Wednesday

Forty Fantastic Fundraising Ideas!

Fundraising, raising funds for organizations in need. Home business fundraisers create a win-win situation. Organizations get much needed funds and you also gain profits and much desired promotion.

Doing a fundraiser with your product line shows how you help your community with the potential of return business!

Here are some great ideas for places to approach for fundraisers: (Please note this list was shared with me by a fellow network marketer - I do not know the orgin of the list or who wrote it orginally.)

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Here are some suggestions on groups who hold fundraisers so make a list and start contacting them!

#1)Cub Scouts
#2) Girl Scouts
#3) 4-H Clubs
#4) Gymnastic Centers & Clubs
#5) Little Girls Ballet & Dance Centers & Clubs
#6) Little League Baseball
#7) Peewee, Pony & Midgets FootBall Teams
#8)Independent Cheerleading Centers & Clubs
#9) Local Athletic Associations
#10) Local Daycare Centers
#11) In-Home Daycare Centers
#12) Local Medical Orgs. ie. red cross, united way etc but your best bet is to contact your local chapters of these Major Organizations.
#13) Oncology Doctor Offices or Centers, alot of Oncologists Offices (Cancer) Due fundraisers to help with research & a cure on Cancer. In our local area they hold fundraisers, yard sales, bake sales, cookbook drives etc...so dont forget about them!
#14) Local Art Associations
#15) Local Craft Associations
#16) High School Athletics Dept. (depts for football, baseball, hockey, softball, field hockey and so forth! All of the different sports a high school might have!)
#17) High School Senior Class Trip Advisors
#18 High School Choir Advisor
#19) Your Local Good Will, Salvation Army etc. See if they are doing any fundraising drives and see if you can add your fundraising program to it!
#20) Local Fire Houses
#21) Local Ambulance Associations
#22) Local Police Associations
#23) Local Humane Society
#24) Other Local Pet Rescue Organizations
#25) Orphanages or Foster Care Associations
#26) Local Sporting Arenas
#27) Local Churches & Places of Worship Groups
#28) Other High School Clubs such as: Drama Club, Key Club, French & Spanish Club, Chess Club etc.
#29) Your local FOOD BANK or Food Pantry Organization
#30) Your Local Women Services Group ie. Battered Womens Shelter, Single Moms Groups and so forth.
#31) Your Local Office of Aging
#32) American Legions Clubs
#33) Local Lions Club
#34) Local Hospitals who do fundraising to raise money for NEW Medical Equipment, Research, Wing Additions and so forth.
#35) Long Term Care Facilities for the Elderly
#36) Local Theaters and Comedy Clubs
#37) Local Historic Societies
#38 Local Tourist Attractions
#39) Offer to throw a Fundraiser for a Local Family YOURSELF who needs help in your community!
#40) Local or Township Community Centers

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I'm sure in your head you are adding to the list, that is GREAT! It really is up to your imagination. Be creative. Giving to others comes back to you in wonderful ways!

Have an ENLIGHTENED day!

Alethea Anderson


Saturday

Starting with your "warm" market!

When starting a new home based business one of the most important steps is contacting your "warm" market. This is a concept many people have to struggle with because they feel they are 'bothering' people, the people they know and love. If the people you know and love don't know you have a new candle business - they can't buy from you! The worst thing someone can say is 'no thanks' and that in itself is not really that bad - right?

So first, determine who is in your warm market. Start with a list, now the most important thing to ask yourself is....

"Who do I know that wants a  better lifestyle?" Now make a list of everyone you know that may be interested in a better, healthier lifestyle...

Okay now for specific categories of people:

**Family - parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc..etc.. You might be thinking - I don't want to bother my family with this, but hey - most family members will want to support you in your new business. Once they burn one of the gourmet candles, odds are you'll have a customer for life!

**Neighbors - your neighbors next door, your family's neighbors, etc.. Don't know your neighbors? Don't worry! What a wonderful excuse to get out and MEET them! There are a few different ways to do this:

**Co-Workers: Yours, your spouses, etc... Co-Workers often like to shop while at work! I can remember seeing catalogs always flying around the office back when I worked at an investment firm.

**Friends: Just like family, let them know, odds are they'll want to support your new business venture and then become customers for life.

**Now think of who you see on a frequent basis - someone you may not 'know' but you see them all the time: School Teacher, Day Care, Bank Teller, Grocery Clerk, Pharmacy Clerk, Door Man, Mail Counter Person, Mail Delivery Person, Hair Stylist...

**Now think of those you see on a less frequent basis - Doctor's Office, Dentist's Office, Dog Groomer, Vet, Masseuse, Waiter, Waitress...

Now look how long your list is and how many contacts you have, pretty impressive huh? I'm sure you even thought of lots of people I did not mention! Now remember how the word of mouth spreads, and offer those in your warm market a bonus system, i.e. for every couple people they refer to you - you'll give them a free product!

Now that you have a good way to get started, watch the next post for places to do fundraisers, great cash for the organization = great cash AND leads for YOU!

Have an ENLIGHTENED day!

Alethea Anderson

There is nothing to fear but fear itself!

Wednesday

Why a Direct Sales Home Business?

"Direct Sales" An interesting term often misunderstood, some people coin it as 'pyramnid schemes' - a term loosely tossed around because of a few bad apple companies in the late 80's early 90's that had a heavy hitting marketing idea. Of course those terms do not apply to a true Direct Sales Co.

Direct Sales is an amazing venue to start your own home based business without the huge start up of creating your own company. In Direct Sales you represent a company that already does all the hard part. They make the products and print the catalogs, your 'job' is to get the product out there - and they reward you for it financially!

You may have come across other Direct Sales Companies in the past, and perhaps even tried a few. I know I had, I actually swore myself off of Direct Sales companies from bad experiences.  I finally 'got it' in 2004...

So I researched further, and realized I not only joined a company, I started my own home based business. Who would have thought it'd be so simple? Where can you do THAT? Imagine the thousands I would have had to spend if I wanted to start  my own company from the ground up?

So I launched myself towards my goals of financial freedom. With a small investment the doors of opportunity flung open.

In addition to owning my own business, I got to take advantages of home business tax advantages as well. Did you know you can write off a portion of your mortgage/rent, utilities, gas mileage or car payment, office supplies and so much more? (consult your tax advisor). The tax benefits alone are worth owning a home business, the write offs are simply astonishing. They are like a cash bonus in themselves.

So why start your own business from scratch spending thousands of dollars when you can start your own network marketing/direct sales business with the support and help of others? It's a win-win situation! Support, financial growth, great profits!

Have an ENLIGHTENED day!

Alethea Anderson

Excited every day about lighting the way!

Monday

How I ended up in Direct Sales/Multi Level Marketing...

In August 2004...

to be exact, when a friend of mine told me about a jar candle she received in an online Mom Swap. She kept ranting and raving about how amazing the candle was.

How it made her entire home smell amazing...

How it burned all the way across the jar from edge to edge...

How it burned clean with no black sooty mess on the rim...

Over and over I heard about the smell, the amazing smell...

Then she told me she joined this company so she could purchase candles at a discount for herself, family and friends. I poked around the website, hemmed and hawwed, then a month later I decided to join as a 'treat for me'.

I have always been an avid candle burner, a candle nut of sorts. I was one of those who'd pay top dollar for what I thought was the best in the industry. I was the one who skidded to a halt if I saw a 'candle shop'. However, I was frusterated with the black gook from burning candles. Oh the votive cups I had to simply throw away as the black just would not wash off. Yes, the wall that had to be repainted... The heater filter coated with soot. I never knew there was another way! I suffer this pain no more because I found burn cleaner candles!

This was just the beginning of an adventure!  (edit December 2012) ask me what I do now!


Alethea Anderson
MultiMediaMom.com

Lighting the path to the future...