We’ve meant to discuss the effectiveness of cookie dough fundraisers for a long time and now that the fundraising season is ending for schools and sports organizations we felt like this was as good a time as any.

Cookie Dough fundraising has been around a long time. Historically larger groups chose this option because of the minimum order requirements and difficulties handling a frozen product. But as time progressed programs were designed that allowed smaller groups to chose this option as well. Companies started lowering minimum orders and they started marketing the fundraiser to smaller groups.

So should your group consider it as a viable fundraising option?

We believe it is still a viable product in spite of rising prices. Historically fundraising cookie dough was not a bad deal. Customers would purchase a tub that would make 60 or 70 cookies and pay $10 or $12 for a tub. So that came out to half a dollar a cookie. That was cheap compared to prices for cookies offered at malls and other outlets. Of course it was more expensive that making the cookie dough from scratch. But fewer and fewer people wanted to make dough from scratch so the convenience of buying ready to bake dough in tubs or boxes further drove sales.

Over the years cookie dough companies tried to spruce up their programs by adding new and sometimes funky new flavors that never really amount to much in sales. But it was like merchandising in retail. You knew your bread and butter items would sell more but you offered some outlandish items that would attract attention but might not sell.

So now groups can choose from programs that offer just the best selling half dozen flavors and others that include 15 or more kinds of cookies. You can also find programs that include other dessert items hoping to satisfy a broader base of customers.

We believe when it comes to cookie dough fundraisers simpler and cheaper are the ways to go. The programs that offer the top 6 selling flavors offer enough to satisfy anyone willing to buy a tub or two. And we suggest you look for the least expensive tubs. Right now there are companies still offering tubs for $10.

The other option is to offer a nationally known brand like Spunkmeyer for example but their cookie dough sells for a premium which might turn off some potential customers.

If you are considering a cookie dough fundraiser check out these companies:

Easy Fundraising

Fast Track Fundraising

Spunkmeyer

All 3 companies offer superior products and there is no cost to hold a fundraiser with any of them.

Are people really tired of cookie dough fundraisers?

I ran across an article in Our Colorado News that highlights one group that says it is. Cookie dough fundraising sales, though, suggest that is not true. First let’s explore the Colorado group in the article.

“With supplemental funds so essential to helping preps sports programs perform at a highly competitive level, high school athletics departments and their booster clubs are forced to come up with their own style of “Moneyball.” In the Douglas County School District and at Littleton Public Schools, a student athlete’s cost for participating in sports ranges between $135-$150.”

That’s true every where. Sports and other extracurricular activities are costing more at a time when school budgets simply can not handle those increase. Thus the increased need for sports fundraising and school fundraising campaigns.

“Generating consistent supplemental funds from a community can be just as competitive as the teams they go toward. Creativity tends to be the key. “We have very creative parent groups (at Heritage) that find creative ways to raise money,” Shelton said. “So many people are sick and tired of cookie dough and butter braids that they would just rather write a check. We push them to get creative.” Some of the ideas booster clubs in the area have come up with include car washes at local businesses, fresh fruit sales and selling ads in the athletic programs. Heritage has been known to raffle off choice parking spaces and run tournaments of dodgeball, volleyball and basketball, as well as organize “Skate with the Eagles” events.”

This is a very fortunate school and school district because it appears they have very involved parents and administrators who are willing to do lots of different fundraisers to raise their money. It reminds me of a local band booster club that seems to have weekly fundraisers. Both, at first glance, seem to be successful. But that might not be true.

People might not be tired of cookie dough fundraisers. Instead they might be sick of weekly fundraisers and being bombarded with weekly fundraising ideas that are sent home. History shows us that each of these fundraisers raises less money and the money is often just donated by the parents who are sick and tired of constantly fundraising.

We still see groups raising tens of thousands of dollars with their cookie dough fundraisers. They are the ones that promote their fundraiser. They manage it well. They promote the benefits of participation. They set goals.

Our suggestion is not to give up on cookie dough fundraising – or any other fundraiser for that matter. It is to do the things necessary to make sure each fundraiser you run reaches it potential through extraordinary implementation.

The best Cookie Dough Fundraisers are usually held during the fall or spring when most fundraising groups are out selling their products. Customers seem to expect the bombarded with fundraisers so its no surprise that the best cookie dough fundraisers coincide with this peak selling season.

But what makes some fundraisers so successful while others fall short? Here are a few thoughts:

1. Successful cookie dough fundraising campaigns are promoted much more actively than others. These groups take advantage of any opportunity to advertise their upcoming sales. Some of the most agressive combine cookie tasting events with cookie dough sales. They figure out where their largest potential customer base gathers and set up tables where customers can nibble on their favorites and place their orders right there.

2. Successful groups set reasonable goals. What is a reasonable goal? That depends on how much money the group needs to make but most groups fail because they set no expectation on their sellers. If there is no goal does a seller feel they succeeded if that sell one tub? We suggest you set a goal of at least 10 tubs sold per person. People can easily sell that much cookie dough if they really try. You don’t want to set the goal so high that it is unattainable yet you don’t want to set it so low that it takes no effort to meet.

3. Successful groups usually raise money for a purpose that people can rally around. For example parents of elementary school kids would probably rally around a fundraiser that will update their kid’s playground more than they will rally around a fundraiser that goes to an unpurposed fund to be used for incidentals. If people directly benefit from the effort they will work harder to make sure its successful.

4. Watch price points. The lower the price the more likely people are to purchase your cookie dough.

So consider these points before you start your next cookie dough fundraiser and you results should skyrocket.