Fundraiser Guidlines

[Prim-Beginnings]

I did a quick search and didn't find any recent posts. Does anyone have fundraiser guidelines? My church has asked me to sell my tarts as a fundraiser for a mission trip to elsalvador. I am perfectly willing, but would like somewhere to start ... More fundraisers might come my way!

I also sell wholesale to a few shops, so do I use my wholesale price as far as what I keep, or do I let them have more of it being a fundraiser?

I was thinking I would make up 'tart sample' baskets for each member that wanted to participate. The customer would then know what they were getting, not guess the smell, and potentially buy more!!

Thanks for any info.

Aubrey

[rachelb5499]

Hey Prim,

First off, Congratulations! Second, I don't do tarts/candles and haven't gotten into doing fundraising (but want to so much) so I hope others can give you sound, "tried and true" advice. I, think the tart sample baskets are a great idea! (&/or any other way you could have scent testers for the participants if you didn't want to give them the tarts themselves. In case, they got beat up looking, etc....but coming up with "something else" might be more trouble than it's worth.)

If it were me, I'd give them your wholesale price...you could also always (if it makes you feel better, etc.) "sweeten the pot" for the participants by offering to donate a free gift basket/prize to the top seller or sellers. But in my experience, most fundraisers are LUCKY if they make a 50% markup which I'm assuming is what they would be making if they paid you your wholesale cost and charged your retail cost.

That's just my perspective and un-experienced advice.

[Prim-Beginnings]

Yes, they would actually make a 65% markup (from my wholesale price) or 40% of total sales if I did that. I am having a brain freeze as to why those percentages aren't the same, but it will come to me.

I only have 5 weeks until the actual mission trip, so assume 4 weeks working time. I think direct sales could be better, and not take orders, although the orders could be delivered when they got back ... probably not a good idea though.

I thinking of leaving my stock of tarts at the church, so the members can fill their orders as they sell them without looking me up ...

[bugtussle]

I would let them take orders. If you make up too many and they don't sell, could be problem. My Fundraisers offer 45% to them and I get 55% of selling price. Works great! Carole

[rachelb5499]

I agree with Bug. It WOULD be a bummer to have a ton leftover if they didn't sell. (Unless you're making something you always make that will sell shortly for you anyway.) Then again, I love the "candy bar" fundraisers because I can just buy something from the person and move on...not fill out a form, pay, wait for the product, etc. but that's as far as a customer perspective not a distributor perspective.

[Prim-Beginnings]

It is something I make and sell all the time, so left overs wouldn't be a problem unless I made a crazy number up ...

[mindy5140]

Giving out samples to each seller is a must anymore, if you do a search there are several ideas on different ways of doing it. You want to make a profit too so the church should earn 45-50% of what they sell. I would do order forms candle couldron has them and you can personalize them. Usually fundraisers last 2 weeks so people don't lose interest and forget about selling. Then you will deliver within 2 weeks, that would be a week before they leave. If you sell these scents already, I would start making them now depending on how many people are going to sell, just make a guess. So then you'll be ahead of the game and will be able to deliver sooner than you thought.. Also have checks made out to the organization not you, I've noticed it's easier that way and most big fundraiser companies do that. Tell the organization that when you deliver you expect to be paid.

These are basic guidelines.

[Prim-Beginnings]

Thank you for the candle caldron pointer ... and the checks in the name of the organization ... if I gave them 45-50% of sales, I go below my wholesale price ... is that normal or should I raise my normal resale price for the fundraiser?

[wicknbean]

I would not raise my price for the fundraiser - that may make some people unhappy. If you were offering me your wholesale price and I was making 40% of sales - I would be happy - that's fair and more than most fundraisers give. If it goes well, you can always donate more .

[brudil18]

I stagger the pay scale based on quantities sold. 1-49 = 40% of sales, 50-99 = 45% of sales, 100+ = 50% of sales. I provide the brochure and order form for each participant. I don't do any sample packs as I find it time comsuming and not really worth it to do, I just provide "enticing" scent descriptions.

To be quite honest, when it comes to fundraisers, people are buying more for the cause of whatever group is doing the fundraiser. You might squeak a few more sales with sample packs, but IMHO its not worth a few extra in sales when the majority are going to be buying to help the school, church, or whatever group raise money.

I know that I don't really need 4 boxes of girl scout cookies every year (tough on the waist line LOL), but my neighbors two daugters are just too hard to say no to.