Components of a Successful Campaign
Ultimately, a campaign is only as successful as the employees who participate. Following are some components that will help motivate employees and make your campaign a success.

Develop Strategies for the Upcoming Campaign
In developing the strategies for the upcoming campaign, first you need to know your budget. You also need to know the number of employees included in the campaign so you can determine the number of volunteers needed to run the campaign. Once you have determined those numbers, you may proceed with the following:
  • Choose the campaign theme - capitalize on current trends from the movies, music world or sports; or select one drawn from company history, culture, or interests.
  • Design the structure of your employee campaign team.
  • Set campaign dates and create a campaign timetable.
  • Decide on campaign activities and events.
  • Consider including retirees in your campaign as donors and volunteers.

Set Goals
In developing the strategies for the upcoming campaign, you need to know your budget. You also need to know the number of employees included in the campaign so you can determine the number of volunteers needed to run the campaign. Once you have determined those numbers, you may proceed with the following:
  • Know your organizations' culture, plans and constraints - be cognizant of developments like downsizing, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions.
    NOTE: Holding a campaign during a rough time can be a great way for employees to come together for a good cause. It can be a good team building exercise.
  • Set goals that are achievable and measurable, yet challenging.
  • Goals may be set on overall dollars, dollars by department or division, participation rate, average gift, and/ or per capita gift.
  • Publicize goals so that employees know what they are aiming for.
  • Decide how goals will be set - by company or operational units.

Donor Focused
  • Give employees a wide variety of charitable choices.
  • Supply the employees with informative materials that encourage the potential contributor to support the campaign.
  • Employ an easy-to-use pledge form - the simpler the form the easier it will be to make a pledge.
  • Identify key people at the worksite who have been helped by participating charities or who volunteer and know the programs well.
  • Guarantee the campaign is accountable and has a reputation for integrity (i.e. issue a report detailing how the money was pledged, allow for donor acknowledgments).
  • Personalize the pledge card with the donor's name (optional).
  • Provide adequate time for employees to attend kick-offs and other events.

Top Endorsement and Involvement of Management
  • Have the CEO or other senior manager publicly endorse the campaign by letter or other means.
  • Have senior management attend the kick-off/training and encourage them to make their pledges at the kick-off.
  • Encourage top union leadership, if applicable, and encourage them to be key participants in a campaign which benefits everyone.
  • Encourage employees to participate, but always stress that it is a voluntary giving program.

Follow-up During Campaign
The #1 reason people don't give is that they were never asked! It is imperative that all employees be given an opportunity to contribute and be given adequate information to make an informed choice. To accomplish this:

  • Utilize report forms which list everyone's' names to ensure follow-up has been done.
  • Encourage periodic check-ins with Key Workers by the Campaign Coordinator or Campaign Managers (have materials arrived? are there questions? how is the campaign going? and finally, the thank you for a job well done).

Publicity
The most successful campaigns advertise the campaign well before it kicks off and continue to use visible reminders throughout the campaign and year-round. Using posters, progress thermometers (or some other item identifiable to the organization or campaign theme, such as a race track for a car company, or a stack of books for a publishing company), E-mail messages, campaign newsletters, table tents in the cafeteria or lunch room, campaign kick-offs and other promotional events will help make the campaign more fun and successful.

Incentives
Incentives to stimulate participation and giving are also helpful. One company organized a lottery for every employee donating a minimum of $8 per pay period or $208 per year. The prizes included an expense paid vacation, free airline tickets for two, a priority booking for a one-week stay at one of the company's condos, and a five-day car rental. Larger companies with sizable divisions or branch offices may want to encourage those groups to offer local incentives and to hold local events.

Food is a great motivator! Use free food like donuts and cookies to encourage attendance at campaign events.

Earth Share has local affiliates or field directors who can assist in training, attend events or meet with employee groups. They can support your local offices by working with the campaign coordinator.

Following is a list of possible incentives:

  • Dinner with Campaign Chairperson or Branch Manager.
  • Services rendered by the Chairperson or Branch Manager - car wash, meal cooked and served, etc.
  • Employees with special skills donate their services - meal cooked and served, oil changed in car, baby-sitting services, artwork produced, etc.
  • Lottery tickets, plants, public transportation pass.
  • Turning pledge forms in first, e.g. for first 100 pledges received.
  • Mention in newsletter.
  • Recognition breakfast/lunch for leadership givers.
  • Opportunity to play tennis or golf with a professional, or lessons.
  • Free use of corporate or executive's vacation home or condo for a weekend.
  • Gift certificates for ice cream, a restaurant, night on the town.
  • Tickets to sporting events, concerts, plays.
  • Gift certificates donated by local vendors.
  • Airline tickets.
  • Company stock.
  • Raffles and door prizes. (Earth Share can provide an assortment of these.)
  • Preferred parking space for a week/month/year.

Events
Campaign events stimulate interest in the campaign, make it more fun, and encourage employee involvement. You may include educational events to help employees learn more about the participating charities such as charity fairs or brown bag lunch presentations by representatives of participating charities. You may want events that bring employees together like a picnic or group volunteer opportunity. Below are some suggested events:
  • Charity fair.
  • Campaign kick-off party or rally.
  • Talent Show.
  • Trivial Pursuit marathon.
  • Brown bag lunch presentations by charities.
  • Golf putting contest.
  • Pie or ice cream eating contest.
  • Ice cream social.
  • Company picnic including families.
  • Volunteer day.
  • Car wash.
  • Baby photo contest- Display baby photos and have employees guess who's who.

Events are a great way to make the campaign fun and to draw attention to it, but don't forget that the main purpose of the campaign is to offer employees the benefit of donating by payroll deduction. This form of giving allows employees to give more that they could if they had to make a one time donation - up to five times more - and it comes painlessly out of their paychecks in reasonable increments.


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