I'm a consumer first and in business second. Pretty much, that's the
philosophy here at Wow Fundraising - we want to offer the products
and services that we would want as consumers. Day to day this puts
us in a unique position to really understand the typical consumer.
We break a consumer's willingness to part with their money into two
modes, "Donation Mode" and "Shop Mode".
"Donation Mode" means that a consumer gives money away with no
expectations on what they will receive in return. Perhaps they get a
coupon or a sticker but they are not actually purchasing anything.
"Shop Mode" means that a consumer pays attention to the best price
for the best product for something that they desire. Retailers who
can offer the best price/quality combination win the sale.
When you are running a fundraiser you are in a very special position
in relation to the consumer. Most fundraisers sell products. As I
said earlier, I'm a consumer. If you approached me for a sale and
you didn't have any special reason (like your fundraising cause) for
me to buy something from you then I'm going to evaluate you purely
on the basis of the price and quality of your product and my desire
to have it. In other words, I'm going to be operating in pure
"Shop Mode". But, you *do* have a cause and suddenly I'm somewhere
between pure "Donation" and pure "Shop" mode. I'm not going to
donate my money to you, however... Pay attention now!
BIG POINT NUMBER ONE
====================
I am donating to you my buying power as a consumer.
BIG POINT NUMBER TWO
====================
Just because it's a fundraiser does not mean you can treat me any
less like a consumer.
What does this mean? ONE - You're playing on my "Donation Mode" and
I'm going to buy from you instead of from a retail store. Also, I
wasn't actively on the market shopping for whatever item that you're
selling, but I'm willing to buy something, and even pay more than I
could get it for from somewhere else, to help your cause. This leads
into TWO - My "Shop mode" dictates that you still need to sell me
something I would actually use, eat, or put in my house. I expect to
get something for my money.
What do you need to do when picking your fundraiser?
* When you look at fundraising brochures don't base your decision on
prices alone. Remember a consumer's "Donation Mode" allows them to
pay more to help out your cause.
* Don't evaluate your fundraising program on products that you would
be willing to purchase. You still need to consider the consumer's
desires so pick something that is going to sell well in your area.
Wow's consultants can help you zero in on just the right products.
* When you approach a customer with your fundraiser, tell them about
your cause. Additionally, give them a reason why they can use your
product. For example, someone who wouldn't buy an engraved pen for
themselves may very well buy one for a graduation gift or college
acceptance gift if you remind them of these reasons. Remember that
"Donation Mode" means you have a willing consumer so give them a
rationalization to purchase.
* Combine multiple brochures in one fundraiser to make sure you have
something for every customer. Pick product combinations that don't
compete with each other so that neither brochure's sales take away
from the other.