Originally posted by Moulton-Branch: But is there a forum where parent groups can post what they are looking for in a fundraiser? Not leave contact info, but just a kind of on-going informal survey of what various parent groups prefer, hate, whatever. We all share ideas with each other, and that is great. But what if we could tell companies/vendors what we want and give them the opportunity to give it to us?
Jan
Hey Jan, in the Fundraiser topic area such ideas and topics are discussed. Seems like an obvious answer but I learned my way around. Tim and his staff have made looking and researching ideas and companies easy and not to time consuming.
Regarding the cookie dough issue, sometimes you may just need a change. Whatever the parents/membership feels, selling the same thing every year can be "boring." Maybe that same vendor has another idea for you, talk to them or even better, let the membership talk with this person. Never hurts to ask "Whatelse have ya got?"
Welcome to the boards!!
Originally posted by <newbie>: I've just never done anything like this before and I was hoping you could tell me if I was going about trying to make contact in the right way (e.g. mailing info out then following up). Since I am new to this, I didn't know if this was a bad time (apparently so [img]smile.gif[/img] ), if the lack of response was typical, or if I was just really bad at it!
I appreciate all the replies.
Maureen
You have a geat game plan but I know that at our school we haven't made all our fundraising choices yet but the school has. I know our school chair/organizer starts to look at fundraisiers before Holiday Break and really starts to contact and talk to reps in January and Feb. Cold calls are hard, espically when you want to talk with "Jane Smith" and she is at home or her regular job and may not recieve your message for days (or worse!). Hang in there. Before you know it that phone will be ringing!
To be honest, none of the complaints that I have had were anything to do with nutrition! Most people love the product, but the fundraiser is a pain in the bee-hind! Most kids/parents have no trouble selling the cookie dough, but when it is delivered to the school, they have to pick it up and deliver it (or refrigerate it) all in the same day. And some have sold over 40 boxes! It's also a lot of work for the coordinaters. I don't like doing this fundraiser myself, and I have not hidden that fact from the members. (I'm not real fond of item sales at all! The stuff is usually so overpriced that I'm embarrassed.) BUT...last year, cookie dough generated over 3 times more profit than all of our other projects combined! Our group has ambitious goals, so our executive committee decided to keep cookie dough for this year, but we have challenged the members to come up with a project (one or several) to replace what we make from cookie dough.
Although we sell lollipops on Friday afternoons, I really don't want to add any more junk food to our agenda!
[ 09-06-2004, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: lost at sea ]
Just curious, even though your parents are begging you to stop selling them cookie dough, are you still selling it just because it is a money maker for you?
We are in the same exact situation at our school. With people becoming more health and weight conscious, we'd like to support our school without having to buy fattening cookie dough, but our parents club continues selling it because of the profit...
I feel that foisting unhealthy products on the community this way is a bod thing, even if it's for a good cause.
I know it's not 'PC' for a company sales rep to post on a board like this, but I'm pretty sympathetic, because I've been in the position several times of being assigned a job or task that is way outside of my usual frame of reference and not having a clue of where to start!
Having said that, I am a PTO prez and I am always on the look-out for new fundraising ideas to suit our particular needs. Isn't everyone? Haven't we all said at one time or another "I kind-of like fundraiser A, but really wish it worked a little more like fundraiser B." For instance, our school sells cookie dough every year. In a recent parent survey, cookie dough sales ranked dead last in parent preference and inspired many comments, such as "I HATE cookie dough!" and "Never, never, never do this again!" HOWEVER - this has been our single biggest profit maker over the last few years.
NO, I DON'T PROPOSE WE LET VENDERS PITCH TO US HERE!!!
But is there a forum where parent groups can post what they are looking for in a fundraiser? Not leave contact info, but just a kind of on-going informal survey of what various parent groups prefer, hate, whatever. We all share ideas with each other, and that is great. But what if we could tell companies/vendors what we want and give them the opportunity to give it to us?
This would vary somewhat from school to school and region to region, but there would be many common requests (99% profit, no cheap prizes for the kids and one volunteer can handle the whole thing! LOL)
Remember when stores provided customer service? And you could go in, tell a clerk what you wanted and he or she would help you find it?
Just a thought.
Jan
Hi everyone -
I appreciate the input. I hope you don't feel like I was trying to sell all of you something or "spam" this board. That's why I didn't give a company name or product info or anything - I don't believe in trying to grab free advertising on message boards.
I've just never done anything like this before and I was hoping you could tell me if I was going about trying to make contact in the right way (e.g. mailing info out then following up). Since I am new to this, I didn't know if this was a bad time (apparently so [img]smile.gif[/img] ), if the lack of response was typical, or if I was just really bad at it!
I appreciate all the replies.
