Therefore, you have to start out the right way. You want to build quality relationships and take things slowly. If you push too hard, right off the bat, you can easily lose the people you are trying to win over.

Because of all this, the fundraising activities you chose to start off with in the fall need to be easy for people to get on board with. They need to be low on the commitment scale, not as ambitious monetarily (which means a greater chance for success), and high with the fun factor.

I would strongly recommend staying away from the fundraisers that require large amounts of volunteers, lots of planning time, and a significant financial investment.

Here are some ideas for fundraisers that are just right for starting off the year.

Bake Sale- Bake sales are great for the start of the year, because, in my experience, so many people will volunteer to bake and donate cookies, brownies and the like. Most people have the ingredients lying around at home and it’s not a big deal to knock out a couple of dozen treats for a school bake sale. I’ve always had the most success with bake sales on Saturday mornings before big college football games. Reserve a spot outside the most popular supermarket in your town right before the big game, and you’ll turn a great profit.

Flamingo Flocking- Flamingo Flocking is a great way to raise some money for your school, have a lot of fun, and build a bunch of friendships. For a complete description of how to run a Flamingo Flocking Fundraiser, click here. But you should know that this type of fundraiser can tick all the boxes when it comes to low commitment and high fun.

Box Tops/Soup Labels – While these two items may seem to be old hat, they are still a great way to get parents into the good habits of thinking about school fundraising. Set up a good receptacle system, get teachers on board with reminding kids to bring them in, and send letters home to parents telling them about the ongoing program. Create monthly contests between classrooms to keep the box tops and labels coming in all year long. Start the good habits in the fall, and they will continue to produce revenue.

Fundraising cards- Another way to get parents working for you in a relatively easy manner is through fundraising cards. Here is a great video description of such a program offered by FastTrack Fundraising:

Hands down, the most popular response I got was “Bake Sales”. At first, I was surprised the reaction was so strong in that particular direction. But, as I started to think about it, the reasons behind the response became clearer.

Now, maybe, I just happened to work at a school with a lot of moms who loved to bake. However, I don’t think so. Rather, I think that volunteering to bake something has many things going for it over other forms of fundraising volunteer gigs.

First of all, I think that most parents have some vague sense of obligation to volunteer for their kid’s school. Unfortunately, most of the volunteer jobs either take too long or are too hard to fit into the family’s hectic schedule.

However, if the school asks a parent to just bake a pie or a couple dozen cookies, that is a much easier undertaking. Most people have stuff at home to whip something up, and it can be done after the kids go to bed. If they don’t have all the needed ingredients, it’s still pretty easy to stop by the store, since they probably need other stuff anyway. Therefore, the parent can finally say “yes” to helping the school, because it is on his or her own terms.

I think another reason why bake sales are so popular is that many moms and some dads see cooking and baking as a competitive sport. They fancy themselves a bit of a whiz in the kitchen, and they don’t mind other people knowing they are, either. So, they take no small amount of pride in their award-winning banana cream pie or their triple chocolate fudge meltdown brownies. Therefore, when I issued the order to go bake something, I was like the starter at the Indy 500, telling them to start their engines.

We had many bake sales in my time at the school, and never once did I have to worry about recruiting enough people to bake.

Our bake sales were always held at local grocery stores on busy Saturday mornings, usually scheduled right before a big college football or basketball game was on television later that afternoon. I think the lowest amount we ever sold was $500. With an army of bakers at the ready, we could have four or five of these throughout the year and do pretty well for ourselves.

I know that bake sales as a fundraiser can seem very old-fashioned, but let me tell you, they do work.

Photo by: Loimere

ANNOUNCEMENT- Check out Jim Berigan’s year-long, FREE School Fundraising e-Course!  

Besides actually baking the cakes and cookies, one of the time consuming things about bake sale fundraisers is designing and creating the bake sale flyers. So today we have some samples for you to download and use.

With Microsoft Works I created two documents that may be of help to you. First is a personalized checklist for all the to-do’s involved in planning and organizing a bake sale.  This checklist can be customized to fit your bake sale to-do’s as well.

Bake Sale checklist (excel)

We all know just how important volunteer involvement is in any fundraiser.  This is the best way to keep track of your bake sale happenings from planning to clean up and all the sweet stuff in between.  Feel free to download and customize this document and be sure to print plenty of copies to hand out to your volunteers.

Bake Sale Volunteer list (excel)

The most important thing to do is advertise as much as possible.  Be sure to keep a couple of  flyers on hand so wherever you go you can ask if they would allow you to post one of the flyers in their location. Reynolds has a variety of templates to boost the look of your bake sale advertisements.  Use the signs as flyers to help get the word out.

Bake Sale Sign (PDF)

Bake Sale Table Sign (PDF)

And finally when it comes to pricing all the delicious cookies, cakes, brownies and other sweets that are there for the sole purpose of raising as much money as possible for your group or organization, go ahead and do it up right with these decorative labels.

Bake Sale Label template (word)

Bake Sale Label template (PDF)

According to The Advocate (Stamford newspaper), the students at Stamford High School have taken to operating a bake sale every single day. It takes place in the time before school starts each morning. There are over 70 different student groups that sign up for the time slot on different days. An average morning of bake selling can bring in upward of $200.

The article is quick to point out that in addition to all the sweet morning treats, there are often healthier options, such as bottled water and mandarin oranges. Some groups even bypass food altogether and collect money in other creative ways.

Wow. Can you imagine being faced with fundraising efforts every single morning? I mean, who do they think they are? It would be absolutely unbeara- …wait a second. Going into a place each morning where they sell muffins, bagels, coffee, juice, etc. and paying money in exchange for these goods. Hmmm. Where have I heard this idea before? Oh yeah, it’s called a gas station or a Starbucks, or one of those little drive-thru shacks. Except, instead of making the gas station owners rich, I’m giving it to a school-related cause.

I think this is a brilliant idea! Here is a school that knows it needs to raise money to support all of these extra activities and it allows its students to really get involved in helping themselves.

Could this idea work at your school for your group? People, especially high schoolers (and teachers!) spend their disposable income on food like this anyhow. Why have them spend it at some store down the road?

If a typical student spends just $5 a week on these bake sale items, by the end of a 36 week school year, he’s made a total gift of $180. Does this exceed what he might raise if you only hold a couple of fundraising events a year?  Which are you more likely to get close to 100% participation in- a product sale or a bake sale?  Also, what percentage of the profits do you get to keep from a product sale?  40%? 50%?  In a bake sale the group keeps 100%. 

Granted, a product sale can raise much more money in a condensed period of time.  However, with more and more parents balking at the idea of their children becoming candy bar salesmen, this daily bake sale approach may be growing in its appeal.

(For more outstanding reasons to hold a bake sale, please visit my previous post “9 Ways to Rake in the Dough at Your Next Bake Sale“)

Think about it.

But, I’m here to defend the lowly bake sale. I’m here to champion the 8’ folding table parked out in front of the grocery store on a Saturday morning. I’m here to beat all the haters back and prove that there is still life in the timeless art of the bake sale.

First, however, let me begin by reminding all the nay-sayers about the profit margin at a bake sale- 100%. Not 40%, not, 60%, not even 75%. You heard right- it’s 100%! You don’t have to share your loot with anyone. No investment on the part of your school. Parents donate the material and labor, while the grocery store donates the retail space and the customer base. It’s the perfect deal.

Second, in my experience as an elementary school principal, there is no volunteer duty more popular with parents than “baking”. I’d get like three people to work the auction and one for writing thank you letters, but I’d have to spill over onto a second sheet of lined paper to make room for all the moms and dads who were willing to bake. You have to admit, a willing work force is hard to argue with.

Third, a bake sale is free PR. For those four hours or so on Saturday morning, everyone who walks into the store will see your sign advertising your organization. If you play it right, you’ve got a great opportunity to represent your school in a very cost-effective way.

Ok, but this bad reputation has got to come from somewhere, right? My guess is that the people who have become bake sale haters have experienced the lowest form of the art. I’m sure they’ve witnessed sorry looking Rice Crispy treats, poorly presented fruit cakes, and tired moms selling their wares with all the enthusiasm of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. The haters have probably looked at the receipts from such a bake sale and thought the effort just wasn’t worth it. $100, $200… Surely there has to be a better way to raise some quick cash.

And there is, I tell you! Have a good bake sale! The following nine items will add spice to the entire experience and will result in dramatically increased sales.

Plan Your Sale for a Big College Football Game Day
I suggest that when picking the date for your bake sale, visit the web site of your biggest local college football team and study their TV schedule. Try to peg your bake sale date to the biggest game of the season, preferably the most heated rivalry game. In my area, we’ve got the Michigan-Michigan State game or the Michigan-Ohio State game. These games have become a communal experience for most of the population. And, what does every self-respecting football fan want during the game? Yep you guessed it- food. Much of this food is purchased last minute on Saturday morning before the game. If you have your table out there at this time, you’re likely to see a lot more traffic looking for snack-y items. You’re in a great market position.

I would also suggest decorating your bake goods in the football team colors. Or perhaps someone could make football-shaped cookies with icing in the school’s colors. I know this may seem silly, but it’s marketing, baby!

Only Sell by Donation
I know this may sound risky to some folks, but trust me, it really works. Do not set any prices for any of the bake sale items. Make a large attractive sign that tells everyone that there is no charge for any of the items. However, you would greatly appreciate and welcome all donations.

Will you get someone who just walks up and takes a bag of cookies and doesn’t leave any payment? Sure, that’s possible, but really unlikely. Instead, you’re much more likely to get someone putting in a $10 bill for a small bag of cookies and not asking for any change.

By not setting any prices, you’re leaving it open to the generosity of peoples’ hearts when they approach your table. My feeling is that most people are generous and fair, and you’ll actually make more money by only taking donations than limiting yourselves to a fixed pricing structure.

Only Let People with Good Personalities Work the Table
Have you ever heard about that business book called “Fish!”? It’s about the Pike Street Fish Market in Seattle, Washington. The owners turned that market from a dilapidated, stinky old hanger into one of the most popular and profitable tourist attractions in all of Seattle in a very short period. How did they do it? One of the primary factors was the attitude of its fish mongers. The owners realized that the fish mongers were their sales force, and they were able to convince and train them to become engaged with their customers. They laughed while catching and throwing fish, they interacted with each other and with the customers, and they made that place fun. It was an amazing transformation.

I would suggest being very careful in choosing the people to work your bake sale table. Like the fish mongers, they have to be extroverted individuals. They can’t be shy little wallflowers, hanging back, letting customers blow by them. They can’t be afraid to create a little scene. Once they do, people walking by will stop to see what all the fuss is about. Once they’ve stopped by, your chances to make a sale greatly increase.

Advertise Your Cause
As I mentioned earlier in this article, you should definitely think about the best way to promote your school at the bake sale. If people walking by believe that you are working for a good cause, they will be more likely to drop that big donation for a small bag of cookies.

Not only should you have an attractive and professionally done banner with your school name on it, but you should also have material about your school ready to pass out. For example, you could have pamphlets and fliers ready that detail your school’s mission, your history, enrollment information, great achievements of your school, and current fundraising needs. Be ready to pass something out with each purchase. Give the people something to remember other than a tasty cheesecake.

A word of caution, be very aware of how your table is presented. If your signs are hand-lettered and home-made they could appear tacky, thus giving off a bad impression of your school. As a fundraising leader, you’ll have to find a tactful way to make sure you don’t allow signs made by people with good hearts but no artistic talents to be displayed.

Sell Pie of the Month Club Memberships
If you have a person in your school community who loves to bake and is actually good at it, consider selling “Pie of the Month” club memberships or something like that. Make a separate advertisement and make sure everybody making a purchase realizes that they can keep the love of the bake sale coming 12 months per year. Of course, all payments are expected up front, so you’ll have to feel confident your pie maker will deliver on the contract.

Decorate Your Items Well
I won’t mention any names, but I recently attended a function in my hometown that had a bake sale attached to it. I know the people organizing it meant well, and everybody’s busy, but, man, was that thing depressing. The people working it didn’t care, the people who baked the items didn’t care, and so the potential customers didn’t’ care either.

I looked down at the table and I saw Rice Crispy treats still uncut and in the beat up old pan; I saw store bought Chex-Mix unevenly distributed into low-grade baggies with no zip top; I saw a cake that looked like it had fallen on the floor and somebody has just picked it up and put it back on the table. They even had a cooler with soda cans inside, but no display telling us what kinds they were selling. I had to root around in the cooler to even see what they had.

I’m sorry to have to get down on folks, but if you want to do well in retail, you’ve got to think about your presentation. Think like Martha Stewart a little bit!

First of all, I would suggest asking parents when they volunteer to bake to make sure they decorate the items as much as possible. But, I would also recruit the craftiest person I know to be available when all the items first arrive for sale. Arm her with ribbon, bows, zip-lock baggies, pre-made sales labels, whatever you can think of to make your table shine.

I would also ask this crafty person to arrange items for sale so they are attractive and stand-out to customers. Think about adding small risers to your table to highlight certain items. A shoebox with a colorful linen napkin over it would be terrific for just such a use.

When in doubt, try to put yourself in the shoes of a potential customer.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness
This point is closely related to the previous one about presentation. I would highly suggest asking your sellers to look as neat and tidy as possible and I would have some hand-sanitizer plainly visible and in use by your sales force. (Suggest your sellers wear school sweatshirts or t-shirts if they have them.) If potential customers see that you care about sanitation, you are more likely to convert them to paying customers.

Bigger Items Sell Well
In my experience, bigger items, like whole pies and cakes sell extremely well, especially on the day of a big game. It’s great to have little bags of cookies or individually wrapped Rice Crispy treats, but make sure to have the big ticket items out there, as well, prominently displayed. You could easily pick up $15-$20 for an apple pie alone. Mom looks like a hero, coming home with a big juicy pie on game day.

Sell Any Left-overs at School on Monday
With so many people baking, it is possible that you may have some left-over items from the bake sale. I would suggest that you bring all the left-over items back to the school and try to sell them on the first day back. Put up a nice display just outside the school office and place a big sign next to it.

Every time I’ve done this, we have completely sold out by the end of the first day back.

Conclusion
As I mentioned at the beginning, it’s easy for people to get down on the bake sale. In many ways, bake sales have been done to death, and it’s always fun to try something new.

However, with just a little imagination, creativity, and enthusiasm, I firmly believe that you can turn your tired old bake sale that generates little profit into a razzle-dazzle, must-see event that really rakes in the dough. In my time at the school, I never saw a bake sale that didn’t bring in a minimum of $550, and that was from a small school in only four hours in a small town. For the amount of time and effort put in by the fundraising team, this is a no-brainer.

From now until October 27, 2006 Reynolds will be giving away 60 of these kits each week for the next five weeks.

Each “Shape Up Your Bake Sale” kit includes:

• Reynolds® FunShapesâ„¢ baking cups
• CD-rom with bake sale tips, recipes and signage
• FunShapes tablecloth
• FunShapes calculator (for tallying your customers’ bills)

Plus your entry will give you a chance to win a $500 donation to your organization from Reynolds FunShapes Baking Cups. Enter now