Emphasize setting personal goals

• Have sellers commit to being their sub-group's best salesperson. Structure their sales efforts to emphasize achievement, not failure.

Make a prospect list

• All sellers should make a list of prospective customers before they start. Review it and make each seller has at least ten targets.

Define your best customers

• Stick to the people you know: friends, relatives, neighbors, etc. Don't forget co-workers and out-of-town contacts for your major fundraisers.

Rehearse the sales pitch

• Have everyone practice your group's sales pitch at home. Fine-tune your value proposition and make sure that every seller uses it.

Be prepared

• Sellers should carry their order form and sales materials wherever they go.

Smile and introduce yourself

• Remind all your sellers to smile and introduce themselves before launching into their two-sentence pitch.

The power of "because"

• Use the word "because" when stating your group's goal and first request for help. It's an extremely potent trigger word. "We need your help because our band needs new uniforms."

Ask for the order

• Always include a direct request for an order in your sales script after the “because” statement. "Can you help us meet our goal?"

Personalize by picking favorites

• Tell each seller to find one or two items that he or she likes and then promote those enthusiastically. "These green ones are great."

Make it easy to buy

• Do everything you can to make buying your products easier. Offer to fill out the form yourself. Remind the prospect that a certain item makes a good gift, or that it's all for a good cause. Resolve all objections. Offer to call back if the prospect can't decide.

Re-contact misses

• Do a follow-up sales pitch to any absentees who weren't available the first time around.