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The suggestions that follow may seem trivial but they work. It addresses the core reason why some schools do better than others even with all other factors being equal. It is easy when planning a new fundraiser to focus on the wrong things. Here are five of the right things to focus on.

Below you will find four things that a school can do that will greatly affect the profit their new fundraiser will make.

Step #1 - Profit Percentage Does Not Lead to More Profits.

A company offering 80% profit on it’s goods vs a company offering a 20% profit margin is not necessarily better for a school. One thing people often overlook is that banks do not accept deposits of percentage. Every bank I know of accepts only money. Profit percentage is the thing that many decision makers look at first when it comes time to pick what they are going to do for their new fundraiser. What I am saying here does not mean profit percentage is not important, but it should not be the school’s first and only priority when choosing their next new and unique fundraiser. It should be the school’s number one goal to raise the maximum profit possible with the least amount of hassles!

Step #2 - The Product You Sell Does Make a Difference (But Not As Much As You Might Think) Coming up with the right product for your new fundraiser does make a difference, however, it is not the most important factor in having a successful fundraiser. You have probably seen this in your own neighborhood, how two schools decide to sell cookie dough and they both sell them at the same time and the same price. But the difference in their results (Profits) were HUGE! Because of this, you could come to the conclusion that it is not the product which made the difference. So what is it that makes the huge difference? Hint, see Step #4!

Step #3 - Start Your Fundraising as Early In the School Year as You Possibly Can

When you start your fundraiser is a very important reason for it’s success. It is a fact that is indisputable, the first school to start it’s fundraiser wins. The first sales brochure that goes into the office or neighborhood has higher sales than the ones that come later. However, timing is not the #1 reason why schools have successful fundraisers. Hint, see the next step!

Step #4- How the fundraiser is Run is the Number One Factor in it’s Success.

Program Management is the element that makes all the difference in having a successful fundraiser. You as a fundraising chairperson may know that “How” the school fundraiser is run is critical to it’s success, but the main problem is not many fundraising companies train the sponsors in how to run their sale the right way. On top of that, it is very simple to do.

Follow These Simple Guidelines of Program Management to Get The Most Out of Your Sale.

A) Setting Goals for the School

B) A Memorable Kick Off

C) Maintaining Excitement for the Duration of the Sale

D) Finding Helpful Volunteers

E) Motivate the Students/Sellers Like There Is No Tomorrow

F) Motivate the Teachers to Promote the Sale.

To maximize the results on a new fundraiser the students/sellers must be motivated to participate in a way that they have not been before. You can provide motivation not only to the students but to the teachers as well.

The main reason why one elementary will make $8,000 while another similar school will make $15,500, is in what they did for their prizes/incentives for students and for their teachers!

We at AIM have a saying “Students could sell $5 bills for $10.00 and do real well if you motivate them good enough.” The most important part of your fundraiser will be to provide incentives that truly motivate your students and teachers to participate in your sale like they have never done before! A school that typically has a 25% participation rate will more than double with only a 15% increase in participation. Increasing participation by 15% is not a hard thing to do.