Any Advice for a Large Scale Fundraiser

[woslambert]

HELPP!!! I just booked a large scale fundraiser for about 900 kids for a middle school and I don't have enough catalogs. We are sending home a letter on Monday to ask who will be participating so I can at least anticipate how many to order but Im really scared this might fall through and I'll be stuck with a ton of catalogs and more expenses than its worth. I also thought about gift certificates too but I dont know that those will do as well as someone actually seeing the products in the book.


any responses are needed urgently! thanks
Misty Lambert #378217
[email protected]
HELP

 

[Kristen]

Do you have a personal website that you can direct people to, instead of sending out all those catalogs? It might be worth the expense to invest in one, even if for only a 6-month subscription.

 

[Sooner PC]

fundraiser

I would ask the school to foot the bill for the catalogs. You are just an independent consultant and that is a big financial responsiblity for 1 person to take on. Besides, if the fundraiser is a success, then the school will more than recoup their money on catalogs. Based on my experience with fundraisers (not PC) only about 1/2 of the students ever get home with the information.

Here is what I would suggest. . . Can you set up at basketball/football any type of sporting event?? Choir concerts, school plays??? ANYTHING that is happening at the school, I would be there with a small table set up and few items out. That way, you can talk to the "adults" that are coming in and out of the event - they are going to be the main sellers.

You also have to get the kids excited about the fundraiser. Are there prizes?? Can the homeroom teachers remind them about selling??

I helped out the band at my son's school with Poinsettia sales. We could have sold alot more if I had personally been at events where I could push the items and the band director would have been a little more enthusiastic. Some of the parents never even new we sold them until the Christmas concert - and there were only 100 band members.

Good luck - it will be alot of work, but it will be worth it.

Boomer Sooner
Shannon