| Direct
Sales
Question:
What is a direct sale?
Answer: A
direct sale is one where the fundraiser conducts
the sale in front of a prospective buyer.
These type of sales are traditionally door-to-door
but can also include telephone sales and sales
conducted from display booths.
Question:
How much profit can a group make?
Answer: Direct
sales programs are great for generating a
high volume of sales and are ideal for groups
of all sizes. Typical direct sales programs
offer profits ranging from as little as 1%
to as much as 80%. The profit will depend
upon the type of product sold as well as the
quantity.
Question:
How long should we run a direct sales promotion?
Answer: Like
other types of fundraising programs it is
best to put a specific time limit on your
direct sales promotion. The length can vary
greatly depending upon whether or not your
group will target a specific location to promote
the fundraiser or whether you will canvas
certain areas on different dates. We suggest
that you limit the direct sales promotion
so that you have provided ample time to properly
expose your promotion, but not to overexpose
it. A good timeframe is traditionally 3 full
weeks.
Question:
What risks are there with direct sales?
Answer: The
number one risk is over ordering product.
Make sure you can return any unsold product
for a full refund. We also suggest you only
order what you feel your group can "conservatively"
sell. It is always easier to order additional
product.
Question:
Does our group need to store inventory?
Answer: Traditionally
your group should never need to store inventory.
It is always a wiser decision to purchase
additional inventory after selling off your
original orders. We suggest you purchase enough
inventory to satisfy your groups goal.
Question:
Should we collect the money at the time of
the sale?
Answer: Yes.
Regardless of whether you are selling an item
that can be given to the purchaser at the
time of sale or whether you are taking an
order for a delivery at a later date, we highly
suggest you take the money at the time of
the sale. This will also help to eliminate
the possibility of ending up with unsold inventory
due to cancelled orders.
Internet~Email
Question:
How do we fundraise via the Internet and email?
Answer: Let's
break this question into two answers. First
let's address how to fundraise via the Internet.
The NABCA provides all booster clubs with
the ability to utilize fundraising links within
Fundraising Corner where you can have a fundraiser
hosted without any need of setting up a website
or hosting the fundraiser. You simply register
your club for the specific fundraiser and
then publish the link via flyers or email
campaigns.
The
NABCA will assist your club in setting up
an email database of parents, members, alumni
which can then be used for promoting numerous
email promotions during the year. All NABCA
affiliated clubs receive as part of their
membership a club management software program
designed to help create your own school database.
In addition BoosterWorld provides online capabilities
of conducting email campaigns to your members.
Question:
How long should we run a Internet~Email promotion?
Answer: If
you are conducting your promotion via Email
we suggest you limit your offer to no more
then two email notices and keep the offer
time to no more then 2 weeks. Internet promotions
can run longer as it may take longer for you
to notify your prospects. An Internet promotion
can run for many weeks and can become an ongoing
media for introducing new fundraising items
and offers.
Question:
What risks are there with online sales?
Answer: The
number one risk is to insure that you have
received payment for the item sold prior to
delivery. Product delivery is the second highest
risk area. We suggest you take advantage of
one of the online fundraising programs offered
through Fundraising Corner or make sure you
have solidified an agreement with your supplier
to insure all product orders are filled and
shipped within a timely manner.
Question:
How do we collect the money for an online
sale?
Answer: You
will greatly increase your sales volumes if
you accept multiple payment options including
checks online. In most cases it is not feasible
for a club to get a merchant account so we
suggest you consider working your online promotion
through the NABCA where you can take advantage
of the preset payment options offered.
Catalog~Brochure
Question:
What is a brochure~catalog sale?
Answer: A
brochure or catalog sale is a way of referring
to fundraisers that use a brochure or catalog
for taking orders with the product arriving
at a later date. When the marketing piece
is 15 pages or less it is called a brochure
and more then 15 pages makes it a catalog.
Brochures tend to focus on one specific product
- such as a valentine card, or a box of candy.
Catalogs offer lots of great product ideas
and usually market to all ages.
Question:
How much profit can a group make?
Answer: Catalog
and brochure sales are great fundraisers for
groups of all sizes. Catalog and brochure
sales are ideal for people who do not like
to sell face to face in that the brochure
or catalog can be dropped off to a prospective
buyer and then picked up once the prospect
has made there choices. Typical profits can
range from 5% of gross sales to as high as
65%.
Question:
How long should we run a brochure~catalog
sales promotion?
Answer: It's
best to put a time limit on order taking.
We suggest that a minimum of two weekends
and one to two full weeks. If you run a sale
too long, everyone begins to lose interest.
Get the brochures~catalogs out as quickly
as possible then work on bringing in the orders.
Question:
What risks are there with brochure~catalog
sales?
Answer: The
most common risk associated with brochure~catalog
sales is to insure the vendor can satisfy
your groups order within a timely manner.
A typical delivery time should not exceed
2 weeks. We also suggest you request a product
sample when possible. This will insure your
group is selling a quality product.
Question:
Does our group need to store inventory?
Answer: No.
Catalog and brochures do a fine job of illustrating
the product. If a prospective customer has
additional questions your group should have
a contact that you can refer them for answers
beyond what is listed in the literature.
Question:
Should we collect the money at the time of
the sale?
Answer: Yes.
It is highly advised that you collect the
money at the time the sale is made. This will
insure you can deliver all products ordered
in a timely manner. This practice also helps
to keep your promotion within a limited timeframe.
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