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School Fundraising Companies

When it comes time for school leaders to choose their fundraiser for the coming year it is important that they look closely at the school fundraising companies they are considering doing business with before they sign any commitment papers with the company.

The school fundraising company has the same basic goal as the school doing the fundraising and that is to make money. That is to be expected or they wouldn't be in business. These companies offer a product to the school at a discounted price that the school is then able to increase in order to make a profit. There are different options that each company offers and school leaders need to understand these before they make their final decision.

First, does the company require up-front purchasing? These types of fundraisers can be risky, especially for smaller groups. The risk of being left with product that didn't sell can be a financial concern that the group might not want to take.

Other school fundraising companies offer a catalog of their products that the school is able to use to solicit orders from the community. These types of fundraisers don't require volunteers to carry products around trying to sell them and they can collect the money and send it in when the orders are completed. There are many different types of catalog sales available for schools to choose from on the Internet.

Regardless of which type of sales fundraiser the school chooses there are other traits that should be considered when choosing a school fundraising company. First, does the company have a good customer reviews. Have other schools or groups used them with success? Most companies will provide a list of references that can be checked.

Next, does the company have a quality product? If the product is not high quality the school fundraiser will not be a success no matter what the school does. High quality fundraiser products include pasta like Fun Pasta or fruit sales like Indian River fruits.

Is the school fundraiser company easy to work with and do they offer ample support to the school. The fundraising company should provide marketing materials like brochures and pamphlets to help get the project started and they should be available when needed to answer questions and offer support.

An excellent example of offering support and helping create momentum in the project can be found in the Fun Pasta fundraising company. Not only do they offer a fully functional website for placing orders as well as an electronic brochure that can be emailed, they also provide incentives for the team members in the form of gift cards.

Not all fundraising companies are going to offer this level of service, but team leaders should strive to find a company that offers exceptional customer support and service when needed. This also includes delivery and shipment of the product. Typically, the product is delivered to the group who then distributes it to the customers. Fun Pasta takes this one step further and offers to drop ship their product to friends and family who live in distant areas. This is simply another customer service trait that should be considered.

Finally, what is the percentage of profit on the product and is the school going to be able to make the money they need. The better fundraising companies will supply a calculator online that will help team leaders see what their profit will be based on their sales. If the profit ratio is not high enough to help the school reach its goal then another product should be considered.

It is important to consider every aspect of the school fundraising companies that are being considered and choose the one that will best meet the schools needs. Ease of management, customer support and profit margin are some of the traits that should be considered.