Your School Fundraising Profit Margin Matters!

Hey real quick. 10% back to the school is not a fundraiser.  It's a service or possibly just a sales tactic.

Things are what they are so... it's up to you to understand what fundraisers are fundraisers and which are just marketed as such.

If you're in the market for a school fundraiser of any kind or a service to enhance your school, perhaps this post will help.

School fundraisers are intended to make money.  There's a numerical reality to every fundraiser and they do vary considerably.  A fundraiser with a good gift and wrap fundraising catalog company for example (I put my company here as an example, but there you may find alternatives out there) is strategically designed to produce results.  In fact, very significant dollars can be earned in just a few weeks with very little volunteer help.

Fundraisers in this category include:

• Gift & Wrap catalogs
• Frozen cookie dough
• Magazine sales
• Some chocolate bar, jewelry and candle sales


By contrast, some fundraisers are more of a service.  You offer something for a token of good will back to the school or group.  Seems like maybe a slight distinction in some cases and a big difference in others.  Let's delve in.  First off, I am certainly not dogging these types of efforts.  I want you to know up-front that whatever you do for fundraisers and services is fine by me if it's fine by you.  I do in fact have a fundraiser in this category spirit gear for schools and groups.  They just don't generate the same income to the group.  That is truly the deciding factor.  Things like participation matter as do the number of products sold.

Items in this category include:

• Box top and other label rewards programs
• Recycling programs
• Restaurant nights
• Single product fundraisers
• Party fundraisers - gold parties, Tupperware, mattresses
• Book fairs

These all have a service element to them. Recycling old electronics gets the schools a few dollars while providing a way to get rid of old and unused items that are of value for someone else.

The reason I mention this is simple...

If you offer a service fundraiser then roll right into a fundraiser designed to make money, what happens?

Yep, some folks will feel as if they have already contributed to the cause and not participate.  So, instead of raising $100 for the cause, they've recycled a toner cartridge worth $2

I realize this is pretty general, but it's worth considering. The profit percentage you make is clearly important.  Making sure that your participants are focused on the fundraisers that generate the most income is important.

If you want to develop a fundraising strategy that works, the other stuff should be reconsidered.  The last thing the school needs is to host 10 or more service fundraisers during the year and call them fundraisers.  Just like 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf', if you really do need money, everyone will just assume they have already come to your rescue enough.

Ok, until next time!

Keep the conversation going - twitter.com/believekids

Believe Kids Fundraising - Technical Review - Live Chat for your Blog or Website

We've decided to try live chat.

It's something we offered nearly 10 years ago and it's time again now. Back in the day, live chat cost a TON. Now, Live chat can be free!

What we went with for live customer service chat is from Plugoo - www.plugoo.com and is free provided you are OK with one chat at a time. This free version is what we are testing now until we determine how many folks want to chat online with us. If it turns out it becomes popular, we'll upgrade.

Why this is cool

Plugoo comes into my Windows Live Messenger deal so when a chat comes in it's just like someone here in my office sending me a message. I am very familiar with it and it's already in use - so it's perfect! In fact, the program will works for a slew of instant messenger clients so if you use aim or ICQ or something else it will work.

If you want to see how we integrated it, take a look at the top of the Believe Kids Fundraising homepage. Look for the Live Chat link. We just got done testing it and it's amazing! Have fun with it for your own uses and if you ever need any Believe Kids Fundraising customer service hit me up :)

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Jay Moneta is the Vice President of Believe Kids Fundraising and blogs here at http://www.fundraising-advice.com and can be reached at twitter as well. If you like this or any of my posts, please subscribe to my blog, write comments or send any feedback or suggestions. Thanks for looking!

Excellence, Customer Experience & the Remarkable

OMG, I loathe the dentist office and always have.

Despite my fear and trepidation, I have found an exceptional dentist. Honestly, I consider myself lucky that they will have me. It's a flat-out remarkable experience every time I am there.

Although dental work has not in itself changed much over the years, there have still been a lot of changes. Sure, people still get checkups, cleanings and fillings but there is a difference between my dental office of the past and my dentist office now - vast differences.

It is obvious that they paid meticulous attention to detail to every aspect of their business. From the front door signage to the rest room flowers, they thought of everything and designed it all in a zen-like space that is clean, yet comfortable. And it's not just the decor - the care is the same way - specific, excellent and well communicated.

Subtlety:

• Customer paper records are hidden behind beautiful cabinetry
• Pain is managed before reeling from it
• Patience don't wait long in the lobby
• They call you by your first name
• Gentle air freshener in the bathroom
• They hide syringes from you just enough to take the edge off

And there are a bunch more.

I am really not sure if I pay a premium for this amazing service but the value I receive is far and above the money I pay them. When you pay close attention to every aspect of your business, people should notice and I now consider myself one of their biggest fans. I would pay a premium for this type of service.

Anyone who knows me would find it hard to believe that I look forward to going there - but I do. I find it fascinating to watch a company work that has a dialed in game plan.

In closing, dentistry is just an industry just like elementary school fundraising or transmission service or a clothing store. There are examples all across the country of exceptional companies in an industry and our job is to recognize them when we see them.

We can trust in their abilities and know that they created their business around a set of principles. Principles that required them to create excellence in every area they touch.

When we are tempted to resist an idea or company that has this embraced excellence, we should push through confidently knowing that we are in good hands.

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If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment for me or feel free to twitter me at www.twitter.com/BelieveKids We like to think we have this level of commitment to excellence as well with each and every one of the schools we fundraise with but we know it takes consistent effort to be excellent. Take just a moment to let us know your thoughts. Thanks for looking!

FYI, Believe Kids is a nationwide elementary school fundraising company.