Fall/Winter Fundraiser Ideas: A Beginner's Guide to Booking Successful Events

[pampered2007]

I really want to book some fundraisers for the Fall/Winter Season. I have not done any fundraisers yet so I would love some ideas or suggestions on how to get started? Thanks

 

[allisonserna]

I posted this response on another board, to save time I'm just re-posting it

This answer is for those who are trying to get school or daycare FR's

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There is never a sure fire way to get an actual response...

One thing to find out before you give out a packet to schools or daycares is to find out how much the school/ daycare expects to get (percentage wise) a friend of mine wont do any fund raisers for less than 30% to the school. Thus our FR won't be worth the school's time.

Next find out if they have already set the schedule for this school year (2008-2009) if so are they accepting ideas for 2009-2010? if so when they might have a time frame of taking new ideas until Jan 2009 so you know you have a couple of months to build a relationship with the school between now and then.

Also if they will tell you find out the average income for each household? If they are lower income or state funded daycares, your sales will probably be low, and or bad checks written or even interest to book a show but can never actually hold a show (due to limits with their housing, their circle of also poor friends, and just their lack of the NEED to spend $200 on a pot and pan set)

Also you want to talk to the PTA mom if you are talking to a school, and the daycare director, if they tell you just to drop it off over the phone, ask to make an appointment or in the case of the PTA ask if you can come to a meeting and present the idea to the PTA board.

I know in schools each grades do their own fund raisers so if they let you present it to the PTA board, be sure to just keep in touch with someone from the PTA so they can let you know that the 4th grade science class is doing a holiday boutique, that way you can have a vendor booth and this will get you sales and the PTA will be able to see "how you work" and if they like you they might just return your call about having a PC fund raiser in 2009-2010.

Regarding daycares each month is usually some kind of theme, if you could talk to the director about coming in to the daycare during healthy eating month, and perhaps being at the daycare when the parents drop off and pick up (peak times - 7 am to 9 am and then again from 3 pm to 7 pm) you could sit in the lobby with a small table offering healthy recipes and catalogs for the parents. You could then have one- on- one conversations with the parents or legal guardians and perhaps fill your calendar and the day care will see how you "act" and then they might open up their arms to your ideas for FR in their daycare.

Also one more thing if you get fliers about so and so school / daycare needing your donation to build a new play yard, this is an opportunity to tell them about PC and our FR program, and that every little bit helps etc.

 

[pampered2007]

Thank you very much for such wonderful ideas! I think I am also going to choose some organizations to send a letter and fundraiser flyer to such as churches, schools, preschools, etc. Any other ideas on who to send a letter to????

 

[pvt35115]

I have done fundraisers for my daughter's soccer team. I added an extra 10% to the 15% from PC. My daughter's team ended up with $1917 in sales. I just started another one for a different team and plan for yet another one in early November. These are not as big as a school would be, but still a great start.

 

[pampered2007]

I am very anxious to do some fundraisers! And the bigger the better! Do most consultants add on extra percentages to what PC offers?? I would prefer my business to be more established before I do that.

 

[jcsmilez]

I am very anxious to do some fundraisers! And the bigger the better! Do most consultants add on extra percentages to what PC offers?? I would prefer my business to be more established before I do that.

It appears that many consultants do add a percentage to fundraisers. I feel that the 15% isn't competitive with other fundraisers that are available. Still, it is ultimately up to you. If you were to add 10% you would still be keeping 5% for yourself (at least do that to cover the cost of catalogs and other materials), but really, if it is catalog fundraiser that is still a gain because they are doing most of that work. You get to count your contribution as a tax deductible donation and it is an opportunity to get your name out there. Honestly, I think it is a great way to start your business because you have a chance to reach tons a people that otherwise you never would have known. Good luck

 

[pampered2007]

How about making contacts with potential fundraising organizations...is it best to make a list and then call them or send a letter along with a fundraising flyer? Not sure how to go about it. Thanks!

 

[linojackie]

I am going to send out a letter to previous fundraisers saying if they book a fundraiser in Nov, they will get 25% (Think SAT!) and I will call and get contact info and/or talk to fundraising coordinators for the local sports teams, churches, etc. about it. As much as I hate to admit it, I am finding that the personal contact works the best. Send out a million letters, you get nothing. Call a million people, you get half a million yesses!

 

[kspry]

find out how much the school/ daycare expects to get (percentage wise) a friend of mine wont do any fund raisers for less than 30% to the school. Thus our FR won't be worth the school's time.

A lot of schools think this. But they're selling cookie dough and gift wrap that people really don't want. So - the 30% may look good, but the total amount raised isn't very high.

With a PC fundraiser, they might just sell more useful items that people actually want, and get a bigger amount raised, even though 15% is a lower percentage.

 

[emo812]

Does anyone have a letter they send with the flyer that they can post? I'm not sure where to start or how to word it? I found a Humane Society that does a lot of fundraising and I wanted to send something to them in the mail but I didn't want to just send the flyer. Any suggestions would be great!!

 

[ivykeep]

You can also contact your local schools and see if they are doing any bazaars/craft fairs or vendor events.A friend of mine's son's school is doing a holiday bazaar -- they were charging $20 per vending table and didn't have a Pamp. Chef vendor.I contacted the school to participate and then offered to do the whole thing as a fundraiser... it's a PTA event, open to the public... The PTA is sending the Fundraiser info to their email yahoo group (going out to 100+ parents as it is a relatively small school), sharing the flyers with all the teachers and any orders I get during the bazaar will go in as part of the fundraiser (and they waived my table fee). The PTA president was super excited and it was much easier to do as an add on to an existing event than to try and get them to schedule a separate fundraiser. And my foot is now in the door at the school.I'm not adding any extra percentage to the Fundraiser since this wasn't a hard sell.The Average customer will spend more on a Pampered Chef order than they will on overpriced cookie dough or wrapping paper anyway, so the dollar amounts that the organization raises will end up similar.