The first question is have you sold cookie dough for a fundraiser in the past? If you did, did it meet your fundraising goals or expectations? Typically people will tell us they were pleased with their sale but that it could have been better. We explain that most of the time its not the cookie dough program that determines the success or level of success. More often than not it is the motivating forces behind the fundraiser that makes all the difference.
Let me tell you about the best cookie dough fundraiser I have ever seen. And I've been helping people with fundraising ideas for more than 8 years.
There was a small cheerleading group in the Northeast that booked a frozen cookie dough fundraiser with us. The goal of the fundraiser was to raise enough money for the group to go to nationals. Apparently they were a talented bunch of kids. But more importantly they were motivated and they had a vested interest in the success of their fundraiser.
When the group called to turn in their fundraiser I wasn't really expecting much. After all there were less than 20 kids selling. I was floored, though, when they read off the totals sold and it averaged more than 125 tubs of cookie dough sold for each cheerleader. Groups typically consider an average of 10 tubs per seller outstanding. A an average of more than 125 tubs was unbelievable.
The moral of the story is to identify a goal that all of your sellers can relate to. Give them some ownership in the process and the results. Share excitement within the group. Have everyone involved motivate everyone else involved to sell as much as humanly possible. Then stand back and you will witness the best cookie dough fundraiser ever right before your own eyes.
Posted on 11/04/2009
