepower of these types of tractors also varies depending on need.

Backhoe Loaders

Backhoe Loaders are commonly used in construction and civil engineering projects. They’re often used for a wide range of tasks including small construction work, breaking small rocks, paving roads, digging, and the transportation of building materials. They shake a lot while digging, which is why they’re fitted with Hydraulic stabilizers to balance.

Due to their versatility and compact design, they’re one of the most popular tractors. They’re also commonly used in disaster management, landscaping; swimming pool, cemetery and septic system digging; as well as other similar applications where larger tractors are not practical due to their size.

Large Wheel Loader Tractors

Large Wheel Loader Tractors are heavy machinery used to load or move aside building materials such as rocks, sand, and debris. These types of tractor feature a wide bucket used to scoop materials such as construction debris and sand from the ground. They also have different names such as front-end loader, wheel loader, bucket loader, etc.

Bottom Line

There are all kinds of tractors for different purposes. Other types include military tractors, pushback tractors, bulldozers, lawn tractors, and row crop tractors, among others. Some tractors are designed for general purposes while others are made for specific tasks. When choosing a tractor, consider the purpose, the scale of work to be done, maintenance needed, as well as the safety tips associated with tractors.

How to Care For Graphic Tees – Easy Tips

June 24, 2019

Do you want to know how to care for graphic tees? Are you looking for effective ways to make the process simpler and hassle-free? Owning an epic graphic design is not easy. It demands a lot of efforts and caution. If you want to make your wardrobe more useful and inspiring, you can go through the following awesome tricks and tips to handle your wardrobe and maintain the new look and freshness of your graphic tees.

How to Care For Graphic Tees

Stack Tees Vertically

Stacks graphic tees vertically in the drawer that will double the capacity and will also ensure easy access. You will love this arrangement as it will look like a graphic art display. Your wardrobe will look inspiring for sure.

Hang Shirts on Shirts

Just collect soda tabs and use these tabs for saving space in the closet. Loop those tabs onto the hangers and then hang the second hanger using the same tab’s second hole. By doing so, you can hang shirts on shirts and ensure easy accessibility.

Fold Your Tees

Folding your tees will not take more than a couple of seconds. If you fold your tees, you can maintain the freshness and will not make a mess by throwing all your clothes. It is always suggested to either hang or fold your clothes to avoid wrinkles.

Get Rid of Wrinkles

If your cloth ends up on the floor, then you can spray water on your tees. It will help you to minimize wrinkles. You can also hang your tees on the door while taking a shower. Hanging will offer the same benefit.

Use Right Product to Remove Stains

It is natural to get armpit stains on your T-shirt. Many of us face this problem. You can use a proper armpit stain solution to remove those stains from your T-shirt. Make sure that you are not using antiperspirants with aluminum for the same purpose. Also regularly wash your T-shirts.

Un-Shrink Your Tees

If you accidentally shrink your T-shirt in the laundry, you can easily unshrink it. Take hot water and add some hair conditioner and soak your tee in that water for around five minutes. After five minutes, you just need to stretch it back.

Final Words

Now you know how to care for graphic tees. Also, it is always important to maintain the quality of your T-shirt to wear it for a long time. Take extra caution and wash it inside out to preserve the creative art. Consider gentle cycle in machine to prevent shrinkage. Make sure that you are using cold water to wash your graphic t-shirts. But if you want to shrink your t-shirt, you can consider using warm water. Avoid machine drying.

Job Search Steps

May 17, 2019

Whether you are looking for a first job or in between jobs at the moment, there are many things you will have to prepare to make yourself suitable and ready for work. Get organized and ready with some of these job search tips anyone can easily follow.

Job Search Steps

Prepare or Update Resume

If you are fresh out of school and have no work experience, you will need to write your resume in a way that shows what all of your best skills are and the ways that you learned or showed those skills to your fullest potential. It doesn’t matter if you were the Student Body President or Head of the class in culinary, any skill or experience that shows you are able to follow a list of responsibilities is key to include in a resume.

For those who are looking for a career or a company, the change will need to update their resume to the most recent job held. Bring up to date all of the names, titles, phone numbers or even your email and home address. Now, resumes include social media handles and tags for more information and personal reference.

Keep in mind that all of your experience, skills, and knowledge need to be viewable at a glance on one sheet of paper or internet page. Employers want to see a clean, clear and organized resume that gets straight to the point of telling the employer that you will add value to their company. This is why it is important to update a resume and keep only the jobs that were held the longest or have the most relativity to the job you are looking for.

Apply for Jobs

It is almost impossible to not find a job with technology at the fingertips. There are multiple job searching platforms that can help you narrow down your search to locate all the jobs within your requirements and skill set. In the past, you would have to print out a stack of resumes and hand them out to businesses you hope will one day hire you if they ever needed the help. Now you can just scroll and click without leaving your house and have an interview the very next day.

Practice Interview skills

Going on an interview is a lot like auditioning. You think you know what to expect, but you really don’t. Initially, you may think you’re absolutely prepared until you’ve hit traffic, spilled coffee on your only dress pants or forget you’re own name upon shaking the employer’s hand. One thing you can at least try control in advance is your nerves. Practicing how to answer the basic interview questions and anything else you plan on saying will help the nerves subside a bit.

Look up the most common interview questions (lists range anywhere from 5 to 30, so good luck) and pick a handful that you can practice. Other aspects you’ll want to become confident in are your introduction, previous employment information, and body language. It isn’t silly to practice in front of a mirror for job interviews. As I’ve previously mentioned, you don’t want to stumble or stutter when asked your name and age.

First-time job hunters will really benefit from these job search tips as it outlines the basic interview skills everyone should need. For those who are in between jobs, these tips are good to help you remember what exactly is expected of you when looking for a job.