How to Make Your Next School Fundraiser Even Better

Simple questions to ask that improve sales.

You've just completed your sale; you're glad it's over and are ready to move on. So why would you think about your next school fundraiser after completing one?

While things are still fresh in your mind is probably the best time to note how things went. There may be some important details that are still fresh on your mind that you may forget about later. This way, you can refer back and adjust for next time once ready.

Here are some questions that you should be discussing with your team.

Was your Fundraising Brochure Well Received?

How did your parents and students like the brochure? Did you have any complaints about quality? Were people saying they were tired of selling the same stuff? Most catalog companies provide a sales report that tells you how many of each type of item was sold. If you sold a seasonal shopper, for example, you can look up to see if you sold more wrapping paper or gift items. This can become even more useful if you track your sales trends. For instance, if you notice a downward trend in wrapping paper sales, perhaps people haven't used up what they already have. Or perhaps they don't like the selection or quality of the paper and are getting their wrapping paper elsewhere.

How Effective Was the Prize Program?

Are you offering a similar prize program year after year? Were your students as excited and motivated as you had hoped? Did you hear complaints about the lack of quality? Perhaps your students aren't selling as much as they used to because they are tired of the types of prizes being offered. Most companies offer prizes that have cheap prizes at the lower levels and better prizes at the higher levels. Most students will only sell enough to win lower-level prizes. Also, older students may be less apt to sell because they are already familiar with the prize program. This can profoundly affect your sales because fewer students end up participating.

Did You Offer Additional Selling Incentives?

Did you reach or exceed your sales goal? If you're like many schools, it's easy to think the prize program was enough to motivate your students to sell. That may have been enough to get them started; however, how did you plan to keep them selling throughout your fundraiser? If you didn't offer additional incentives along with your basic prize program, you might have missed the chance to increase your sales further. If you did offer additional incentives, how many students were excited about them? Did you hear students talking about them? If not enough students were interested, was it because the incentive wasn't appealing enough?

How was the Fundraising Company's Service?

Did your company do everything they said they'd do, or were there some unplanned surprises? Did you receive the sales tools you needed? How did your delivery go?

Even if you may not plan to be a part of your next school fundraiser, being able to provide helpful information to the people who inherit it could be beneficial. On the other hand, if you plan to be involved, you'll probably be glad you'll have your notes.

See our brochure fundraisers.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.