Seven Steps to a Successful Campaign

#1 - Secure top-level management support
Support from top management will make your job easier and your campaign more successful. Review past results and discuss your company’s corporate gift, matches, incentives and campaign budget.

Strive for the following commitments:

• Adequate planning time and budget to coordinate campaign-related activities and incentives.
• CEO/Management letter endorsing the campaign.
• CEO/Management speaks at employee meetings and events.

#2 - Recruit a team
Having others assist you with the campaign will make it fun and easy for everyone involved. Here are some tips for recruiting your committee:

• Recruit people who believe in United Way and will help get others excited about your campaign.
• Include representation from all areas including union representatives if applicable.
• Attend ECC training at United Way and invite members of your team to join you.
• Assign roles and responsibilities.

#3 - Plan the campaign
Choose strategies that best fit your organization and develop a timeline that helps you achieve your goals. Tips for planning include:

• Review strengths of past campaigns and develop a challenging goal with your CEO/Management that focuses on areas of potential within your organization.  Consider a participation goal in addition to a dollar goal.
• Plan a short, intensive campaign no more than 5 to 10 days. Set dates for your kickoff and special events.
• Create a strategy to reach individuals who aren’t currently giving.  How can you make United Way’s message relevant to them? 
• Use prizes and incentives as a great way to drive donations and/or award employees for participating in campaign events.
• Get employees involved with volunteering through United Way’s Days of Caring, September 13-24.
• Work with your United Way loaned executive to implement best practices for your organization.

#4 - Organize a leadership-giving program
Companies that run a leadership campaign have average gifts that are 24% higher and overall participation that is 30% higher than those who don’t.  Here are some best practices:

• Appoint someone to spearhead the effort and act as leadership giving champion.
• Identify your leadership prospects.
• Make a personal ‘ask’ through a leadership event, letter or other strategy.
• Follow up with leadership prospects.
• Thank and recognize leadership contributors.

#5 - Promote your campaign
Educating your employees about the work and value of United Way is the best way to gain their support. Your loaned executive is an excellent source for any materials and assistance you may need. Consider the following ideas:

• Utilize United Way brochures, letters, success stories, etc. available at unitedwaymilwaukee.org or from your loaned executive.
• Arrange for an agency speaker to attend your company kickoff/meeting to talk about the work United Way is doing and share the real difference your contributions are making in our community.
• Offer agency tours to your employees.
• Plan ways to keep United Way visible throughout the campaign through daily reminders, success stories, status reports, etc.
   

#6 - Kick off your campaign
A kick-off event can help bring fun into your company campaign and generate enthusiasm around activities within your organization.

• Keep the kick-off meeting short and sweet.  Utilize an existing employee meeting time if possible.
• Be sure to include CEO, Management and Labor endorsement.
• Utilize an agency speaker and/or employee testimonial.
• Ask all employees to make a pledge to United Way.
• Include snacks or refreshments – if you feed them, they will come!

#7 - Report results and say thank you!
Return pledge forms, donations and the completed campaign report envelope to United Way. Work with your loaned executive to ensure that all of the contributions are collected and reported accurately. For more detailed instructions, visit unitedwaymilwaukee.org/reportenvelope.htm.

Once you’ve reported your results, it’s important to say thanks to all the employees who helped make your campaign a success. Saying thanks and acknowledging those who participated are crucial to campaign success. Thanking donors is also a key part of ensuring their gift in the future.