10 Steps For A Successful Employee Campaign

10 Steps For A Successful Employee Campaign

STEP 1: REVIEW PAST CAMPAIGNS Meet with last year s campaign coordinator to: DISCUSS last year s campaign and its success, strengths, and weaknesses. ANALYZE past data. (UWCC has this info available upon request) How many contributors were there? What was the total amount raised? What was the average gift? What is your per capita? How do you measure to comparable businesses? How many gave through payroll deduction? What was the participation rate? Other questions to consider: What goal was set? Was it achieved? Who served on the campaign committee? Was one-on-one or group solicitation done? What was the campaign theme? What publicity events took place? What percent of employees were leadership givers? How many were asked? STEP 2: SECURE EXECUTIVE SUPPORT The support of top management is essential for a successful campaign. Meet with your CEO to secure his/her commitment to accept and support the campaign plan and goal. Keep them informed and involved by asking them to: Endorse the campaign strategy Help identify additional team members to assist you in the campaign Send personal letter of endorsement and follow-up to employees Give a brief talk at each group rally endorsing the company s commitment to the campaign Approve incentives to be used for the campaign Solicit top management for leadership gifts, creating the pace for giving Sample CEO Letter Dear Employee, During the next two weeks ABC Company will be conducting our annual United Way fundraising campaign. This is your opportunity to contribute to the community in the best way possible; by pledging your support to the United Way. I believe United Way is the most efficient way to solve community problems and I wholeheartedly endorse the campaign. Donated dollars go directly to services and programs that address critical community needs. Responsible volunteers who are knowledgeable about our community s needs determine the allocation of the money. A family of 10 agencies addresses issues such as youth development, self-sufficiency, and emergency resources. Perhaps you, a family member, a friend or neighbor have been helped by United Way. United Way funds programs that help thousands of our neighbors each year. Please contribute to our United Way employee campaign and know that you are having an impact on our community problems. When should I use this letter? Send to employees a week before you begin your meetings Include as a payroll stuffer a week before you begin your meetings. Thank you, Mr. CEO

STEP 3: RECRUIT A CAMPAIGN TEAM To make this campaign as easy as possible, recruit co-workers to give you a hand. When recruiting a committee, include people who are enthusiastic and have a good relationship with their co-workers. Representatives from your Communications and Payroll Departments would be valuable additions to your group. QUALIFICATIONS: Leadership ability Doers, not figureheads Generous givers Ability to recruit Good communication Work in time frame TEAM DECISIONS: Dates & times for campaign Method of solicitation Events & incentives Publicity of campaign Company goal STEP 4: SET A CHALLENGING GOAL Together, with your CEO and committee, establish an achievable employee campaign goal. Make it challenging, yet realistic. If the average gift amount is low: Encourage more employees to give through payroll deduction. (Statistics indicate that payroll gifts are seven times larger than cash donations.) If participation has been low: An emphasis on recruiting new donors might be wise. Understanding your campaign s untapped potential will help you set a goal that s challenging, yet possible. Below is a formula you might find helpful in determining your employee goal: 1. Site population X 80%= 2. Average hourly rate X 12 months = 3. Line 1 X Line 2 = 4. Amount raised in 2005 = 5. Line 3 Line 4 = 6. Line 5 X 20% = 7. Line 4 + Line 6 (your goal) =

STEP 5: PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE Start building excitement and creating awareness by letting your employees know that the campaign is just around the corner. People are more likely to support a cause if they are properly informed. Educate employees about United Way. Don t assume your co-workers know what the United Way is and how it works. Promote the campaign using: Employee publications Displays in heavy traffic areas Bulletin boards featuring employees who are United Way volunteers or who have used an agency Email campaign messages Goal thermometers Use your imagination to create promotional ideas that suit your company *Master copies of bulletin board posters, newsletter tidbits, and payroll stuffers are available at the United Way office. Suggested Email message you can send to your co-workers: To: Subject: All Staff United Way of Cass County campaign How would you like to make a difference for over 25,000 people in our community? On (date), we will be kicking off (company s name) s (year) United Way campaign. By giving to United Way, you can change the world, right here at home. Last year, our community raised nearly $500,000 to help agencies address some of our community s most pressing problems. This year, we are going to follow that with even more success! This is a great opportunity to get involved and change a life by building the strongest community possible. I will be contacting you soon with more details. Thanks in advance for your participation. No Gift is Too Small! Your United Way Contribution is an investment in your community. Right here in Cass County Your gift of $1.25 per week allows: an emergency shelter, a welcoming place, vocational training, employment retention, a job coach for eight people. Your gift of $2.00 per week can provide: a hot meal, a warm welcome, a counselor who ll listen, a clean environment, economic self-improvement mentoring for 22 people. Your gift of $5.00 per week works wonders toward: afterschool care, hugs, youth mentoring, a nurturing environment, positive family support, expanding youth involvement, developing leadership skills, building character for two youth and four families..

STEP 6: IMPLEMENT YOUR CAMPAIGN Employees can be asked to contribute one at a time or in groups. Each method has advantages only you can decide which will work best for you. Schedule a short, intense campaign 2 weeks has proven most effective. Make a gift yourself. It is easier to ask others to give when you are giving. Use personalized pledge cards. ONE-ON-ONE SOLICITATION Involves the personal solicitation of one employee by another, a peer. Avoid coercion. While this is more time consuming, it usually provides considerably better results because you can tailor the message. VS GROUP SOLICITATION Provides a more effective, less time consuming approach. It is flexible and can be adapted to most work settings. Employees are given personalized cards and asked to make contributions at the close of the rally. *See Ideal Presentation HELPFUL TOOLS United Way Video: A locally produced video is available. To reserve, contact United Way at 753-3533 or unitedway.cass@verizon.net. Speakers Bureau: Volunteers knowledgeable of United Way are available to give presentations on agencies and their services. Contact the United Way at 753-3533 or unitedway.cass@verizon.net to arrange a speaker. Employee Testimonials: The most effective message is likely to come from an employee. United Way will personalize your pledge cards if you provide an employee roster.

STEP 7: REPORT RESULTS TO UNITED WAY PLEDGE CARD INSTRUCTIONS: Employee Pledge Card Complete the front of the pledge card for payroll deduction, billing, or cash. Detach the receipt for contributor's records. Complete the enclosed form for payroll department records. Return signed pledge cards to United Way office (top copy). Corporate Pledge Card Retain one copy of the pledge card for receipt. The other copy goes into the report envelope. If billing is required, please be sure the card is signed. Pledge Card Tips: Use payroll deduction. It s an easy, painless way to give. Ask the payroll department advice on handling pledge cards. Personalize pledge cards. Distribute cards at employee meeting, have them filled out at the meeting, and returned at conclusion of meeting. More advice: Remember employees who may have been on vacation, ill, or otherwise unable to attend the meeting. Do not forget about part-time employees. They could be some of your best givers, and it will help them feel part of the group. Remember to put in place a New Hire Program which will encourage new employees to give to United Way. We would like to acknowledge Champion Givers, individuals giving 1 hour s pay per month. Please include the names and amounts on the sheet included in your campaign packet. A spreadsheet on diskette or email can be sent to you. Contact United Way at 753-3533. REPORT ENVELOPE Be sure to enclose the following with your report: Pledge cards for all cash, checks, and payroll deductions Corporate pledge card Call your United Way volunteer or United Way office when your report is ready to be picked up. Turning your report in to United Way promptly keeps the allocations process on track. Contact United Way if you need assistance in completing the report envelope.

STEP 8: THANK YOU One of the most important things you can do as coordinator is thank all of the people who helped to make the campaign possible. After the last event is held and the last pledge card is in, please remember to say THANK YOU to the employees and volunteers who worked to make your campaign a success. THANK YOU IDEAS A letter from the CEO to each contributing employee Email thank you messages to contributing employees A special letter to each campaign committee member Publish a thank you and final results in the company newsletter Develop thank you payroll stuffers or desk flyers Use certificates, plaques, special awards, cookies, United Way pins Have a thank-you event: cake in the lunchroom, ice cream social Leave candy kisses on the contributing employee s desk ** Let United Way know about your success so we can help publicize your achievements! We d love to hear about special events, outstanding volunteers, and meeting your goal. Thank You! STEP 9: EVALUATE YOUR EFFORTS A good critique will point out strengths and weaknesses. Keep a record of your thoughts to pass along to next year's campaign coordinator. What were your campaign goals? How successful was this year s campaign? What things were most successful? What things were least successful? What worked? What didn t work? What recommendations do you have for next year?

STEP 10: UNITED WAY YEAR-ROUND ESTABLISH A NEW HIRES PROGRAM Turnover in the work force is an accepted fact of life in business and industry today. When an employee leaves a firm, his or her United Way payroll deduction pledge stops. The New Hire Program permits new employees who are filling open positions to contribute with your company. Their pledge replaces the contributed dollars lost through cancellation of the pledge of his or her predecessor. The New Hire Program can easily be integrated into your organization s general orientation program for new employees. Contact United Way for additional information. TOURS Many of our agencies allow companies to tour their facilities. Tours give employees the opportunity to see, first hand, how their contributions are being invested in the community. NEWSLETTER ARTICLES Newsletters avoid the we only hear from United Way in the fall complaint and inform donors how their contributions are being used to help the community year-round. FAIRS Fairs are designed to educate employees about services and programs offered by United Way member agencies. Host an agency fair on-site during the lunch hours or break time. A fair consists of two or more agencies setting up booths that contain literature, displays and interactive programs. A representative of the agency or volunteer is present to answer questions. SEMINARS United Way offers the support for an internal team building opportunity. Presentations on United Way and its family of agencies can be brought to your organization to show employees many of the services that are available in the community. There are a wide variety of topics available. Your employees will come away with a better awareness of human care services, community issues and volunteer opportunities. BECOME A UNITED WAY VOLUNTEER The best way to know the United Way story is to become personally involved. Our agencies need volunteers to help with everything from assisting with programs to serving on a board of directors. Let your co-workers know they can contact the United Way for information on how to become involved as a volunteer.