Those who work hard to secure pledges in fundraising events, such as a bike-a-thon for a worthy cause like Autism, need to be very careful how they go about getting the pledges. You see, often folks who feel put on the spot when asked to pledge will feel a little uneasy and they may not wish to figure out the math of what they will owe when the bike ride is completed and it is for this reason that the bike ride should be a an even number of miles.
In the case study example in our eBook on How to Do a Bike-A-Thon for Autism we show that allowing many non-profit groups to sell pledges and keep half the money, that in the end more money for Autism will be made. In our sample-example we show a long-distance endurance ride of 1500 miles, so if someone donated $ .01 per mile that would be simple right; $15. This is a nice even amount and if the pledge seller is in let's say the Boys and Girls Club, then the Boys and Girls Club would get $7.50 and the Autism Fundraiser gets $7.50 too. But what if the ride was 1347 miles, then you see the dilemma for some people?
One strategy to overcome this is to have a small cheat sheet on the back of the pledge sheets or on a 3 X 5 index card that the pledge seller has, which shows how much will be owed, if in fact, the rider completes the full journey.
Sometimes pledge sellers will hit their best prospects first, but will be shot down because they do not present the case for Autism correctly or they are too nervous, and since this problem is so common it makes sense to do a little role playing, perhaps make a short "elevator pitch" or written script to practice, something they can use until they get the hang of it.
If a potential donor asks; "How much should I pledge?" then the pledge seller should have a brief statement of how much and why that is a fair amount, and what the money will go for, that is "IF" the rider completes the route or course.
Here is a free eBook on how to run a Bike-a-Thon for Autism: http://www.worldthinktank.net/autism-Fundaising-eBook_1.htm
"Lance Winslow" - Online Blog Content Service. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.
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