Biggest Waste of Time: My 1st Fundraiser Flop!

[PChefRenee]

Well I finally had my 1st fundraiser and what a flop! The chairperson was really excited about it and wanted to do it as a catalog show. I did up 20 packets each with a catalog and OOFs and I even went so far as to type up a really nice cover letter to include in the center section of the folders, explaining how the fundraiser works and how much will go to the organization. (a local no-kill animal rescue). I spent so much time, effort, supplies and catalogs to do this and the commissionable sales came to a whopping $237.40. I have no idea what this lady did with all my packets, but the orders I received were just people she knew. No orders came from anyone else. And not one booking! Then she said she could only give me back 8 of the packets. She said the others were basically "lost". I tell you what...If anyone out there is thinking about doing a fundraiser, DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME. The organization will get $23.74 and my commission will be about $35.00, which hardly covers my time and expenses. This was the biggest waste of time, will probably never do again.

 

[JAE]

That doesn't sound good. I'm having a fund raiser next week, but I'm not really doing much of the work. I'm not even sending the postcards. I'm treating it just like a show, and I've explained to the host how it works. Hopefully she will do lots of calling. I want it to be worth her time and I want her organization to get lots of money. I'm not doing a demo. The food will be made ahead of time.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I'm so sorry!

A fundraiser doesn't have to be a waste of time. I have found that the best fundraiser are done as a regular show. When you leave it to a chairman to be the one to explain, and encourage orders, it never seems to work out. When I have been able to physically get in front of a group, and explain how the fundraiser works, and do a demo of some products and talk about the great host benefits.....then I have a successful fundraiser.

 

[JAE]

So, are you saying I should be doing a demo? I plan to explain how the fundraiser works, but I'm not planning on doing a demo.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

You don't really have to do a "demo" - just talk about and show some of the products that are most important to talk about....cookware, stoneware, knives, etc......

 

[ginamkiely]

I agree with you about the fundraisers... I just did one and sent out SOOOO many invites, called every local newspaper to get a mention, i did everything i could to get the host to get the name out there, and the fundraiser will get an astounding $58. it doesn't seem worth it to me either!!

 

[chef131doreen]

I also agree with you about the FR they are not doing well for me . I have done a few and nothing......... I have one going on now for boy scouts they are also having me come to a house for a kick-off ( close the show day on Dec 2 hope it goes well .

I think we heed to go back to the one a few years ago with 10 items on a card with 40 % to the organization ......... Maybe at leadership they will change the FR we can only hope

 

[reba515]

I don't offer FR's anymore, at least not the kind where I hand out packets.


I have done 2 this month at "vendor fairs" to benefit schools and 1 did fairly well at $607 the other only just over $200. But they didn't cost me anything but time spent there.I only set out 4 catalogs (and order forms), so nobody is walking away with catalogs to later put in the trash. They can leave me their contact info if they want to send me one, or come back to my table at the end of the evening to pick one of the 4 up.

Maybe try focusing on these type of events to get your name out there rather than spending an arm & a leg for little profit (both you & the org.).

 

[chefkristin]

I have a fund raiser for the Lions Club tomorrow night. It will be at a restaurant so I won't be doing a demo either. I am bring one piece from each collection (Stoneware, SA, Cookware) and I will also bring my tool turnabout. I am setting it up online so people can order that way. There is supposed to be about 40 people there tomorrow night. They are each getting 2 catalogs. Then all of them will go collect orders to be submitted before the 15th. Wish me luck!!

 

[lkprescott]

Good info here to learn from. I've got a few local groups in mind for doing fund raisers with... will start with the one I'm a member of and see how that goes. I'm planning on working that one almost entirely online, so we'll see.

 

[Marg]

I have had great success with fundraisers. I have done several of both types - handing out catalougues with order forms and actual demos:

2 for my son's pre-school, $1300 and $1500 (catalogue)
3 for Weekend to End Breast Cancer $2175, $1744, $810 (demos)
1 for an organization my mum belongs to, $1000 (demo)
1 for a sports team, $1600 (Catalogue)

 

[MaddyandOwensMom]

I agree about the FR's as well. I've done 3 and all were very disappointing. Except for a Help Whip Cancer FR, I lost money. I've had to donate part of my commission each time and I don't really consider that losing money. However, because the totals are so low, I lose money on catalogues, envelopes, paper, door prizes, etc. And I had my chairman lose catalogues too and not distribute them. It was my husband to boot!

I really think that unless it's a demo and HO ups the percentage, I'm not looking to do them anymore.
Jessica

 

[PChefRenee]

Good luck to you tomorrow, Kristin. I hope you do better than I did.

I just don't get it. My kids bring home these FR from school with some worthless knick knacks or crummy candy that has been marked up 1000% (or more) and that stuff sells. Now, have a PC FR, with useful quality merchandise that hasn't been marked up and available at all price ranges, many under $10, and no one buys anything. Go figure! I keep thinking that maybe she just left the packets in the trunk of her car and they never went any further. Or if she did pass them out, she maybe didn't follow up with them to get the orders, which, if that's the case, it will make me look bad for those that ordered. Who knows !? I even promoted my offer to match the PC $3 for each booking to make it $6, but still nothing. I just want to let everyone know of my (bad) experience in case they were thinking of doing a FR. It's not all that it's cracked up to be. I think PC is the only one that really makes out. I guess, in the future, if I am asked to do a FR, fine. But I will NEVER promote them. Good luck to all of you and your fundraisers...you will probably need it.

 

[Kateryn]

The problem with fundraisers at kids schools is that parents are more inclined to sell those because their kids will earn something from the sales, some cheap toy or whatever. Parents are more likely to bribe and threaten relatives into buying something from the catalog so their kids can "earn" one of those cheap gifts more than they are for something that all funds just go to the school and the kids have nothing to show for it.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Good luck to you tomorrow, Kristin. I hope you do better than I did.

I just don't get it. My kids bring home these FR from school with some worthless knick knacks or crummy candy that has been marked up 1000% (or more) and that stuff sells. Now, have a PC FR, with useful quality merchandise that hasn't been marked up and available at all price ranges, many under $10, and no one buys anything. Go figure! I keep thinking that maybe she just left the packets in the trunk of her car and they never went any further. Or if she did pass them out, she maybe didn't follow up with them to get the orders, which, if that's the case, it will make me look bad for those that ordered. Who knows !? I even promoted my offer to match the PC $3 for each booking to make it $6, but still nothing. I just want to let everyone know of my (bad) experience in case they were thinking of doing a FR. It's not all that it's cracked up to be. I think PC is the only one that really makes out. I guess, in the future, if I am asked to do a FR, fine. But I will NEVER promote them. Good luck to all of you and your fundraisers...you will probably need it.

Totally different animal when you have cute little kids asking their grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles to buy something from them. Also - have you ever been to a "pep rally" where they get these kids excited about earning equally worthless knick knacks for selling the crappy stuff? They get these kids so pumped up....all they want to do is sell sell sell! That is why I won't do fundraisers anymore that don't include me doing some kind of presentation to those who will be selling. YOU are the key to a successful fundraiser - just handing out packets to faceless people who have never met you, and expecting them to do a great job selling a product they may not be familiar with is not usually going to make a successful fundraiser.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I had a fundraiser this fall for a boy scout troop, I did the demo in our church fellowship hall. I donated 10% and it brought their total to $600 the downside it took me 6 hours to sort and bag it all for them!!
I'm still getting orders from people who kept a catalog and are now ordering gifts.
It depends on the motivation of the group. this one was the mom's selling not the kids.