i am posting this email cuz i really quite like the work this group does and i am posting my response because i think it is good advice for anyone struggling to help homeless animals...and jenn can you move their link to our facebook front page please and

> Hi Carol:
We are in 3rd place in the Pepsi challenge and I'm feeling sort
> of down
> (even though it is still early) that we haven't been able to
> move up. Do
> you have any suggestions or advice? What type of
> advertising did you do? I
> am trying to get some media attention but no bites yet. I
> am doing heavy
> Facebook advertising and emails to my distribution list but
> still in 3rd
> place.
>
>
>
> When you were competing did you start in 2nd place and then move
> into 1st,
> or did you start lower down and move up? I know you
> competed a couple
> times. Perhaps that is what I will have to do - I
> really didn't want this
> to happen though.
>
>
>
> Do you think you could crosspost our link on your main facebook
> page (when I
> do it, it goes under the "others" tab and not everyone sees it).
>
> http://www.refresheverything.ca/rescue4life
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Rachel
>
> www.rescue4life.org

my response

the problem with the pepsi thing is 2 fold....there was a lot of cheating in voting going on in previous challenges but i think the new sign in process has helped. and the rescue groups are forming voting coalitions...you vote for me and i will vote for you so it becomes political. i wouldn't play that game for various reasons (mostly because it pissed me off...i like people voting for something because they actually value what someone is doing) and it did make it much tougher.

in the first round we fluctuated from 1-4..losing ground as others stopped voting because we wouldn't join the coalitions
...in the second round once the cheating was better controlled we started in 1st and stayed there.

you should have a link to your website page on your challenge page...real voters want to see the work you do and the animals that you are helping..they also want to get a good feel for your group and how it operates. never underestimate your website and the far reaching effects.
blogs help....it keeps your work personal and helps to engage others in wanting to participate..but keep it real..people are tired of the airy fairy rescue world...it is tough so don't sugar coat it to just make folks feel comfortable and safe. it is a slow process..when i first started our blog..we had like 25 regular daily readers...we are now over 300 which still is not very much BUT those 300 talk to their friends and their families and when we need help like in voting...those 300 plus their networks can add up to a lot.
the best way to get voters is to get people to invest in the possibility of you winning and in what you are doing, it becomes a matter of pride..they want you to win!...they will spread the word, bring in more voters who will hopefully bring in more too.

successfully fundraising in rescue is about networking (and the pepsi challenge is just another fundraising opportunity)..becoming known, accepted and respected...you may or may not actually win the final challenge cuz no one (who is honest) can control these voting kind of things BUT forget the actual $25,000..the pepsi challeng is an opportunity to expand your borders, for more people to actually discover your group and the work that you do and THAT in the long run will do your rescue a greater good. i can (and will) spend that $25, 000 in one day when it gets here...that is how big are our outstanding vet bills...but it is the increased contacts, the new people who have found us thru this contest that will add up to an even bigger and longer term "win" for our animals.

here is my motto...while a one thousand dollar donation is truly wonderful to receive....one thousand, ten dollar donations will take our animals much further to their eventual dreams.

it is the little things that maybe we don't notice that adds up into something big.

so for while you are on the pepsi challenge journey? don't worry too much about winning...try to collect up a bunch of little seemingly less imprtant things...then you will really win in the long term.

good luck....and i went thru your website when i finally found it on your facebook page...very good work!
c .