Useful hints for fundraisers

Almost everyone has been involved in fundraising in one way or another — buying candy bars, selling lollipops or raising their hand at a PTA meeting.

However, not all fundraisers are created equal.

Why do some groups make it look easy while others are left scrambling at the last minute?

According to fundraising consultants, the key components are information and preparation.

Here are some tips from the pros on how to get the most from your fundraiser:

Choose the right product to fit your needs. Consider products that have sold well in the past and only offer products you would buy. Poor quality will result in low sales. Higher priced items will sell if they’re attractive.

Avoid the temptation to overbuy. Disreputable sales people will promise the moon, but be realistic about how much each child/parent can sell. Think about where items can be sold. You’ll sell more if you have a captive audience.

Consider timing. Seasonal products sell well — gift wrap at Christmas, chocolate roses at Valentine’s Day, etc. Try to avoid selling at a time when you know other organizations will be selling.

Rather than selling during Girl Scout cookie season, plan your fundraiser for September or January when you’ll have minimal competition.

Set a time limit. Many fundraising experts think that more time equals higher sales, but given too much time, participants will procrastinate. A maximum of two weekends or 10 days helps to maintain motivation and focus.

"Incentivize" participants. Winning something can be a powerful motivating factor, especially for children.

However, many groups fail to consider different incentive types and levels. If you offer only a grand prize, the most successful child can kill the sale by making others feel they’ll never catch up.

Instead, offer levels of prizes to get a fast start and keep it going. For example, each child selling three items by Monday is entered in a prize drawing.

Everybody wins and unhealthy competition is eliminated.

Keep meticulous records. When something goes wrong with the sale, chances are the chairperson didn’t keep track of what she gave to whom. Consider having children sign products out. This gives you a reference and teaches children responsibility.

You don’t have to have money to make it. Find a fundraising company that will let you buy on credit. This makes a huge difference to small organizations with limited capital. Also, having extra time to pay means you can collect from buyers when the product is delivered. Not having to pay up front increases the likelihood of a sale by up to 50 percent.

Work with a vendor that meets your needs. Reputable fundraising companies will partner with you by offering you the flexibility to return unsold products (provided they’re unopened and nonperishable), choose from a wide range of products, and resolve issues immediately. The company you choose for this important process should be trustworthy, helpful and able to assist you at each step.

For more information about safe and successful fundraising, please call (800) 443-5353.