Basics 101: Choosing Your Fundraising Supplier

Deciding which fundraising company to use to supply your particular fundraising group’s product(s) can be a daunting experience. Hopefully some of the following discussion will make your decision considerably less stressful and more uniquely suited to your particular fundraising needs. Essentially, fundraising companies can be grouped into three categories, 1) Those that are web-based, 2) Those that are sales based, and 3) Those that are hybrids, exhibiting certain characteristics of each of the first two categories.

The web-based fundraising companies, in the strictest sense, are suppliers of fundraising products - Period. Their main concern is to sell as many products to the fundraising group or organization as possible, and hopefully to generate profits sufficient to satisfy that group’s fundraising needs. They have little or no contact with their customers, usually handling orders and questions via email or through their web-based shopping carts. They typically give excellent pricing on their products, because they have low overhead and minimal operational costs.

Sales-based fundraising companies are, as the name implies, primarily focused on providing local sales personnel to effectively service groups and organizations in their sales territories. These sales personnel are practically “on call” for meeting all of their large fundraising customers’ needs and wants, and often show up daily during major fundraising activities, ready to give hands-on treatment if needed. Because of the large amounts of time and money that are spent on servicing their customers, the sales- based fundraising companies typically charge somewhat more for their products, while furnishing other amenities throughout the fundraising project.

The hybrids are fundraising companies that have a major web presence, support a web shopping cart, and yet try to maintain at least a quasi personal relationship with their customers. They communicate by visiting via telephone with their customers, and try to project a sincere personal interest, although from a distance. They also offer some of the services that the sales personnel from the sales-based companies offer, just to a lesser degree. They usually offer excellent pricing for their fundraising products, although they might not be at the very top in every product category. More and more fundraising customers are doing business with the hybrid type of fundraising company, particularly the small and medium size groups who would not normally get personally visited (on site) by sales personnel from the sales based companies. It is much more convenient, even for large fundraising groups, to pick up the telephone or send a quick email, than to have to schedule an appointment for a sales person to come by and see them.

iLoveFundraising.com, is a hybrid cross between a web-based fundraising company and a fundraising company that is operated through direct sales personnel. Although they don’t have a sales force that physically contacts customers, iLoveFundraising.com makes every effort to help their customers with any fundraising needs or questions they may possibly have, whether it takes 30 seconds or 30 minutes. If ten different telephone conversations are necessary to get the information their customers need, those ten calls are more than just welcomed, they are greatly appreciated! Talking to a real live person is not just a bygone memory; In fact, both in-hand seller customers and brochure seller customers are encouraged to call (always toll-free) and place their orders totally over the telephone to a real live person. All order details will be tallied on spread sheets and handled totally over the telephone by iLoveFundraising.com, and remember, Delivery is always FREE - ALWAYS, and with NO added surcharge for small orders! With very low order size minimums, free colorful brochures and order forms, a large selection of fundraising products, excellent profits, and Over Forty Years of Fundraising Excellence, iLoveFundraising is an outstanding choice for your fundraising needs.