Why Schools are Switching Fundraising Companies

Why you need to do your homework before picking a company.

Even though many brochure fundraising companies work hard to maintain customer loyalty, more schools seem to be switching than ever before. And it doesn't matter if they had a positive or negative experience.

Sometimes the change has nothing to do with the company. For example, a school can switch because their PTA elects new board members who aren't familiar with what's been done before, or the district appoints a new principal, and they want to try something different.

Or perhaps the company didn't live up to a specific promise. Maybe schools just weren't satisfied with the service, or they've grown tired of the same sales type of brochure. The reasons that schools appear more open to switching companies are probably numerous, but here are just a few that perhaps companies need to pay more attention to:

Slow Response to Fundraiser Questions and Issues

Schools expect a timely response to questions or issues. Quick solutions to problems should be the goal of every company; however, if an immediate resolution isn't possible, sponsors need to know that they will receive a response as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, some companies aren't able to deliver in the heat of the moment as initially promised. This is because they don't have systems to address specific problems. With most school fundraisers, you should expect questions or problems to arise. What's important is how the company handles them. The company should make the sponsor look good to their school and community from behind the scenes. Then, if they have a positive experience, there's a greater chance they'll stay with the same company again.

Negative Feedback on Brochure Merchandise

Have you ever heard your parents complain about the items being smaller than they appeared in the brochure? Companies usually have two answers to this:

1. It's a fundraiser. What do you expect?
2. The size of each item is always disclosed in the brochure.

Many supporters feel that they are already overpaying for inferior quality. Telling them to lower their expectations because it's helping the school probably won't change that perception. Regarding the size disclosure, most people don't read the fine print anyway. As a result, sponsors grow tired of the complaints, and the search for a better company begins.

Some Fundraising Mistakes are hard to Overcome

Even if the company handled a particular mistake well, this is hard for some sponsors to overlook. It may also depend on the type of mistake. A botched delivery is more complicated to overcome than replacing a few wrong items. The more people talk about what happened, the less likely the school will stick with the same company again. The impression is everything, and it's not good if the company makes the school look bad for choosing them.

Lack of Communication leads to Unwanted Surprises

Miscommunication should be avoided at all costs. Everything should be clarified so no surprises pop up during the sale. Probably the primary reason schools don't resign with a particular company is that they weren't informed about something that ended up happening anyway. The best fundraisers happen without a hitch because the school is informed throughout the process.

No Excuse for Broken Sales Rep Promises

Unintended mistakes are one thing; broken promises are another. This does occur, but thankfully it's rare. We've heard from schools looking for a new company because their previous company initially agreed to do something but didn't follow through. Some company representatives are willing to say certain things to get the business, only to find a way to get out of it later. They understand that sponsors periodically come and go, and even if they temporarily fall out of favor with a particular school, chances are they will have new and uninformed people to replace them.

It's Just Time to Change Fundraising Companies

Schools sometimes feel that change is needed regardless of how well a company performs. Perhaps they have been with the same company for years, and their fundraiser has become stale. Their parents may ask for something different, or perhaps sales have declined. Most schools will stay with the same company if things are going well because they are most likely afraid of change; however, declining sales or parent and student apathy can be a solid reason to switch.

Change is inevitable, but hopefully, those schools looking for a new company are doing so because they're looking for something new, fresh, and exciting.

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.