Fundraising in the Time of Corona
2020 has brought with it a special set of challenges for our youth programs. The COVID-19 Global Pandemic has brought the term “social distancing” to the forefront and we all are now doing our part to slow the spread of the virus.
What is your New Normal?
For the next year or more, we may be looking at a “new normal.” The official guidelines for activities are changing almost daily, along with the varied comfort level of your member families. Some have high-risk family members at home while others may not be worried at all. All of these are valid concerns to think about as you go into your school year and activity calendar planning.
With all of this going on, it does not stop the membership costs, the activity costs, the equipment costs, etc. You may not plan on a trip to summer camp or competition in Florida this year, but you will still have costs associated with your program, even while many of your member families may be facing challenges like sickness, stress, or unemployment.
How do you, then, adapt your fundraising strategies to meet the demands of this new normal?
The Convenience of Subscriptions
Subscription services have come to the forefront of our modern lives by making paying for a thing so easy! How many of us have enjoyed Hamilton on repeat on Disney+ ($7/month), or binged-watched a series on HULU ($6/month), Netflix ($9/month), or Amazon Prime ($9/month) – or maybe all of the above ($31/month)? These streaming services charge your card each month for their service and were the main reason we cut the cable cord 3 years ago.
And BTW, it’s not only streaming services – think your gym membership, Costco, or that pet box service you ordered for Fido.
What about your Fundraising efforts? Have you considered a subscription service for a fundraiser?
Social Distancing Benefits with Subscriptions
Think about the 2 huge benefits of a subscription service during this “new normal”:
Have you ever seen a Netflix salesperson coming to your door? NO, because they are totally online. All that stands between you and the endless rewards of The Office is a couple of clicks and your credit card number. There is no face to face interaction, no worries about social distancing, masks, or contact tracing. Just go to the website and sign up; we will take it from there.
Have you ever had a call from Disney+ asking you if you want to continue your service next month? Again, NO! You authorize your credit card to be charged every month and you’re all set!
Traditional Fundraiser (BBQ Sale) Example
A few years ago, I set up a Brisket sale (we live in Texas) for our Boy Scout Troop. We pre-sold half and whole smoked briskets and cooked for an entire weekend. It was a great success and earned a good amount of money for the troop to go to summer camp. The next year we did the same thing, but we had to go back to the folks and ask them to buy again. Some said yes and purchased, some declined, and we got a few more. That’s the case for most fundraisers, chocolates, popcorn, camp cards, candles, etc. Sell as many as you can, then, if you do it again, try to sell to the same folks next year!
Convenience is King! (Did we say this yet?)
Think about what it takes to get your customers to buy your fundraiser the second, or third time around?
You must ask them if they want it again.
The customer has to say, “Yes,” they want it again.
Then the customer must pay for it.
You provide the product or service.
That is a lot of steps for one transaction. Also, these first few steps may be uncomfortable or difficult for your member families that have asked their friends to pay year after year.
Subscription sales require a singular, simple action upfront. Then for every renewal or repurchase, the first 2 steps in the traditional transaction are eliminated! Now the process for renewal or repurchase is:
The customer pays (automatically)
You provide the product or service.
What would it be like to just have your current customers renew each year? They know what they are getting, the system has their credit card, they get notified that they are going to renew, and each year they get charged for the service. They only must do something if they want to cancel.
We know the problem… How about a solution?
Here are a few suggestions for subscription type fundraisers:
American Flags – Of course we would love to have you join Honor with Flags and offer an American Flag service in your area. It makes my heart swell when I see a row of American Flags flying down a neighborhood street.
Subscription Box – Send a box to subscribers 2-12 times a year. It could be around the seasons, your activities, or just over time. Pick up things from where your group goes and what you are doing (i.e. stickers, patches, or handmade artwork) to put in the box.
Mulch – Offer a subscription to deliver and/or spread mulch 2+ times a year.
Delivery
We all know, no matter what your group does, you must deliver a quality product or service. However, we will leave that for another post.
For now, start thinking about if your customers and your organization could move to a subscription service. If you need any help or have questions, please reach out, I’m happy to help you brainstorm how your group could shift to some type of subscription format or even through Honor with Flags 😊!
If you know of any group that needs a PERPETUAL fundraiser that spreads PATRIOTISM in their community, forward this post to them.