Fundraising with Food
Fundraising with food has been a long time favourite for sports team fundraising. It is effective, provides something most people like and are willing to pay for, and the variety is enormous. Whatever type of food fundraiser you choose for your team, there are three things you must do to get the most out of your efforts.
Food Fundraisers: Go For Mass Appeal
First, choose a popular product that will appeal to the greatest number of potential customers. Your choice should be appropriate to your target audience, be priced fairly, include a good profit margin, and be seasonally viable. For example, don’t sell cookies while the Girl Guide’s annual cookie fundraiser is in progress!
Once you choose a product or group of products, use publicity to get the word out. Use school publications, posters, and all the usual suspects.
Take it to the next level by issuing a press release on local radio and newspapers. Most local publications and community radio stations offer this as a free service for non-profit organisations. This will spread your reach beyond the team, their families, neighbours, and friends.
Prepare and Execute!
Secondly, design your plan for execution. Everyone including your team should know your group goal, your stretch goal, and their individual goal. Create a sales script for the team. Rehearse it at training in a role playing way.
Would you rather make a purchase from an unprepared athlete who mumbles at his shoes, or from one that is prepared with what to say and looks their potential customer in the eye while delivering the appropriate message?
That message should briefly tell what product they are offering, who they are raising money for, and how the money will be used. (New uniforms, equipment, development tour, etc.)
Offer Sales Incentives
Offer incentives for your top selling team members. Rewards should be something your team members will appreciate, such as choosing to run their favourite drill at training, a gift voucher donated from a sports store or another local business.
Have a recognition party announcing the top sellers. Everyone likes to be recognised for a job well done in the presence of their peers. Tally your sales regularly throughout your fundraiser to motivate your participants!
Go Where The Money Is
As part of your execution plan, consider boosting your reach by selling your products from a table at a shopping centre. These are customers that you may not reach otherwise, and can more than double your sales.
Approach the management of a shopping centre for permission first. Then organise your volunteers in teams to cover the sales tables in shifts.
Advertise clearly at each sales table. In large print on posters, tell who is selling, what they are selling, and how the money will be used. Use not only multiple locations, but multiple tables at each location. Make sure your sellers are dressed in their team uniforms to help promote the event.
Give Extra Options
Third and finally, provide several ways the community can help your cause. Offering a variety of products helps ensure there is something that will appeal to everyone.
Some customers won’t want the food product you are selling. If a customer does not want to make a purchase, always ask if they would prefer to make a donation to help your cause.