Your group needs funds to function, but the idea of a fundraiser makes your head ache. Even though it is vital for your group’s success, fundraising can be such a pain. Does this sound familiar? 

A lot of people dread the thought of starting a fundraiser. These are the top three reasons why people dislike their fundraising experiences:

1. Time Commitment.

Everyone is busy with responsibilities, and fundraising can be very time-consuming. Between tallying orders and collecting money for months, who has the time? If you’re working with the wrong fundraising partner, the process can be complicated and feel like another full-time job.

2. All Effort, No Earnings.

Maybe it feels like your group is always working to raise funds but getting nothing significant in return. A vicious cycle occurs, and instead of hosting a few profitable fundraisers, you only raise enough money from one fundraiser just to let you host another. You’re simply not making enough from your efforts, despite feeling like your group is constantly fundraising.

3. Uninspiring Products.

If nobody likes the items for sale, your fundraiser won’t be effective. Products that are of little interest to your audience can make the fundraising experience painful. In addition, over-sold products will tank your fundraising efforts before you even get started.

No Wonder It’s A Pain!

If any of these struggles sound familiar, you may need to move your fundraising efforts in a new direction. The work you do should lead to reward. It’s time to bring the FUN back into fundraising! 

At Stoller Fundraising, our goal is to turn fundraising from painful to profitable, so you can earn the money you need and get back to doing the things you love. Learn more about how we can help!

The goal of a fundraiser is to support your group. Get the most from your efforts with these tips to help you earn more: 

Don’t Let The Well Run Dry

The first key to quadrupling your earnings feels counterintuitive — only offer two fundraisers in the year. Multiple fundraisers reduce your earnings by exhausting your group and the target donors. The effort to run multiple fundraisers may sap your group’s morale for volunteering, staying engaged, and feeling productive. If they feel like the fundraisers are too much work for a minimal return, your supporters may lose their interest or desire to participate, and they may feel less likely to donate if there are too many requests for their funds. 

Plan Ahead

By planning ahead for the year, you can take advantage of the long lead time to generate hype. Think about the upcoming year and pick two times when there is already a high level of energy. Then, choose the right, unique, and exclusive items to offer. For example, consider holidays and sports events.

Holidays are a great time to leverage excitement and offer a fundraiser that fits the occasion. Holidays are prime time for baked goods, and tasty treats, like cake rolls, cookies, or Butter Braid® pastries make great enticements for fundraising. OR, identify major sports events that will take place throughout the year. Take advantage of the enthusiasm for the event and offer game-day favorites like pizza or popcorn for your fundraiser. 

Create a Marketing Calendar

Developing a marketing calendar is a great way to ensure effective promotion for your fundraiser. In your calendar, pick dates for promotions that progress from teasing about the upcoming fundraiser to telling more information about the cause. Be sure to include important details, like the start date and duration of your fundraiser, which will keep your supporters informed. Once these are on the calendar, you can start to think about the ways to promote each date. You’ll need to decide if you want to use fliers, posters, or other types of attention grabbers to get the word out. 

Earn More

When your audience looks forward to a fundraiser, they will be more likely to participate. Together, these steps will build excitement and clarity for your fundraiser, leading to more earnings for your group!

Worried about where to start? Contact one of our fundraising coaches today to start creating your plan to earn 4x more in your fundraiser this year.