It's a fact of life that many organazations need to raise funds to cover critical aspects of their day-to-day operations. The lack of funding or underfunding comes with certain responsibilities, however. Here are a few things to consider:
If you are selling the same thing multiple times per year, your customers may experience burnout. Consider changing it up. In the spring, perhaps a cookie dough sale and in the fall a holiday gift catalog? If you are combining fundraisers, add a flower bulb sale to your already successful fundraiser in the spring to change it up!
Regular event fundraisers can be a great way to accomplish a fundraising goal. Often times, participation and profit dwindle in successive years. If you are experiencing a problem with fundraisers that used to have a great return, offering a product sale can keep things exciting. The next time you have the same event, it will seem more special. Consider adding a cool new feature to your event fundraiser after taking time off from it in order to add just a little extra incentive to get involved again.
On the flip side, you will want to talk to your product fundraising rep for ideas to keep things fresh. Even product fundraising companies would support you doing an event fundraiser if you have the time and support to accomplish it. Product fundraising companies know that if you keep it fresh for you and your customers, sales will be through the roof during the product fundraisers.
Remember that the overall quality of the fundraiser - product quality, value, ease of use, profit margin, extra incentives, teacher and faculty participation as well as community involvement will have a lot more to do with the sucees of the fundraiser than just adding another fundraiser to the lineup. If you are doing more than 2 fundraisers a year, focusing on 2 very successful fundraisers may just be the ticket! That's quality over quantity folks!
Remember to reward sellers in any way you can! Pictured below is a lunch limo ride provided by Believe Kids to an elementary school. Participants who sold a qualifying amount of product were rewarded with a spectacular ride to a restaurant for lunch and desert and then and back to school. This type of promotion keeps sellers motivated.
Student prize programs are important as well. Compare companies prizes. If they offer only one or two prizes up to a 10 item sales level, you can do better! Call around as companies like Believe regularly offer 4 prizes at a 10 item sales level!
Are your customers feeling that the fundraising cycle is never over and that they are donating constantly? If so, perhaps finding one large fundraiser to do per year would help raise more money in a short amount of time? See Believekids.com/fundraiser_fall.htm for more information about the largest, most profitable fundraiser ever!
the last think to consider is finding the right fundraising partner. Contact www.believekids.com and you will find helpful, honest information presented clearly. We want you to succeed! In the end, finding a great fundraising partner will be critical to keeping fundraising fresh over time.
