Good Fundraising Catalogs Alone Don’t Make Schools Money

How to get the most out of your catalog fundraiser.

Everyone's focused on the fundraising catalog. It's as if it's going to sell itself. Having a good brochure can help. However, this article will prove that having a good sales plan behind the brochure is much better than having a good one without one.

The other day we replied to a question from a high school student who was in charge of finding a fundraiser for their senior class. They were looking to raise money for their senior trip, which would take place in two years. Like many people, he wanted to know which sales catalog performed the best. He wanted to know which would raise his group the most money.

In our response, we took a different approach. Instead of offering information on our top-selling catalogs, we asked if his group had discussed things like setting fundraiser goals and planning how to motivate their fellow students to go out and make sales. And, of course, we explained why these things were important to his group's success.

Questions to consider when developing fundraising strategies

Too many fundraising groups are focused on what products they should sell and instead should be more concerned about how they can make their sale a real success. In other words, fundraising brochures alone don't make groups money. Here's what we told him in more detail:

Have a Group Fundraiser Goal

First, determine how much money you need. Hopefully, you're not raising money to have money in the coffer. This is vital because you'll need to use this information to determine how many brochure items each student needs to sell.

In our example, since their senior trip was two years away, We told him that his group could have several sales and set more conservative goals for each one. Over time, the money brought in would add up. And who knows, they might even be able to do something special.

Learn five steps to achieving your fundraising goals

Have a Kickoff Meeting

This is where the foundation is laid. Don't just have people come by your office to pick up their fundraising information. Have a formal kickoff meeting with your group. After all, your sale is worth it. This is where you'll have a chance to discuss the purpose and goals of your fundraiser and motivate your students to sell.

It's important that everyone understands what they're committing to and that they work towards the goal as a team. Ensure they know how long they have to accomplish their goal. We recommend two full weeks to sell and collect the money.

Learn how to plan a great school fundraiser kickoff

Track Your Catalog Sale

We also shared with him that it would be vital for his sponsor to meet with his group regularly throughout the sale. This would be important for accountability to ensure everyone was staying on track to reach their selling objectives.

Tracking the sale is also important because it gives groups a barometer of how close they are to their goal. It allows them to make in-sale adjustments if and when necessary.

Use Fundraising Incentives

How motivated do you want your students to be? As a sponsor, are you willing to also provide additional incentives, or will you only use the prize program offered by the fundraising company because it's easier? Believe it or not, this is probably more important than the catalog itself. Even if a prize program is provided, additional incentives should always be a part of any program that wants to maximize sales results.

Set a Limit on the Selling Time

More selling time does not necessarily translate into more sales. Limit the selling to a specific period. We suggest two full weeks. This will help create a sense of urgency in every student's mind because there will be a starting point and a finish line.

We concluded our conversation with this student by advising him on fundraiser catalogs based on his specific area and needs.

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.