Novel Fundraising Ideas, Communicate With Parents

Our lives in the modern world can be so hectic and so many demands placed upon our time that some things tend to slip our mind. Our PTA/PTO members are no different. Sometimes they may forget that we have a fundraising event coming up. Even when you are planning a novel fundraising event that you would think everyone would remember, it gets forgotten about.

Communication is one of the most important things in a successful fundraising endeavor. Without Effective communication we often end up falling short of our goal. Here is a novel fundraising tip to keeping the lines of communication open.

Send out Letters

When planning a new fundraiser a simple letter is one of the best forms of communication, especially in an educational setting. It is not a novel fundraising idea to make plans not only to run a new fundraiser but to make plans for communicating to the parents about it. I don’t know about you but when my children brought home a letter from school I was very interested in reading it.

At the beginning of the year you might send out a letter to inform your PTO/PTA members of the new fundraisers that you intend to hold throughout the year. Let me give you an example.

Dear Mr. Smith

In order to keep our PTA/PTO members apprised of the fundraising events that are planned at our school this year I thought it would be best to give you the specifics ahead of time.

We have a pressing need at the school to replace some of the aging computers in the technology room. In order to do this effectively we need to raise $9,000.00 this Fall in order to get this done and installed by January. This September we are going to be selling Interstate Batteries! I know it sounds like a novel fundraising project, but think about it. Who do you know that doesn’t use them? If a battery runs out on a TV remote or a game controller, it’s the kind of thing you go to the store right then and replace if you don’t have spares at home! This has been a highly successful fundraiser for many groups. One group of 71 students had a $73,000 sale with BATTERIES! We don’t need to raise that much, but we feel confident that we will exceed our goal if we have your support in this effort.

Hopefully you can see that in the example above the entire fundraiser is outlined. A well informed PTA/PTO member is an asset not to be overlooked.

A short time before your novel fundraising event is scheduled to begin you might want to send out another letter to reminder to your members. This will give them time to ready themselves for the event, instead of having a “deer in the headlights” look on their face when reminded at the last minute or worse, when they see the sales brochure come home with their child.

Effective communication with your members will ensure that they are ready to help when the time comes. Having a novel fundraising product, if it is an “in demand” and “valued” product also helps ensure that your new fundraiser is profitable.

Go to this page of our website for some novel fundraising ideas. Or go here for the most profitable and unique fundraising idea to hit the industry in years!

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Choose The Right Fundraising Company For Your Next New Fundraiser

Probably the most important thing to decide before your fundraiser starts is what you will do for your prizes for your new fundraiser.  The success of your new fundraiser not only rest on the product line but also the prizes you choose. Enlisting the help of a professional fundraising company is the best ways to make sure that your product and prizes are the hottest things going. They run hundreds of uniques fundraisers every year and have great insight on the pulse of what is working and what is not.

7 things you can do to help you when deciding which new fundraiser to do and how to run it properly are outlined below.

1.) Quality… Always offer high quality products. Value is of utmost importance to your customers and community. Your new fundraiser will go much better if your customers feel that they are getting a good value.

2.) Support Materials… Take a look at the support materials that fundraising companies offer. Ask about the help you receive to organize your new fundraiser and take a good look at their sales material that your students will be going home with. An eye catching sales catalog will improve your sales.

3.) Hidden Costs… Are there costs that that are not redily visible which can come back and bite into your profits. Most fundraising companies do not charge for seller’s supplies or shipping, but you need to ask before you commit to their program.

One thing that you should consideration is that not all cost to your group are bad cost. For instance if you are going to be spending money on a added prizes in order to better motivate your sellers, you will likely turn those cost into additional profit for your school.

4.) Free Sample Pack… Does your fundraising consultant firm offer a free sample pack? If so use this to evaluate the quality of your fundraising product line before placing an order.

5.) Policy… Inquire up front as to the policy of your fundraising consultant with regard to replacement goods in the event of product damage during shipping. Discover what the terms of your fundraising company’s return policy is as well.

6.) Special Delivery… Will the product you choose to sell require special handling at delivery? Does the fundraising company expect you to have refrigeration available? Who is responsible for providing that is it is required. The last thing you want is ruined merchandise when a simple question would have made that avoidable.

One not so well known fact about frozen cookie dough however, is that it does not require refrigeration during the delivery. Simply choose your delivery area with a few key points in mind. Place the cookie dough in an area that is away from direct sunlight and away from any heat source.  Brands of cookie dough like Chippery and Otis Spunkmeyer can be delivered without the need for refrigeration because sugar is a preservative.

7.) References… Get a list of other customers in your area that your fundraising company has worked with and contact some of them. Ask them about their experience with your fundraising company.

Finding the right fundraising company is a major factor in the success of your next new fundraiser. If you keep these seven suggestions in mind as you look for a supplier for your next new fundraising company will help you find the right fundraising company for your school or group.

Go to AIM Fundraising’s website for other unique fundraising ideas to increase your fundraising sales and profits. Check out AIM Fundraising’s website to see how AIM can help you have a profitable school fundraiser.

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Otis Spunkmeyer Names AIM Fundraising as it’s Newest Distributor for School Fundraising

There is probably no name more recognized in school fundraising than Ottis Spunkmeyer Cookie Dough. The reasons for that are simple…

* As a fundraiser, Ottis Spunkmeyer is “The most profitable one you can do.”
* As a product made for fundraising, Ottis Spunkmeyer “Is second to none.”
* As for customer satisfaction, Ottis Spunkmeyer “Is always good!”
* As for taste, “There is no equal to the taste and quality of Ottis Spunkmeyer cookie dough.”

Background and History

Renowned as the pioneer in the fresh-baked cookie business, Otis Spunkmeyer began in 1977 as a California chain of retail cookie stores. After six years of success, the company shifted its focus to selling its fresh-baked cookie program to other foodservice operations on a wholesale basis. More than twenty-five years later, the company continues to offer this popular program complete with its trademark pre-portioned, gourmet frozen cookie dough, pre-set ovens, and merchandising tools to schools, PTA and PTO organizations and school clubs for their fundraising efforts.

In September 2005, Otis Spunkmeyer acquired The Chippery, a cookie dough company based out of Austin, Texas. Ottis Spunkmeyer did this to help continue their efforts in staying the leader in the sweet baked goods industry. Otis Spunkmeyer’s ready-to-bake, frozen cookie dough is the #1 brand in foodservice.

In 1990, Otis Spunkmeyer entered the retail market by rolling out its signature cookie dough in 1 lb. and 5 lb. packages. In that same year, the company added ready-baked muffins to its line of select bakery products. Otis Spunkmeyer Muffins are available in foodservice and retail outlets throughout North America and Europe. Today, Otis Spunkmeyer muffins are the #1 premium muffin brand in retail.

Otis Spunkmeyer continues to be the leading manufacturer and distributor of frozen gourmet cookie dough, ready-baked muffins, and a variety of other premium bakery products to foodservice facilities and retail outlets throughout the United States, Canada, Central and South America and Europe.

Production and Distribution

Otis Spunkmeyer has manufacturing facilities in San Leandro, California (the San Francisco Bay Area); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Cayce, South Carolina; and Austin, Texas. The company also operates 52 Sales Centers throughout the country that store and deliver product to those foodservice and retail accounts who prefer direct delivery. Otis Spunkmeyer products can also be found in all major broadline distributors in the United States.

National Distribution

Otis Spunkmeyer’s unique delivery system is designed to accommodate customers distribution and product requirements and ensure the freshest product available. The company’s route sales force provides direct delivery from any of the 56 nationwide sales centers in the United States or is ready to accommodate a customer’s own distributor source.

Customer Base

The company’s extensive customer roster includes: business dining locations, colleges and universities, fast food outlets, independent and chain restaurants, K-12 schools, healthcare facilities, military and employee feeding operations, supermarkets, mass merchandisers, convenience stores, drugstore chains, and automatic merchandisers (vending).

The Ottis Spunkmeyer brand of frozen cookie dough is one of the most profitable additions that you could make to your school fundraising efforts. PTA and PTO organizations love it for the large sales it provides. Parents, kids and your fundraising customers love it because it taste great!

AIM Fundraising is proud to be one of the few fundraising companies named to be a distributor of the Otis Spunkmeyer brand.

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