Why you shouldn't commit upfront to 2 sales with the same company.
Should you sign up for multiple fundraisers with the same company? Some companies offer special incentives if schools agree to commit to more than one sale, like a discount on your second invoice or increased profit on the second sale. Some companies will even offer special incentives on both sales.
Companies employing this technique are attempting to lock schools up for two consecutive campaigns, one right after school starts and a second before the holidays. Another option might be to do a fall fundraiser followed by one in the spring. Other stipulations are often placed on the school. For example, the school must start the year with its program. But do the pros outweigh the cons?
Offer the Same Prize Program Twice?
If you commit to working again with the same fundraising company, you'll probably get a lot of redundancy. This can be both good and bad. It can become a problem when the same prize program is offered for both of your fundraisers. Most companies don't offer many alternatives, and your students will be bored with the same prizes the second time. Companies may attempt to downplay this by telling you that offering a different sales brochure is more critical, but they're only half right.
Stuck with the Wrong Fundraising Company
Is it worth committing to multiple fundraisers with the same company to get a special perk? Many schools don't weigh the pros and cons.
If you have a less-than-perfect experience on your first sale, you must work with them again. On the other hand, you may have heard about them through another group. In this case, someone is recommending them. This may not be as risky; however, they've still not worked with your school.
The One Exception
You might consider signing up for multiple sales if you've already worked with a company for a while and are comfortable with them. Although most companies don't offer these types of sign-up incentives to schools, they're already working consistently.
Asking groups to commit to multiple fundraisers is a great marketing ploy that seems to favor companies more than it benefits schools. Shouldn't companies have to earn the right to additional sales based on their performance? We feel you should be able to make that decision on your own.
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.