Discount Card
Fundraising
Made Easy

by Jenny Ann
(ABCfundraising.com)

Tired of the same old fundraising approaches? Discount card fundraisers are gaining in popularity. These fundraisers are a win-win for your entire community. Your school or organization can earn money while local businesses gain exposure and new customers.

The wrapping paper fundraisers have gone stale.

Parents and other community members are running the other way when they see students walking up with catalogs full of overpriced items.

Sound familiar?

Money still needs to be raised, but your standard annual fundraisers are waning in popularity. While they have served you well, sometimes you need to give your sales team -- the students -- a break and do something different for a change.

DISCOUNT CARD FUNDRAISERS:
A POPULAR NEW APPROACH TO FUNDRAISING

In recent years, discount card fundraisers have been growing in popularity. Discount card fundraisers are an easy way for your school to offer a something of value to your supporters -- an opportunity for them to save money over and over throughout the year. Discount card fundraisers are also excellent ways for merchants, restaurants, and stores in your community to support your school and get the free advertising and extra business that comes with that support.

Discount card fundraisers are a win-win. Your community members, friends, and family will use their discount cards to support the local businesses that support you.

In a discount card fundraiser, each student sells the affordable discount cards to their neighbors, family, and friends. Your school might even sell your discount cards at local events, Little League games, local grocery stores, or farmers markets. The more discount fundraising cards your students sell, the more money your school makes. The school makes money and your supporters that buy the discount card fundraiser save money.

Setting up a discount card fundraiser is now easier than ever for your school. All of the work of securing merchants in your area can be done for you by some of the leading fundraising companies. All you have to do is fill out a merchant wish list and merchants in your area will be secured to create a top-notch personalized discount card for your school.

As the organizer of a discount card fundraiser, the most important thing for you to do is to create a comprehensive list of local merchants who might want to participate in the fundraiser. Consider all of the mom-and-pop shops in the area -- restaurants, dry cleaners, flower shops, pizza places, dog grooming places, nail salons. They all want your communitys business! New businesses are a great starting point, as they will likely embrace the opportunity to introduce themselves to the community. Your task will be to list as many of those merchants as you can think of and let the fundraising company do the rest of the work for you.

More Articles from ABC Fundraising Don't miss these otehr articles from ABC Fundraising. Intro to Fundraising -- You Need to Raise Money, Now What? Your fundraising efforts can either be a source of frustration or a unity-building way to make much needed money for your group... Fundraising Q&A With Jenny Ann Jenny Ann has heard all the questions about school fundraising, and here she answers a few of the most common ones... Check out more fundraising articles in Education Worlds Fundraising Article Archive.

Discount cards are a no-brainer: who doesnt want to save money on food, dry cleaning, coffee, working out, home goods, and more? The cards can be used over and over so purchasers can get a great return on their money by saving time after time. The potential of success with a discount card fundraiser is truly limitless. Supporters often find the cards to be such a great value that they ask the school to do this fundraiser again the next year.

A word of caution about discount card fundraisers: lead time is essential to their success. Lead time of 4 to 6 weeks is required because discount cards are personalized to your school or organization, and your local businesses must be contacted. With a little lead time built in, though, discount fundraisers have proven time and again to be well worth the effort.

About the Author
Jenny Ann is an expert fundraiser and currently works for ABC Fundraising. She sets up school fundraisers nationwide. If you found this article helpful, please visit ABC Fundraising for more great tips and fundraising ideas.

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Article by Jenny Ann / ABC Fundraising
Education World®
Copyright © 2010 Education World

Originally published 08/05/2010