So, you are a PTA, PTO, PTSA, PTCO member at your elementary school. You hear from a parent that they are tired of the same old fundraisers. It sparks the need for the school to look for something totally new and unique and then donations drop. Your left holding the bag on a loser fundraiser and wondering what happened. Sound familiar?
For many groups across the nation, this scenario plays out.
Take for example a school in Michigan. They posted to a PTO blog that they just tried a home delivery of cookie dough through a school fundraising company they couldn't remember the name of (yikes, bad sign). This was their main fall fundraiser. Customers purchased a coupon that they redeemed online for frozen cookie dough to be delivered to shipped to their home. They reported that they maybe made $400 on their main fall fundraiser. Now they have to make up that money at their spring carnival somehow. The program sounds simple enough. so, what happened?
The fact is that normal works.
People want what's expected and frankly, new and unique just doesn't fit in with what is normal and expected. That's not to say that traditional fundraising is boring. It's just that a traditional sale has confidence with the public. The consumer is comfortable and used to it. The customer base at this Michigan school wasn't comfortable so they didn't buy.
Here are a few thoughts on what works and what doesn't:
Fall gift fundraising catalogs, traditional cookie dough fundraisers and well-promoted event fundraisers remain the top performing fundraisers - by a long shot. There is some comfort in purchasing from something with a history. Surprisingly, chocolate bar fundraisers hold their ground as a good alternative to these offerings if a school needs to keep things fresh.
Thoughts on the unique and fundraising
It's not hard to imagine that the juicy orange at the supermarket is a good purchase. But how about that Tangelo? Yes, it's a kind of hybrid between a tangerine and a grapefruit. They are amazing tasting because they have hardly any pulp and a lot of juice but oranges are many times more popular. If it's got more juice then why doesn't it sell as well? Yep. It's unique.
As much as people like to think they want new and unique, they don't. Avante Garde music is not popular because it brakes convention and is characterized as ahead of it's time. It's so unique in fact, that your typical listener can't stand it - not even for a few minutes.
As for things that are new, let someone else pay for the newest best technology. It's OK to be second - let the price come down and the bugs get worked out. You'll find that that's exactly when everyone else wants it too!
When it comes to school fundraising sometimes it's best not to be the hybrid, the avante garde or the first to market with something new.
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