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What Was Your Highest Fundraiser?

In summary, this conversation discusses how to make a fundraising event more successful. The expert provides a summary of the conversation and ends with how the conversation affects their opinion on the success of a fundraising event.
cat
Gold Member
1,102
I just had my FIRST fundraiser show yesterday. It was for my son's preschool. I was so disappointed because only 4 people showed up for the Cooking Show! I had given out 90 catalogs to the school (as the Director had requested), advertised at the school for 2 weeks and even went up and down the hallways the day of the show to encourage people to attend! (Hope I didn't look too desperate!) Well I did get about $1,000 in outside orders, but I still feel disappointed at the low turnout.

Anyway, was just curious how others have done!
 
I know how you feel!I did a catalog fundraiser with a school that had 82 kids. I had to buy the catalogs and envelopes for packets and print all the order forms. The school apparently did not "sponsor" the fundraiser, a parent did because the school only does 2 fundraisers a year. Well, out of 82 kids, I think only 8 collected orders. I was SO bummed! It ended up being over $1700 though, and I got one booking, so it wasn't that bad! I just thought that with that many kids, it could have been SO BIG! Not that $1700 is anything to complain about! I would really like to know how these consultants do these $10,000+ fundraisers!
 
I hope I can be one of the consultants to say how $10K fundraisers are done...one day...

But I bet that those doing these big FRs also have duds.

I worked in a preschool several years and NONE of the FRs were REALLY big (though the fairs do better than catalog shows). The parents are busy. The people can't touch and feel the product. They don't feel very attached to the cause, etc.

For example, the center I worked for always gave to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. But that was rarely played up. I personally would tell about how someone I knew benefited. I might share the plight of a family "on the list." Make it PERSONAL.

Also, tell parents how to make it easy. I think we assume parents know how to get orders for a FR and that just isn't true! First, think of how often a host says, "I don't think I know 40 people to invite." They NEED direction. Second, they often have a couple FRs so need extra encouragement because between gs cookies, bs popcorn, the school's Xmas paper/candy, etc, they often don't feel particularly interested.

I'm treating my FR participants as individual hosts. Yes, I get to kick off and finish up with a group of them, but they need the same needs as any other host individually. With a group of 150, this may be limited, but with a group of 40 or even 80, I think its doable, at least to an extent. 5 minute phone calls twice in the 3 weeks of a FR to each person is only 5 hours (less cuz you're gonna get answering machines). To me, 5 hours that may make a HUGE difference is worth it. I just doubt that a kick-off, a packet, a letter and follow up letter is enough.

Now, I could be wrong. I'm just a brand new consultant with a few shows under my belt and 3 FRs for RFL, but this is how *I* am trying to approach it. I've been working with the center I used to work with about doing a FR and I've been trying to figure how I can make it the best FR they've ever done, knowing what I do about the families and school and so far working with people doing FRs.

I guess we'll know the beginning of May how right...or wrong...I am. Until then, I'm ALL ears for suggestions myself too!!!
 
I just did a fundraiser in Feb. The total packets given out was about 260. 20% of the families participated and the total came to just shy of $5,000.

All I can do is think of what my sales would have been if even 50% had participated!!
 
Participation!That's what the problem seems to be...such a low percentage is participating! Does anyone know how many people usually participate in the Christmas fundraisers (wrapping paper, candies, etc.) for schools? I wonder if their participation rate is that low too? Of course, the prices are so high, they still make money anyway. I guess the key is to figure out how to get everyone motivated!
 
How's $15658 for a FR Show Total?One of the director's in my cluster did a fundraiser in Feb that came to $15658.00! It was for a Catholic School and she's earned the Level 2 Trip already. She does a training on fundraisers at our cluster meetings, so I can't wait to attend.
 
DZmom said:
One of the director's in my cluster did a fundraiser in Feb that came to $15658.00! It was for a Catholic School and she's earned the Level 2 Trip already. She does a training on fundraisers at our cluster meetings, so I can't wait to attend.

WOW! :eek: How does one approach the schools, churches, and large organizations to do a fundraiser? I wouldn't even know who to talk to or what to say to entice them? I host a HWC fundraiser at my home each May but never have gone over $2,000 and would love to hold a larger fundraiser.
Has anyone ever heard of doing a S.O.C.K fundraiser or show? It is Support Our Church Kitchen. Guests can purchase products for themselves as well as the church kitchen...I have never done this but thought it would be fun. I just have no idea how to approach the whole thing!:(
 
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Hi Donna,

After you go to the fundraiser training, would you mind sharing some of the things you learn? I may have another fundraiser in the fall for the HS Band and I would like to do everything I can to make it a success! Thanks in advance!!
 
Her kids go to the school so she knew who to approach. Below is the test from the email she sent to me and also the files that she gave to me.

HI! i just got all my printing back on monday for my big fundraiser with Seton Catholic School (250 kids) kicking off on Feb 9th and ending Feb 24th. My kids have been making up packets all week! see attachments for the final versions of everything and also a "COVER LETTER" attachment that Carol Jackson sent me today (thanks Carol!), i think it sounds great if you're fishing for leads. Once you can get just one fundriaser and do a good job on it then you can tell ppl how it worked and how successful it was, and they will trust that you know what you're doing! Imagine the leads! note that i am donating 15% of my commission (matching the company's 15%) making their profit be 30% but you don't have to do this. I know Carol said she is going to donate 5% making their profit be 20%. This is my decision since it's my kids' school, I want the parents there to know I do it, I want the fundraiser for next year (possibly 2/year with once in fall and once in spring), I want the email address contacts, I want the trip points, recruit leads, booking leads, free advertising, etc, plus it's a write-off.

Attached:
* "SETON FUNDRAISER KICKOFF INVITATION" -- this went out yesterday in the weekly KIDS MAIL, on melon paper, one-sided, black and white copy -- it invites parents to a kickoff event "baked potato bar" -- i got columbia steak house to donate the potatoes and everyone is asked for a $1 donation to offset expenses, kids will use tools like a/p/c/s with dry jello sprinkled with Flour/Sugar Shaker, and tools to make potato toppings like olives (ESP), chili (cookware), cheese (grater, or melted cheese using can opener and cookware and nylon tools), bacon (simple additions, i'm going to buy hormel already cooked and chopped), green onions (shears), sour cream (decorator)
* "SETON PARENT LETTER" -- this is on white paper, black and white copy, this will be sent loose along with the fundraiser packet in KIDS MAIL on feb 8th, it asks for a parent volunteer per classroom, a headcount on the kickoff attendance, allows request for extra supplies...

1 Fundraiser Packet per Child = 1 9X12 clasp manilla envelope which i am calling the COLLECTION ENVELOPE. on the front of the envelope is the attachment "SETON FUNDRAISER DIRECTIONS" but i printed it on red/white checkerboard border paper, glued on with a glue stick. this is the only copy where i used color printing, too expensive to use for all! i got all my printing donated -- it would have cost $517! the school was willing to make the copies but i wanted this to be as profitable for my kids' school as possible! on the other side of the manilla envelope (the side with the clasp), i put a 2x4 label (10/sheet) that says:
COLLECTION ENVELOPE

Student Name:______________________________

Classroom:_________________________________

Parent Name:_______________________________

Parent Phone #:_____________________________

Parent Email:_______________________________

Total Product Sales:__________________________

(excluding shipping & tax, after 10% past host discounts if any)


Students will receive 1 prize ticket per $100 in product sales redeemable on hallway prizes after the fundraiser! Parents with email addresses on file in the Directory will receive a copy of each web order as it is placed so that students can track product sales for prizes.





In the manilla envelope:

1) one catalog with a label on it (30 labels per sheet, used color print, this all fits) that says:

30% PROFIT to SETON Through Feb. 24th!!!

For ALL Orders Placed On-Line At

www.pamperedchef.biz/________ Enter

"Seton Catholic" for Host Name, Include

"Care Of Student's Name." Bookings

Contribute Additional Profits. ALL Orders

Subject to Tax and Shipping. Collect Payment

in Advance, Credit Preferred.



2) "SETON PRIZES" attachment -- this lists prizes offered, school is paying out of profits. regal cinemas will donate movie tickets if you have a tax exempt certificate, i don't know how many they are going to donate but i'm going to make it one of the prizes. to apply www.regmovies.com

on the other side of "SETON PRIZES" is a copy of the company's feb host special since it is one of the prizes -- except at the top i covered up where it says "Monthly Host Special February 2006" and put "Collect at least $600 in total product orders and choose a 60% off piece of OPEN STOCK cookware!" and then i also covered up where it says "Receive 60% off any ONE piece of our Open Stock Cookware" and I put "The top-selling student's parent OF EACH CLASSROOM will be offered a 60% off piece of OPEN STOCK cookware!"

remember that the company offers the monthly host special to one fundraiser chairperson if they want it so i'm giving it as a prize, costs me nothing (plus PAN-A-RAMA for me)! i'm turning in every classroom as a separate show (easier to sort and i can offer a top seller prize per classroom of the monthly host special if they want it, passes to #2 seller if they don't want it, i'm assuming classroom sales of at least $600, if not i may combine classrooms so will get the 15% from company) and i'm offering every student with at least $600 a host special if they want it (will be turned in as a separate show, you could actually offer for every $150 in orders but company only pays 10% on fundraisers less than $600).

3) "CHEAT SHEET" attachment on yellow paper, double-sided -- i use this in all host packets too, reduces math errors and encourages orders since easy for them to calculate orders correctly!

4) "SETON ORDER FORM" attachment, double-sided -- on the other side i put (vertically split down the page) the Spring/Summer 2006 Drop List on the left half of the page (this was from the web newsletter, we got a hard copy at leadership summit) and the "SETON SHIPPING" attachment on the right half of the page. on past fundraisers i have done, the main problem is they don't collect the right tax or charge the right shipping or collect any payment so i'm taking lots of precautions so that this doesn't happen, time will be of the essence for double points! i'm also offering web orders so i needed a good system for communication and few errors. i'm giving each student 5 order forms.

5) "SETON POSTCARDS" attachment - on tan cardstock paper trimmed on sides to look like a postcard -- this is promoting web orders, each child gets 5 of these, i printed up 2000 of them so ppl can leave them at work places, in the school office, etc. my goal would be for each child to collect 5 orders using order forms and 5 web orders... 10 orders per 250 kids = 2500 orders at $30-50 each= $100,000 in sales -- yeah right! but i can dream! ha ha!

that's it! i might need help with this one, will keep everyone posted! i made up 30 extra collection envelopes so i could have on hand to show my team at meetings, trainings, and for other fundraiser prospects. i can mail one to any of you to look at (so you can make up your own) or to borrow to show any hot prospects -- try to get them on board for FEB since all the materials are already done up for you plus double points, pan-o-rama, great guest/host special perfect for this... but i'd want it back asap if possible. thanks and thanks to everyone who contributed great ideas, especially kim adamson, dacian keaton and several ppl i met at leadership too!
 

Attachments

  • seton catalog label.doc
    76 KB · Views: 476
  • cover letter.doc
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  • COLLECTION ENVELOPE LABEL.doc
    45.5 KB · Views: 601
  • seton postcards.doc
    57.5 KB · Views: 473
  • Seton Shipping $4.doc
    32.5 KB · Views: 409
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  • #10
Here's some more of the files!Had to do this in more than one post! Sorry the first post was so long!
 

Attachments

  • seton parent letter.doc
    36 KB · Views: 402
  • seton order form.doc
    331 KB · Views: 403
  • seton fundraiser kickoff invitation.doc
    74.5 KB · Views: 598
  • seton fundraiser directions.doc
    90.5 KB · Views: 550
  • seton prizes.doc
    117.5 KB · Views: 475
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  • Thread starter
  • #11
Thanks Donna, for posting all of those files! I especially like the profit grid in the fundraiser directions document. That's a great idea...I think I will use it for my next fundraiser! :D
 
  • #12
Wow!!!
DZmom said:
One of the director's in my cluster did a fundraiser in Feb that came to $15658.00! It was for a Catholic School and she's earned the Level 2 Trip already. She does a training on fundraisers at our cluster meetings, so I can't wait to attend.

I think HO needs to get her on a Tele-Class or do a Conference Session with her teaching how she did this! My question would be how much time did she end up spending on this and what was her commission? How much of her commission did she contribute to the school? I think earning level 2 (by Feb. no less) would totally be worth it!!

So when is the cluster meeting that she will be teaching you all about this - I will schedule my flight to be there!:) :) :) :) :)

I have never done a FR before and have someone interested in doing one in April so this gave a good perspective on how to promote them. My son attends a school like this and I have been hesitant to contact anyone at the school because I didn't know how sucessful it could be. I would love to hear more about how many people or what percentage of the students participated, how many 'classroom leaders' took advantage of the cookware etc., etc., etc.!!!

THANK YOU for posting this!!!

Leea:cool:
 
  • #13
I understand that we can put the school down as the sole guest, the entire set of products will be under the school's order. Then, a non-profit school is tax free, so the kids don't have to compute tax. Also, since there is only one order, the consultant could pick up the shipping cost (which for some reason is a direct shipping cost, not $4), so the students won't have to figure in shipping, either.

I watch my daughter eagerly viewing the pictures of junk prizes that these cheapo fundraiser companies offer as student incentives. The kids are REALLY motivated by the carnival junk prizes! I would spend the money to incorporate them into the incentives and see if I could do an assembly to get the kids excited about the junk prizes and the pampered chef products. I'm not sure I'd be willing to donate my entire 15% commission, it's alot of work and expense. Too bad PC doesn't offer a competitive rate to the organizations. But, don't forget that directors get the personal overrides too. So, if you're making 17% for having 15,000 in career sales, then 3% more for overrides, and you're earning TPC and the trip....
 
  • #14
Oh, I almost forgot, everyone writes the check to the school (I think they'd prefer to do this anyhow) and no credit cards can be accepted. The school writes one humungous check to you!
 
  • #15
She donated ALL her commission since it's her children's school. She taught the class at our January or February training meeting and is supposed to do another one soon.

Paige, if you do that, then people would not have receipts for the items they purchase. It could possibly mess up their warranties.
 
  • #16
I thought of that, too. In fact, it may void their warranties since the products are actually sold to the school, the guest would be the third party. However, I think alot of schools would decide not to do the fundraiser at all because it is too hard for the kids to figure the totals. Making it easy (like girl scout cookies) would be more likely to sell them on attempting the fundraiser at all. I'll have to call my director's director who told me about this method. She had called Pampered Chef and was told to do it that way by the home office. Anyway, I'm really motivated to promote a few fundraisers after this discussion! TPC here I come!
 
  • Thread starter
  • #17
So excited!I've actually collected a couple more orders for the preschool fundraiser and I am $86 away from $1250 and earning the mid-season products! Now I feel better! I was told that there are 2 or 3 more people ordering, so hopefully that will put me over the top! I'll find out early next week!
 
  • Thread starter
  • #18
UpdateJust in case anyone was wondering, I closed my show today (FINALLY!) and sales were $1253. I received 2 more orders at the last minute. How neat is that? I'm really excited now since I'll get the mid-season products! :D
 
  • #19
I am so excited, I am closing a fundraiser tomorrow that will be over $3000.00 for a dance studio that needed funds to help one of their lines go to Las Vegas this summer. A gal that I work with asked me what PC offered and I brought in the informational sheet that was provided for the Seton Fundraiser - she loved that it had a grid on it where people could see what the profits would be. This was thrown together last minute and given to the kids 5/14 - not bad for a couple weeks worth of orders!!! I also donated 10% of my commision as this fundraiser will keep me active for another couple of months!! The 7% take home for me will just be a bonus!!!!
 
  • #20
My first fundraiser was last may and I was a consultant for 8 months and it was for the Relay for Life (I am very passionate about this cause because of my mom) and it was $4,482.50 there were 5 Relay teams involved. This year it was only $3,522.81. Some teams decided not to do it this year because of the percentage

That's okay, every cent count when it comes to fighting cancer

~
 
  • #21
Mine are usually smaller because I am working with individuals rather that teams 1562.25 was my largest fundraiser so far

I got contacted for a fundraiser for June that includes a group of 4 ladies with 2 that are former PC consultants - This should be interesting
 

What Was Your Highest Fundraiser?

As a Pampered Chef consultant, I get asked this question often. Here are the top 5 most frequently asked questions about our highest fundraiser.

1. How much money did your highest fundraiser bring in?

Our highest fundraiser brought in over $10,000! It was a huge success and helped raise a significant amount of money for the organization.

2. What kind of event was your highest fundraiser?

The highest fundraiser was a combination of a cooking show and a silent auction. Guests were able to bid on different Pampered Chef products and all proceeds went towards the fundraiser.

3. How many people attended the highest fundraiser?

We had over 200 people attend the highest fundraiser. It was a great turnout and everyone had a wonderful time while also supporting a good cause.

4. How long did it take to plan the highest fundraiser?

The planning process for the highest fundraiser took about 3 months. We wanted to make sure everything was organized and executed smoothly to ensure its success.

5. Will you be hosting the highest fundraiser again?

We are always open to hosting fundraisers for different organizations, but we cannot guarantee that the highest fundraiser will be repeated. Each event is unique and we want to make sure it is successful for that specific organization.

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