There are many activities and products that are commonly used today to raise money, and most of them are profitable. That being said, most are not as profitable as discount cards, there is usually a substantial amount of preparation and work involved, and not many benefit the entire community. If you have never really given it much thought, there are pros and cons to nearly any type of fundraising efforts; here are a few things you may never have thought about:
Candy bars, cookie dough, etc. - These products have been huge in the fundraising arena for years, but have you ever thought about the fact that they are perishable, and do not hold up with in extreme heat or humidity? They also require storage room, and aren't too easy for smaller children to lug around everywhere they go. With discount cards, there are no spoilage or storage issues to deal with, and because they are the size of a credit card they're easy to handle.
Car washes, bake sales, multi-family yard sales. - These are common activities that many churches rely on to raise money when they need a new church van, a gym for the kids or money to attend summer church camp. While these activities are fun and allow members of the church to socialize, there can be a lot of work involved - and the profits aren't typically that great. Consider the time it takes to bake the goods, wrap and price them, then transport the baked goods plus tables and chairs to a parking lot where you can set everything up, and it is extremely time consuming. While you may want to continue participating in these activities, why not add discount cards to the mix?
What many people do not realize about discount cards is that they benefit the community as a whole. Merchants included on the card are usually those in your own local area, which means they benefit from increased and new business. The customer benefits, as they enjoy the savings offered on the card for an entire year, and the cost of the card is only $10. Your group benefits because of the high profit margins, so you can see that this is a great solution all the way around. Of course, the bigger your group and the more cards sold, the higher profits your organization will enjoy.
Not to say that discount cards are the only way to go when it comes to raising funds for your group or organization, but why not give them a try? You may be surprised at just how much easier and faster it can be to raise the amount of money you need, without all of the hassles and headaches that often go along with other fundraising methods.
Sure, you can keep doing things the same way you've been doing it for years, but why not make things easier on everyone involved? Give discount cards a try just one time, and you will wonder why you didn't rely on this successful method of fundraising years ago.
