3 No-Cost Ways to Elementary School Fundraiser Success

How to make a massive difference in your sales results.

This is the time of year when PTA and PTO boards are forming so they can plan their elementary school fundraiser for the upcoming year. As they look ahead, many reflect on their results from this past fall. Their sales performance will fit into 1 of 3 categories. They either increased, stayed the same, or their sales dropped from the year before.

Many schools want to increase their sales from last year. Some would happily match the previous year's sales results, while others want to surpass them. These schools were either disappointed with their results and felt they could do better, or perhaps they just wanted to keep improving. Some may even be looking for a new fundraising company. However, every school that didn't reach its goal is looking for ways to improve the outcome of its sale.

Perhaps you can spend even more money and offer better top-seller prizes your students want. Or maybe it's a combination of the two. These are things worth considering, yet there are also some straightforward, no-cost changes that you can make that may have an even more significant impact on your sale. We're talking about internal, low-hanging fruit opportunities.

Learn three simple strategies that grow catalog sales

If you want to experience elementary school fundraising success, there are specific things you can do from a strategic standpoint, but you'll have to put some extra time in to make it happen. Here are three things that won't bust your budget that you should ponder that can make a huge difference.

1. Promote Your Elementary School Fundraiser Beforehand

Everyone promotes their sale during and after the kickoff. So why build up your sale before the kickoff? It's simple. This strategy builds anticipation and gets everyone talking. Who doesn't want to turn their kickoff meeting into a big deal?

And another thing. Regarding fundraiser promotion, many sponsors only focus on the students. While this is probably the most critical audience to market to, you should also consider your parents and staff.

There are a lot of fun and creative ways to promote your upcoming sale, like:

• Promote your sale in advance at parent night. You can even show a promotional video.
• Consider introducing it during morning announcements at least a week before the kickoff date.
• Think outside the box and dress up in a costume related to your sale's purpose. Take advantage of apparent opportunities like the cafeteria during lunch.
• Place a top-seller prize under a sheet on a cart, walk around, and have the students try to guess what it is.
• Post the kickoff date on the school website.
• Advertise your fundraiser on Facebook and Twitter and encourage everyone else to do the same.
• Post your article about your sale in the school newspaper.
• Send a note home addressed to your parents, letting them know to expect their student packets shortly.

Here are three great ways to visually promote your school fundraiser

2. Plan a Great Elementary School Fundraising Kickoff

It's been said that you only have one chance to make a great first impression. It turns out that the kickoff meeting is probably the most important way to market your fundraiser. And since your students are your most important asset, you must take this part seriously.

You should consider your kickoff presentation like a well-orchestrated production. This is where the planning comes in. Your main objective is to sell your cause to your students; you have only one shot to get it right. Therefore, make it credible and exciting. If possible, have everyone, including teachers and staff, at the kickoff assembly. This creates more energy, and the excitement will become contagious.

Inventory your equipment needs in advance. To help to set an energetic tone, plan to have an excellent sound system on hand. Play "radio-edited" music that your students will like as they walk in and again as they walk out. A good microphone is also essential once the music is turned off and you are ready to start.

If you are showing a video, arrange to have someone turn off the lights. Make your video presentation as large as possible by projecting it onto a large screen. Turn it into a movie theatre experience. Place your top seller prizes at the front, but cover them up. Then have a big reveal just before the end of your assembly.

All of this takes advanced planning. Doing things at the last minute only adds stress and, worse, may even cause things to go wrong during the kickoff. One last thing that sponsors often forgets to do. Set aside ample time to test your equipment before your kickoff.

The ultimate goal is for your students to leave the kickoff assembly eager and ready to share their fundraising packet with their parents and start selling.

Discover five steps to an exciting fundraiser kickoff.

3. Keep Promoting Your Elementary School Fundraiser

Also, include your teachers, as they will help remind students to sell.

Some schools think the promotion is over once the kickoff is complete. They need to make friendly reminders now and then and watch the money and order forms come in. This is a good strategy if you want average to below-average results.

However, if your goal is to maximize your earnings potential, you'll need to consistently promote your sale from start to finish. The best time to make an impact is while your students are still selling. You can't affect sales after the fact. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Use additional fundraiser incentives.
• Talk about your fundraiser daily.
• Send home reminder notices.
• Post your top-seller prize on social media.
• Place your prize program flyers in critical areas around your school.
• Advertise your sale using your marquee.

Learn ways to create excitement and meet your goals

If you follow these basic steps, you'll be well on implementing elementary school fundraising ideas that work.

See our catalog fundraising ideas for schools.

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.