School Fundraising Tips: Market Selection

As a Pampered Chef consultant, I thought moving to Philadelphia was the key to my success. There were people everywhere, and I would be the #1 seller in the world! Reality check, Jennifer: There are people everywhere...and there are also restaurants everywhere. My landlord told me I was the only tenant who had ever used the stove! None of them needed my cooking supplies because they didn't cook.

Don't worry, you won't have to move across the country to help your child succeed at his or her fundraiser; if the product is being sold in your community, it is probably being used in your community. There are three important questions to remember when deciding who your child will market the fundraiser to:

1. What segments of people do I know?
2. Who could most use this product?
3. What products could I offer to the other segments?

What segments of people do I know?
These segments can be divided by age, location, or interest. Have your child think of 5 main segments. You will be able to narrow them later. He first might say, "old people," "aunts," "uncles." These are good starts. You could add, "just married" or "women" to the list. I will try to do another post on brainstorming for this activity.

Who could most use this product?
When having your child think of who could use he product, they will probably name every person they know; it is only natural to want to sell to everyone. Defining a target market (age, location) will help them think about the bigger picture. There will be other fundraisers (probably next week), and your child will establish more credibility and likeness if he or she asks help from people who could really use the product. Your child's customers will establish a special connection with your child and the particular product. Year after year, they will expect to get that same product from your son or daughter.

What products could I offer to the other segments?
This will get your child thinking ahead and excited for the next fundraiser. For example, if you are selling wrapping paper, that would be a great product for couples "just married." They may not have the holiday essentials yet. You could also get your child to start noticing birthday and Christmas presents. Who spends a lot of time on wrapping? Your child could add those people to his fundraising list for next time. Or, if you have more than one child, have them market to different segments. Your children can also make agreements to do this with friends that share networks.