Tips for successful school fundraising

Select a Coordinator to be responsible for communication between your group and The Discount Card, (TDC). It is also helpful to provide TDC with a cell phone number as well as an email address.

Beginning School Fundraisers

When begining your school fundraising (or fundraising for any type of group), start the card sale preparation as early as 4 to 6 weeks ahead of your sale date. If TDC is securing the Sponsors for your card this will give you time to make preparations to market and be ready to sell your cards as soon as the arrive. If you are securing your own sponsors be sure to do your planning concurrently.

Appoint chairmen

Appoint chairmen to coordinate different functions of the sale. Involve parents, members, students, etc., into as many areas of the process as you can in order to keep the individual workload light. Stir up enthusiasm and excitement. Follow the leader always works. They will only be as excited as you are, so keep it upbeat!. Help them feel involved in the success of the program.

Create competition

Create competition by setting up a contest. Kids as well as adults love a challenge. Award prizes or offer incentives for the highest card sales by an individual or organized teams. Many businesses who did not participate as a sponsor on your card may be willing to make a one time donation which can be used as an award. Not only will this provide your group with a valuable prize but perhaps this business will want to actually be on your card next year.

Organize your Sale

Organize your Sale as an event using a “kick-off”! If you are part of a school, announce your kick-off on the intercom system or have a special gathering in the gym or auditorium and let everyone know about the contest and prizes. If your group is part of a church put on a skit during the announcement segment to promote your card sale and have the kids take orders or sell cards in the foyer as people leave. you can even advertise that you are having your kick-off at one of your Card sponsor’s locations. Check out your local radio station for the possibility of booking them for a free live remote.

Advertise your sale

Advertise your sale with posters that include a copy of your Discount Card and information about your school fundraising goals. You can receive a camera ready proof of your card by email for making promotional material. Place a poster advertising your Discount Card in the window of each business that is participating on your card. Use your group’s “Man Power” to spread your posters around your area for promotion. Make sure that they always have permission, since you are trying to foster community support.

Advertise in your local newspaper

Advertise in your local newspaper, school paper, church bulletin, local internet announcements, etc. If your group is a non-profit organization or part of a community school, youth group, etc; it is possible for the newspaper to provide you with free ad space in their community news section or church section. Call your local Newspaper for more info.

Recruit a Sales Chairman

Recruit a Sales Chairman to head up the fundraising event sales process. keep a paper trail – When you sign out cards, get each person’s name, address, phone number, and number of cards. The chairman can keep in touch with those who are selling cards. they can monitor how successful each person is and provide motivation when needed. Be sure to point out to your sales people that “One card is good for only one person, not the entire family. You will need to sell 4 cards to a family of 4 in order for each person to get the discount”. This can account for a significantly higher selling rate. ( A 4 member family will need 4 cards). You can even give a discount if someone buys more than 1 card as an incentive.

Typically Wal-Mart or Sam’s (sometimes other businesses as well). will allow your group to set up tables outside their entrances to sell cards as their customers come & go. If you have kids involved in your group, let them be the ones to make the “sales pitch”. It’s harder to tell them no.

Be the first fundraiser of the year in January

Be the first fundraiser of the year in January, or the first fundraiser of the school year in August or september! Fresh customers are more agreeable to support you group. The more people are approached for donations the less likely they are to contribute, no matter what the benefit.

Utilize parents, students, members etc.

Utilize parents, students, members etc., and their places of employment, clubs & group meetings to help market your cards to the widest audience possible. banks, offices, (real estate, insurance, car dealers, etc.) college campuses, civic clubs etc. are good target markets. Many people are eager to help with school fundraising or any type of event and it is easier to make a sale than some think.

For the minimum 500 card order, (when we get the sponsors) you pay for the cost of the cards by selling 150 cards. Everything after that is profit. Continue to sell cards until you have sold out. With a 1 year or 6 month expiration date, customers can still get their donation back in savings with just a few visits, so a card with less than the full time still has value.

For Always feel free to call us contact if you have any questions about your fundraiser. It is our desire that you have the most successful and easiest fundraiser your organization has ever experienced.