Yes, Fundraisers Can Be FUN!
Taking the Stress Out of Fundraisers and Spirit Sales-Our Top 10 Tips
We get so excited each and everyday when we work with a new group on starting their fundraiser. The group’s we work with on custom fundraisers and shops are so varied and we have so much fun helping them select the best ideas and planning out their sale or fundraiser. Very often, however, those groups are not as excited as we are.
Most folks are feeling overwhelmed and stressed by school spirit sales and fundraisers before they even get started-we get that! All those meetings, all those opinions, all those bosses and yet no one really wants to do the work. It is tough to manage it all when all you really want to do is raise needed dollars for your booster club, PTA/PTO, team, band, arts organization, charitable group or school.
Custom products offer a unique opportunity to really stand out in the noisy fundraiser world, but there are decisions to make and details to get done…so that is why we do our best to make the process simple. Know we are always here to answer questions-always! and we even know the questions you should ask too! We know the Best Sellers and Fan Favorites…What’s New, What’s Hot and What to Do and Not to Do to have a successful spirit sale or fundraiser.
Where to Start??
Here are our Top 10 Tips for a Great FUNdraiser or Spirit Sale.
Have a good look and then BUZZus for More Info
We would love to help you get your fundraiser started!
Know Your Crowd-Be sure you are planning your fundraiser to meet your audience. Are you selling to the full community or just a select group? This can influence the products you select. Are you selling to the kids first, their families, staff, the larger community…? All of this is important to consider as you plan your product selection and your fundraiser.
What Do Folks Want?-While we do not encourage you to ask everyone what they would be interested in buying,an easy way to get a popsicle headache!, we do strongly suggest you poll a group to see what they are looking for-is it hoodies, umbrellas, flip flops?? The key to a successful fundraiser is to sell what you know your crowd is looking for! There are literally hundreds of thousands of custom product ideas-you do not want to be going through all of them! Before you get started ask some questions and then come visit us to research different category offerings.
What are Comfortable Price Points?-One of the biggest trip ups for any fundraiser is offering items that your crowd will not spend for. Get a good sense of what folks can and will spend and stick in that range. For example, if $20 is your sweet spot do not offer any items out of that range.
Don’t Offer the Mall, Stay Focused-We see all the time that groups want to offer too many items. This is an easy way to dilute a sale. Be careful to offer only products you know your crowd wants and offer no more than 4 ideas in one sale.
Create a Themed Sale-Selecting products that pair well with one another is always fun. For example, think about a Beach Day Fundraiser with Flip Flops/Slides and a Beach Towel, or a Rainy Day Fundraiser with Umbrellas and ponchos. Think about seasonal sales or shops-switching out products 3-4 times a year can really keep your crowd engaged and buying!
Don’t Try to Make Everyone Happy-This is always hard to do as you want a successful sale. You will ALWAYS hear from folks who complain that they want to buy a pink zebra, but not everyone wants a pink zebra, in fact it is just that one voice that wants the pink zebra…so stick with what you know will work.
Avoid Fundraiser Fatigue-Do Something New-Most crowds suffer from Fundraiser Fatigue-they have seen it all, or so they think. This is where it is important to get creative. Custom products offer so many opportunities to really rise above the standard fundraiser fare and get folks super excited about what you are selling.
Spread Spirit-One of the biggest goals for any sale should be about spreading spirit-especially now! If we have learned anything about this year it is that we need our community. Custom spirit products can move beyond the walls of a school and get spirit going everywhere. Ideas such as Yard signs, flags, spiritwear, tech ideas, blankets, beach towels…all get your logo and spirit out int he world for all to see.
Partner with Your Local Business Community -Co-branding with local businesses is a fabulous way to off-set your costs, advertise their business or service and partner to spread spirit across the whole town. Think about seat cushions for example, place your logo on one side and sponsor ads on the other.
Know Your Costs!- We will always make sure you know all your costs up front so you can price your items properly and be sure you are making a profit. Knowing all the costs helps you make smart product decisions as well and ensures you price properly and come out with a good profit.
