One of the most effective methods of fundraising is selling products. There are numerous companies out there that sell products that everyone needs or wants to groups operating fundraisers. Well known fundraising products include the Girl Scout’s cookies, candy sales in schools, flowers and wrapping paper, and locally based books of coupons. There is also a form of fundraising product known as scrip fundraising, which can be very effective. The best way to decide on which type of fundraising product to sell is to contact a fundraising professional of some kind. These professionals will have the experience and connections to give you a realistic expectation of what kind of capital you can expect to raise through selling a particular product as a fundraiser.
This type of fundraising, selling products, is especially effective in schools. Many kids love to get involved in the entrepreneurial spirit, and they can have a lot of fun trying to sell their fundraising products. It can be very helpful to have prizes for the kids that sell the greatest number of products. A professional fundraiser consultant can help you come up with a realistic prize package that will not wipe out the cash you hope to raise through the sale of your fundraiser product.
Perhaps the most effective component of a product fundraiser is the fact that it encourages your entire membership to participate. By asking everyone to help sell the fundraising product, you can foster a helthy sense of competition among your members, each of whom is interested in helping your group the most.
There can also be problems that arise in a traditional product fundraiser, however. Having multiple salespeople means having multiple streams of money coming into the organization, each of which requires its own accounting. Having everyone walk around with collected money can also introduce a degree of risk in cases where money may be lost or stolen. You should be particularly careful about this point, as one member's lost sales dollars could represent many members' worth of sales profits.
Alternative methods of product fundraising, like the one offered at SmartRaise can solve these problems and also enable you to sell a far more broad set of products and services in order to raise money. With SmartRaise, your supporters can buy products they need or want at any time of the year and raise money for your group every single time. With over 300 well-known online merchants, your supporters will never have to worry about buying something they don't want.
