FMR Solutions

Will I have to travel far for interviews and training?

Nowadays, we conduct initial interviews by phone and usually conduct initial training on-line via SKYPE. We can also meet face to face at a mutually convenient location - often at the charity's local office.

Is FMR Solutions on social media?

www.facebook.com/20fmrsolutions16

https://twitter.com/ecosassenach

Why do I have to pay a deposit on materials?

Now, it irritates us greatly to have to ask for a deposit! But, by not asking for a deposit in the past, we have suffered significant losses both in time and materials, because some applicants have not "delivered" their part of the deal. We have supplied materials, and then applicants have not attended for training, or have undertaken the training but did not start the work, and we have been unable to recover the materials from them. The deposit you pay is FULLY AND IMMEDIATELY REFUNDABLE on securing 3 direct debit memberships, or on return of the supplied materials to our office or the Trust's, whichever is sooner.

What kind of people make successful Local Fundraisers?

The typical age of our most successful fundraisers (with few exceptions) ranges from twenties up to, and beyond, retirement age. They are likely to be educated to at least A/Higher Level and have a strong interest in all things wildlife and environmental. Keen walkers. Having a quietly confident, empathetic personality helps too, as does having large reserves of patience and optimism!

How realistic and achievable are the commission based earnings?

We state an average of £702-£1170 per month, based on 15 hours work a week and achieving 3-5 direct debit sign-ups per week. Some of our self employed fundraisers have earned more than £2000 per month, but that would be at the extreme end of the scale. Others have earned far less, perhaps due to bad luck, not having enough time to do the job properly, persisting in an area where success not likely etc etc. The key is to put in consistent and regular effort , knocking on 400+ doors a week and to "work through" the bad periods - expecting your luck to change.

I don’t like performance related pay. Why don't you just pay a good basic hourly / weekly rate?

We have had to devise an earnings scheme to reward well those Local Fundraisers who are strongly motivated to find new donors/members for the Wildlife Trust. Our existing Local Fundraisers will agree that the earnings scheme we have devised works well. After many years of experience,we find that working on a performance basis gives the best results for all parties. Because of this, your earnings will inevitably vary from week to week/month to month. If you require a job that will give you an entirely predictable income from an entirely predictable number of hours, then this is definitely not the job for you!

Do you cover motoring expenses?

No, but we could pay some of your fuel expenses - it depends on where you live in relation to your work area.

I work during the day, can I still do this job in the evening?

If working 9-5, probably not. This job requires focus and application, so in conjunction with a full time job, it's likely that one or the other will suffer. If you have another not too demanding part time job or university course, then yes, this job can be done in conjunction.

Surely this is a very expensive way of recruiting new donors/ members. How does the charity benefit?

Our Soft Approach method finds both new donors/members and new sources of predictable and unrestricted income for the Wildlife Trust. All charitable fundraising incurs costs of some sort, even work carried out by volunteers. In this scheme, all the Direct Debits that are entered into by new donors/members are directly in favour of the Wildlife Trust. We know from 20+ years experience that when donors agree to contribute in this scheme, paying by Direct Debit with an amount of their own choosing, they are likely to contribute for an average of 7 years. This means that each new donor found (+ Tax that can be reclaimed via the Gift Aid scheme)will end up giving an average of £500 to the Wildlife Trust. To take part in this scheme, it costs the Wildlife Trust around £1 for every £7 raised (i.e. around 15% of the total gross income to the Trust). NB The Wildlife Trust does not pay any sort of fee to FMR Solutions unless a Direct Debit is agreed upon.And all the financial risks are borne by FMR Solutions. The Wildlife Trust's income is also protected by a refund/clawback scheme, should a member recruited in this scheme cancel within the first 13 months of membership. The overall cost to the Wildlife Trust - around 15% of the gross amount raised - is declared in a Statutory Disclosure, which is required to be made before any personal details are taken by the Fundraiser.

What if someone just wants to make a cash donation?

We do not deal with cash under any circumstances. But, a member of the public can make a cheque donation or donate via the charity's web page.

I've heard a lot of unfavourable reports recently about charities doing public collections. Why is this scheme any different?

We don't put members of the public into the potentially embarrassing position of having to make a decision on the spot, on the doorstep. Nor do we make any attempt to engage with members of the public who tell us they are not interested. As donors are requested to contribute by Direct Debit they are protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee. Members of the public can easily cancel a Direct Debit if they feel they have been pressurised. Our “Soft Approach”method ensures that donors are not put in that uncomfortable position.

Won't members of the public refuse to give their bank details?

This has been known to happen, but because we work in an honest and ethical way, most members of the public feel entirely comfortable dealing with us. We always make sure that any personal details are kept secure. A very small minority of donors/members will prefer to deal directly with the Wildlife Trust – perhaps via the Wildlife Trust's website. You will be credited with these "sign-ups".

Will I have to carry a heavy bag full of brochures?

No. The most that you'll ever need to carry is 20 A5 sized booklets and/or a hard-backed display folder in a small day-pack, an ID Badge, a pen or two and a compact umbrella.

Will I have to work to a script?

Yes, you'll be using the “Soft Approach”, which is key to the whole scheme. The script is very short and is designed primarily to quickly identify people who already have an interest in nature conservation and to invite them, without any pressure, to CONSIDER becoming supporters of the Wildlife Trust. You can invest some of your own personality into the delivery of it.

Will I be working alone?

Yes, and between March-October largely in broad daylight. We have found working in pairs/groups confusing and less successful. With regards to personal safety, there have been no incidents of any sort since we began this scheme in 1995.

What about working in bad weather?

You must be prepared to consider working when it's raining. The use of an umbrella is essential, and is a necessary “investment” on your part – as is a good pair of waterproof boots/shoes. It's most unlikely that it would be too wet, too windy and too cold on a regular basis to prevent any kind of work. Some of our long-term, self-employed Local Fundraisers choose to work all year round – though most opt for a 6-16 week break in midwinter.

Will I have to work in the dark?

Not usually. However, if you choose to work during November - Mid February you would start work in daylight (around 3pm) and complete your “1st Calls” in daylight. 2nd Calls at this time of year would normally be undertaken in the dark, unless otherwise specified by the potential donor.

Why is it necessary to have a car or bicycle?

You can't 100% rely on prospective supporters to be in when you call back to collect booklets (2nd Calls). You will find that you often have to make more than one return visit (2nd Calls) to collect the booklets and talk to potential donors/members. Without the convenience of you own transport, there will be lots extra walking and time involved. After doing the job for more than a couple of weeks, you will struggle if exclusively on foot + public transport, as the distance between "outstanding" booklets and "current" booklets becomes ever larger. However, if you live in a large town/city and if you really like fast walking/running and have plenty of spare time, it is still possible, in some circumstances, to do the work without your own transport.

Can I approach my friends and family to obtain donors/members?

Yes, but we are looking for committed supporters. We don't want people joining only to cancel their Direct Debit a few weeks later. It is not recommended to approach friends and family until you are very familiar with the method. The method is designed specifically to work with "strangers" on the doorstep.

I can't believe that this method will work. Won't people be annoyed if I knock on their doors – especially when they might be busy?

This Soft Approach method really does work! If people have an interest in the Wildlife Trust, they'll make time for you even if they are in the middle of something else! It is rare that people will be upset or annoyed with an unsolicited house caller unless that caller makes a nuisance of him/herself. We employ an "if no, go" policy! People only really get annoyed with persistent and manipulative salespeople, and "chuggers" who won't take no for an answer. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_fundraising

We take pride in the fact that the Soft Approach is very different from the usual "face to face" appeal made by the larger charities and the marketing agencies who work on their behalf. The Wildlife Trusts report that our Soft Approach method has a high level of public acceptability and that legitimate complaints from the public are very rare.

Will it work in my area?

It will work in any area where there are people with disposable income. But it's never a good idea to prejudge an individual's or an area’s predisposition to react favourably or unfavourably to the Soft Approach. It's also unwise to make any assumptions at all about people's apparent wealth or their inclination to support charitable causes. We'll give you a very good idea of which areas to "target"

Who is a typical Wildlife Trust member recruited using the Soft Approach method?

A sweeping generalisation would be: Middle aged - Retired /Middle Class with medium to high income derived from a white collar type job. However, as with all generalisations, there'll be notable exceptions, so it's always worthwhile keeping an open mind! The end result will partly be dependent on the personal "chemistry" between the Local Fundraiser and the potential member.

Will I have to wear a uniform?

No. The best results will always come from working in your own clean and casual outdoor clothing. You'll carry a photo ID Badge. Definitely no formal suits or ties required.

What's involved in Self Employment?

It's not as difficult as it sounds and is an increasingly common arrangement. You have to register with HMRC for Self Assessment - easily done - and once a year fill out a form, declaring all your earnings from self employment. You take responsibilty for paying your own tax and NI contributions as they relate to income from self employment. As long as you keep elementary records, completing the Self Assessment form takes very little time AND you can claim some expenses.

Please note that some international students may not be permitted by HMRC to be self-employed: https://manunicareersblog.com/2016/04/14/can-international-students-be-self-employed/

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