School Fundraising Ideas - Part Three

Posted by Nick Niesen on November 8th, 2010

Looking for a good school fundraising idea?

Offering something families use and spend discretionary income on is a great idea. The good news is that there are other school fundraising ideas besides coordinating a special event or conducting a catalog-based fundraiser.

These often end up overwhelming your supporters with multiple fund raising products that aren't everyday items for most people.

In this series, we'll take a look at three school fundraising ideas. Part Three looks at Prepaid Phone Cards.

These are simple products that your group can offer that provide these benefits:

1) They are easy to sell
2) They offer good value
3) They produce excellent results

School Fundraising Ideas: Prepaid Phone Cards

What do I need to know about prepaid phone cards?

Phone cards can be used for fund raising purposes just like the discount cards. Several suppliers offer a $10 card that can be customized with your group's name and logo.

For an extra fee, you can even get custom artwork on the front of each card, thereby reinforcing your "brand."

Prepaid phone cards are also available in different face values with variations in minutes included, international rates, access charges, etc. Most common are denominations of $20, $25, and $30.

Profit margins on prepaid phone cards are similar to other school fundraising ideas that are product-based. The trick is to source ones that offer excellent value to your supporters.

Think in terms of potential users, i.e. families with college students, distant relatives, people that travel frequently, or individuals who make international calls.

Look for features and offerings that would appeal to these user groups. Because of the variety, customization, and large market, phone cards are great school fundraising ideas.

What you'll usually find is that you can't equal the best deal offered by mega-retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, and K-Mart while still maintaining a desirable 40% profit margin.

So, in evaluating school fundraisers like phone cards, you face a choice of staying with a $10 card that offers decent value or leveraging the best offerings available in the retail market.

Consider putting together a one-page brochure based on the AT&T phone cards offered by Wal-Mart. Instead of a 60-70 minute card that sells for $10, think about reselling the AT&T 120 minute card for $15.

While putting together your sales pitch, play up the value of being able to add additional minutes in the future either through Wal-Mart or AT&T at a great per minute rate.

You can make a three or four choice brochure with profit margins in the 25% to 35% range. The phone cards still offer excellent value and name brand recognition. A 120-minute card costs $10, a 250-minute card costs $18, and a 500-minute card costs $30.

Use your brochure for order taking and try to arrange a special bulk discount with your local Wal-Mart. They are fundraiser friendly!

Phone cards are also among the top school fundraisers for overall profitability each year.

Selling discount cards and prepaid phone cards positions you for a better chance at a larger portion of your supporters' spending.

And, because of their high unit volumes, healthy profit margins, and ease of sale, they are excellent school fundraisers because they'll produce exceptional profits.

Make sure your group gets your share!