Amusement with Coffee Fundraisers July 30, 2011 at 9:12 pm
With the economy the way it is all of us could use a little extra cash. If you’re part of a non-profit organization, or another organization short of money you have probably considered a Fundraiser. Candy bars and cookie dough have been done to death. If you want to actually generate profits you need a fund raiser which has a message and an item people can actually use. That’s why we recommend a coffee fund raiser, but not using just any old coffee, but fresh roasted Fair Trade organic coffee.
Fundraising can be an art. The fund raiser you choose is solely dependent on your type of group. It is not as trivial as drinking a mug of Coffee .
It is smart to consider what you or your group considers important. Do you care about social justice? If you care about social justice then you may want to consider a fund raiser using Fair Trade products. Nowadays, it appears that everyone seems to be going green. Is your group going ecologically.? Then you will want to promote an environmentally friendly option. Taking into consideration you or your group’s core principles is a healthy first step in focusing on a proper fundraiser.
Nowadays it is very important to make your fund raiser stand out. You need to think of unique fundraising ideas. One thing that will really make your fund raiser stand is to have a private label with your group’s logo.
Where is your group located? It could be there are local organizations that can provide fundraising services. For those who are located in the middle of nowhere you may need to find a web-based fund raiser.
Don’t do what everybody else is doing. Once again, if you want to be successful you will need a unique fundraising strategy. Following the herd may work for a few of the deer, but some of them fall. If you choose the same fund raiser as every other person, you may lose. Cookie dough? Please! Doing what everybody else does is the lazy method to go. Be creative, and at all times keep in mind your core principles.
Now, why are you doing this? Oh yes, to create money! don’t just look at the item you are selling, but also at the profit involved. Another good thing to consider is not just the percentage markup, but the specific dollar amount profit per item sold. Let’s take cookie dough just as one example. Sure you may sell 1 tub for $9.00, but your profit is barely $3.00. Being creative we are able to think of something a little more profitable, say gourmet coffee for a . We’re talking a return of about $6.00 per bag. This makes a Coffee Fundraiser very profitable.
Remember to concentrate on you or your group’s core values. Do you really want to sling candy bars? If you don’t then don’t.
If you’re searching for unique fundraising ideas you can always think outside the box. Organic Fair Trade coffee is definitely an option that I’ve seen work time and time again. Coffee is consumed weekly by over 80% of adult Americans, so it is probably an item people can make use of. Since most are going green, organic coffee could be an excellent choice. With all the wrongs through the world people care more and more for the small guy, so why don’t you choose Fair Trade organic coffee while you’re at it? There are various organic Fair Trade coffees which are amazing and reasonably priced. By selling organic Fair Trade coffee you’re not only serving your cause, but helping hard working farmers over the world.
Take in to consideration your out of pocket cost. Will the fundraising company make you buy the whole lot upfront, or will they allow you to pay later? If you’re able to take pre-orders this will likely help defray any upfront expenses. There are many fundraising companies that will permit you to take pre orders, but you will need to know if you have to issue payment prior to delivery.
One thing many of us don’t ponder is shipping expenses. Some fundraising companies will absorb shipping costs, while others charge an arm and a leg. Have you considered this factor? Do they offer free of charge shipping on orders over a specific dollar amount? If you are not prudent shipping costs may gobble your profits. No free shipping is not a deal breaker. There are numerous companies offering tremendously discounted shipping. Just be sure you shop around and verify your margins.
Mull over the time lines involved, especially if you’re going to be taking pre orders. you will want to have a assured delivery date for your customers. You’ll have to know how long in advance your fund raiser company requirements to process your order and how long it’ll take for your order to reach your destination. You then need to analyze the logistics of distributing the items to the recipients. If this is a school fund raiser you may want to have people pick up the items at the school on a specific day.
Finally, be sure you ensure it is enjoyable. Worry can kill everything, so attempt to make it as enjoyable as possible. As long as you have an item you can believe in and a fundraising company that is responsive, you and your group will be successful.
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