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BCNPF In recognition of Natural Breast Cancer Prevention month, the Vitamin D Foundation is kicking off its 2012 fund- raising campaign in support of the Breast Cancer Natural Prevention Foundation. Since the BCNPF is an organization that is dedicated to taking action on the same vitamin D message that the VDF is founded upon, the BCNPF was an obvi- ous choice for them to support. The VDF has set a lofty goal of raising $250,000 for the Natural Breast Cancer Prevention campaign in 2012. With the publicity generated by Natural Breast Cancer Prevention Month, they hope to reach a significant portion of this total in the month of May. Just as important as the funds needed to promote this proac- tive organization is the message itself. It is crucial for VDF supporters to continue spreading the word of natural prevention and the important role of sunlight-induced vitamin D throughout their communities. The principal component of the Natural Breast Cancer Prevention campaign is the fundraising kit, designed to promote awareness and raise funds through retail items. Kits range in cost from $100 to $500 and will include bracelets, pledge markers, posters, counter cards and bro- chures – all promoting natural prevention. Upgraded kits will feature vitamin D sup- plements and natural prevention T-shirts. 100 percent of the kit's purchase price will go directly to the VDF. By offering the items in return for donations, businesses will be able to recover their cost, plus extra funds to be donated. The top-level kit can raise as much as $1,800. While the kit is the primary fundraising element of the campaign, the VDF's past participants excelled by utilizing their business savvy to develop special promo- tions – taking their fundraising to the next level. Ashley Lynn's Tanning was last year's top fundraiser for VDF's D-Feat Breast Cancer campaign, contributing almost $38,000. They purchased and distributed 17 D-Feat kits (similar to Natural Breast Cancer Prevention campaign kits), but were even more effective raising money through special promotions. The Omaha-based chain used a promotion in which custom- ers who bought a tanning package or product were offered a second package or product for a $5 donation to the D-Feat campaign. Executive Vice President Tracie Cunningham worked with a team to plan and execute her company's fundraising efforts. She says the strategy for this pro- motion was to capture clients' attention with an attractive deal in that brief sales window. "The clients respond best to a 'what's in it for them' approach. We only have a few seconds to engage with them, so we need to make our pitch about something they will want to purchase, then we have a 10-second sound bite about what the donation is for," Cunningham says. A little healthy competition never hurts, either. In 2011, Ashley Lynn's "lightheart- edly bet" another salon chain that they would raise more money for the D-Feat campaign, adding some fun to the endeavor and keeping each other moti- vated. Ashley Lynn's also held an internal competition, ranking its highest-earning salons throughout the campaign. Midnite Sun & Cruise, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., was also able to generate remarkable support for the D-Feat cam- paign with special promotions. Midnite asked for donations of $1, $5 or $10 and offered special incentives for each donation, ranging from recognition on a wall of fame to free lotions, discounted packages and spray tans. Midnite was also able to create some extra buzz by creating a "pink contest," encouraging "The clients respond best to a 'what's in it for them' approach. We only have a few seconds to engage with them, so we need to make our pitch about something they will want to purchase, then we have a 10-second sound bite about what the donation is for," Cunningham says. SmartTan.com [ SMART TAN MAGAZINE 94