School Fundraiser Ideas in 2010
Posted: Monday, February 15, 2010
by Martin Jennings
Nectar of Life Coffee Company
We're in a recession so how is your organization imagined to obtain the much need capital to remain
The fundraiser you select depends a lot on your organization. Are you looking for fundraising ideas for schools, or are you looking for ideas for fundraisers in general? You may not wish to use coffee for an elementary school fundraiser, but it could be an excellent high school fundraising idea. It's always an excellent idea to use an internet google search and be as specific as possible with your search query.
Purpose. Fundraising is a lot more than a vehicle to bring money to your organization. It should be a reflection of what you believe in. What is it that your organization values? Perhaps your principles involve social equality, then Fair Trade coffee may be just the thing for you. Does your organization care about the environment? Think organic. Maybe you ought to sell an environmentally friendly product such as organic coffee. Looking within is definitely an excellent step. What you, or your organization holds dear is the way you ought to choose for your fundraising endeavors.
These days you should make your fundraiser stand out. You'll need to think of unique fundraising ideas. One thing which will really make your fundraiser stand is to have a private label with your organization's logo.
Where is your organization located? It could be there are local organizations that can provide fundraising services. If you are located in the middle of nowhere you might need to find a web-based fundraiser.
It is definitely an excellent idea to check out the area competition. Once again, if you wish to achieve success you need a unique fundraising strategy. If all the school kids are trying to sell cookie dough, you might want to use something else. How much cookie dough can one person utilize? Just because one fundraiser appears fashionable it does not mean that it is lucrative. Maybe most are just following along which will lead to a saturated market and low sales.
When all is said and done fundraising is about raising funds. No matter how unique of a fundraising idea you have, it all comes down to the profit. And bear in mind, it isn't just about the percentage of markup, but the actual money obtained per item sold. Let's take cookie dough just as one example. Sure you might sell 1 tub for $11.00, but your profit is merely $3.00. I like to look for items which will earn a large dollar amount per unit sold. One product that I myself know is extremely worthwhile is Fair Trade organic coffee. We're talking a profit of about $6.00 per bag.
Always consider your passion in regards to the item you are selling. If you believe in it, then it is going to be a much more relaxed sell. If you can't stand cookie dough and the increased weight caused by the eating of said cookie dough, then do not sell it.
If you are looking for unique fundraising ideas you can always think outside the box. For myself, I think fresh roasted Fair Trade organic coffee is the best way to go. Pretty much everyone drinks coffee and going organic is environmentally responsible and Fair Trade is socially responsible. You have an item people will actually use. You have got a cause that folks can get behind, and better yet, almost no one else is doing it.
Next, you should consider your upfront outlay. Some fundraising companies demand that items be purchased upfront. Other agencies will let you use order forms to take pre-sales orders before your buy. There are many fundraising companies which will allow you to take pre orders, but you need to know if you have to issue payment before shipment.
One thing many people do not consider is shipping expenses. Some fundraising companies will absorb shipping costs, while some charge an arm and a leg. Have you considered this factor? Do they offer free shipping on orders over a specific dollar amount? If you are not vigilant shipping costs can consume your earnings. If your fundraising company does not offer free shipping ensure you receive shipping quotes on several different quantities upfront before you start selling anything.
Consider the time lines involved, especially if you are going to be taking pre orders. you'll wish to have a assured delivery date for your customers. You'll need to know how long in advance your fundraiser company requirements to handle your order and how long it'll take for the order to arrive. You then need to analyze the logistics of distributing the items to the recipients. If this is a school fundraiser you might want to have people pick up the items at the school on a specific day.
In conclusion, certainly one of the most important recommendations I can make is to relax and enjoy the ride. A contented, relaxed person sells a lot more than an tense deranged person. Bear in mind, if you believe in your cause and you find the product to sell, your fundraiser will likely be successful plus your organization will benefit.
Thanks for following along. To make your search for the ideal fundraiser all-inclusive please check out ideas for fundraisers. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Very informative.
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