mrebvies
Practical fundraising solutions that boost sales
There’s carnivals and car washes, auctions and brochure sales. There seems to be no limit to the ways schools attempt to raise money. To make matters worse, most schools won’t meet their yearly budget with their first sale. So even before the first sale is over sponsors starting to think about what’s next.
Is it any wonder schools do so much fundraising? Yet there is one method that stands out among schools. 80% of parent-teacher organizations say product sales are their most profitable. AFRDS (Association of Fund-Raising Distributors and Suppliers) also supports this claim.
So if you want to limit your dependency on fundraising, selling products is a great place to start.
Most schools are looking for fall fundraiser ideas because of the profit potential. Students and parents are fresh and eager to take part in school activities. This is also a busy time of year because we’re all shopping for gifts. So if you want the best potential for big sales, be sure to plan your event for the fall.
Here are some ways that you can get your school profits up while getting the number of sales you do to go down.
1. Commit to a Fundraising Limit
The fewer fundraisers you have to do the better. And this is not just a suggestion to help you maintain your sanity. It stands to reason that there’s a diminishing return with each subsequent sale. It’s like a hamster growing tired of the wheel. You need to commit to breaking free from the endless cycle.
One school grew tired of all the fundraising. The most important thing they did was earn the trust of their parents. They made a promise that no matter how well they did, there would be no additional fundraisers.
They instead decided to go all out on one sale. Their parents rewarded their commitment to limit the fundraising. It was a process because the school had to earn their trust over time. After one year, their sale increased by $15,000. The second year they saw another $27,000 improvement.
They now do only one big sale and raise almost $100,000 each year.
This is an extreme case. Most schools don’t experience this type of success. Many schools do 2 fundraisers per year. The point is to commit to a set number of sales.
To limit the number of sales, it’s important to do 2 things:
- Earn the trust of your parents.
- Let everyone see the ‘fruits of their labor’ by showing them how the money’s spent.
2. Smart School Sponsors Have Goals
Do you know how much money you need to raise? Hopefully, you’re not falling into the same trap that many schools and groups fall into. Raising money for the ‘general fund’ is not a good approach.
This only shows that you don’t know where the money will go until you come up with a plan for it. People want to know where their money and hard work are going. How will it benefit their students and the school? We all want to believe in a cause but we need to know what it is first.
Once you have a purpose and know how much you need to raise, you can set individual seller goals. Learn how to set school fundraising goals through unity.
Popular Fall Fundraiser Ideas
The most common fall fundraising products are also the most profitable. Schools prefer the large seasonal shoppers by a wide margin. Variety sells as there’s something available for most every customer. From kitchenware to home gadgets and gift wrap, shoppers have lots of items at a variety of price points.
Cookie dough and frozen food are also popular. Everyone wants ready-to-eat as soon as they can get it. Most food brochures are open and serve or need minor preparation ahead of time.
Some groups may be more interested in something with a twist. They want to get away from the common variety shopper and offer a single theme instead. For instance, selling flowers, candles, or even a tumbler with the school mascot is a viable option.
Regardless, attempt to have your fall fundraiser around the popular holidays. Thanksgiving or Christmas are when most people are buying for friends and family. Consider also going with a different type of prize program to maintain student interest.
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