Fundraising

Fundraising Tips and Help

 

 

Betsy Ann Chocolates offers a variety of fundraising opportunities to help your organization earn money.

Choose which program best fits the needs of your organization from the options below. Betsy Ann Chocolates is widely recognized as Pittsburgh’s BEST candy. Our chocolates are always a popular fundraising item that people are happy to purchase — and bring in big profits. We offer fantastic profit margins along with our great products making us a win-win fundraising partnership to help your organization succeed.

Whether you are hosting a fundraiser for individuals, groups, schools or organizations, Betsy Ann Chocolates is always a great choice.

FAMILY OF FUNDRAISING PROGRAMS

The quality and reputation of Betsy Ann Chocolates makes your fundraiser sell more products & earn more profits than any other fundraising program you will find.

Program Benefits

  • No minimum orders required
  • Generous profit margins
  • Reorders quickly filled
  • Free local delivery on 24+ boxes
  • Top-quality products that practically sell themselves
  • Easily the best, easiest and most fun fundraising opportunity

HOLIDAY FUNDRAISING PROGRAMS: CHRISTMAS & EASTER

Our holiday fundraising programs are huge money-makers for any school or organization.

How our Christmas and Easter Fundraising Programs Work

The chocolates and treats are pre-sold by salespeople utilizing our colorful brochures to collect orders and collect payment in advance. The Selling Phase for these fundraisers is two-weeks. Once all orders are collected by your organization, they are then turned in to us to be filled and either picked-up or delivered to you at a later date (typically two weeks for order fulfillment). For quick and simplified distribution, each salesperson’s order is packed separately and clearly marked.

Delicious Products | Rewarding Holiday Opportunity

People always buy Betsy Ann Chocolates for holidays. Our Holiday Fundraising Programs offer our most popular selections. Our sales brochures beautifully display these popular candies to make selling all the more easy. Customers can pick from favorites like: Classic Assortments and Chocolate Covered Pretzels, our award-winning Truffles, miscellaneous holiday-specific confections, and more. Our Holiday Fundraiser products are offered at the same price and weights available at our online and retail store locations.

NOTE: No minimum orders required. Profits range 35-40% — see chart for potential profit margins.

CHOCOLATE BAR FUNDRAISING PROGRAM

Milk Chocolate Gold Bar (3.5 oz.)

Milk Chocolate Crisp Rice Bar (3.25 oz.)

Dark Chocolate Silver Bar (3.5 oz.)

How Our Chocolate Bar Fundraising Program Works

Chocolate Bars are purchased in advance by your organization then sold and distributed directly at the point of purchase by your salespeople.

The most successful fundraisers find innovative and fun ways to sell direct to customer, such as: Bringing the bars to family functions or parties, taking the bars to the office for coworkers to buy, setting up a table outside of a local grocery store or coffee shop (with permission), utilizing social media, and more.

Giant Bars, Big Profits 

Everyone loves these bars — they are a great value for the price. Each bar is a nearly a ¼ pound of gourmet chocolate.  People typically buy more than one!

NOTE: Available in milk chocolate, milk chocolate with crisp rice and dark chocolate. Chocolate Bars are packed 12 per box. No minimum order required. Profits range 40-50% — see chart for cost to your organization and potential profit margins.

PRETZEL ROD FUNDRAISING PROGRAM

How Our Pretzel Rod Fundraising Program Works

Pretzel Rods are purchased in advance by your organization then sold and distributed directly at the point of purchase by your salespeople.

The most successful fundraisers find innovative and fun ways to sell direct to customer, such as: Bringing the bars to family functions or parties, taking the bars to the office for coworkers to buy, setting up a table outside of your local grocery store (with permission), utilizing social media, and more.

Delicious Treat for a Great Value!

Everyone loves our sweet and savory Pretzel Rods.  These delicious treats (large rods — not mini) are covered with a generous coating of pure milk chocolate, making these treats easy to sell!

NOTE: Pretzel Rods are packed 24 two-packs per box. Each pack has two large pretzel rods per pack. Profits range 40-50% — see chart for cost to your organization and potential profit margins. No minimum orders required.

PEANUT BUTTER PRETZEL RODS

How Our Peanut Butter Pretzel Rod Fundraising Program Works

Peanut Butter Pretzel Rods are purchased in advance by your organization then sold and distributed directly at the point of purchase by your salespeople.

The most successful fundraisers find innovative and fun ways to sell direct to customer, such as: Bringing the bars to family functions or parties, taking the bars to the office for coworkers to buy, setting up a table outside of your local grocery store (with permission), utilizing social media, and more.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate? Win-Win!

Everyone loves our Pretzel Rods, but with the bonus layer of peanut butter – people can’t get enough! Peanut Butter Pretzel Rods are sold in two-packs. These popular pretzels are layered with peanut butter and a generous coating of pure milk chocolate making them irresistible and the ideal fundraiser item.

NOTE: Peanut Butter Pretzel Rods are packed 24 two-packs per box. Each pack has two large pretzel rods per pack. Profits range 40-50% — see chart for cost to your organization and potential profit margins. No minimum orders required.

CHOCOLATE ROSARY FUNDRAISING PROGRAM

How It Works: Choose Which Chocolate Rosary Fundraising Program Works For You:

Pre-sold/Advance Order Option
Orders are pre-sold by salespeople who go out with brochures and collect orders in advance. The orders are then turned in to us to be filled and picked up (or delivered) at a later date. No minimum order required!

Advance Purchase Option
Rosaries are purchased in advance by your organization and sold by salespeople at your church, school, family and friend functions, or at the office, and sold and distributed directly at the point of purchase.

Rosaries can also be combined with any of our other major fundraising opportunities, described above.

What’s In Each Box?

Our Chocolate Rosary boxes make a beautiful fundraising item for people to gift or keep for themselves. Each rosary box includes: High-quality Rosary beads, a beautifully bound keepsake scriptural rosary book, and a 6-oz. premium milk chocolate bar that features 20 break-off pieces inscribed with the decades of the Rosary (including ‘Luminous Mysteries’). No minimum order required.

STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING

With Betsy Ann Chocolates

You have decided to raise money for your school or organization by hosting a Betsy Ann Fundraiser.

Here is a list of tips to help ensure your success:

STEP 1: Select Your Chairperson(s)

Select a Chairperson or a board of chairpersons to run your fundraiser. This person or team should be reliable and enthusiastic about helping the organization raise funds and be the primary decision makers.

STEP 2: Set Realistic, Achievable Goals

Fundraisers with specific, realistic goals are always most successful.

STEP 3: Establish Your Fundraising Goal

Set the monetary goal you are looking to achieve with your fundraiser. Set a realistic goal. It is good to look at amounts raised with past fundraisers to help establish a baseline goal, and to surpass previous years!

STEP 4: Determine Which Betsy Ann Fundraising Option is the Best Fit

Review all of our options and choose from our “Family of Fundraisers” above.

STEP 5: Decide Timeline and Important Dates for Fundraiser

Setting a timeline is crucial. The most important dates you need to establish are:

  • Brochures or Product Delivery Date: If choosing a Holiday Chocolate Fundraiser, select date brochures will be needed by (prior to your fundraiser kick-off date). If choosing a Chocolate Bar, Pretzel Rod or Chocolate Rosary Fundraiser, determine when you will need the product delivered to be picked-up to start selling.
  • Kick-off Date: Select date you will start sending out information about the fundraiser to your school/organization.
  • Fundraiser Start Date: Determine the first date people can start selling chocolates. We strongly recommended a two-week fundraising timeline, no more.
  • Fundraiser Finish Date: Determine the LAST day people can sell chocolates.
  • Order Turn-In Date: Determine the date ALL orders need to be turned in to chairperson (for Holiday Chocolate Fundraiser only)
  • Master Sheet Turn-In Date: Determine Date the Master Sheet orders forms will be turned in to Betsy Ann Chocolates to place your order for fulfillment (for Holiday Chocolate Fundraiser only)
  • Reminder Notice Dates: (calendar several reminder notice dates to communicate with your school/organization and salespeople)
  • Order Pick-Up Date: Determine what date will be reserved for Order Pick-Up; Have plenty of help!

Note the following: It is best to schedule a week between the Order Turn-In date and the date Master Sheets will be submitted to Betsy Ann — this provides a buffer to catch up with any late orders that roll in.

STEP 6: Estimate Number of Participants | Order Brochures or Product

Estimate how many participants you anticipate will be selling products. This will determine how many product brochures or how much product you need to purchase (depending on the type of fundraiser you choose). Place your order with Betsy Ann for brochures or product based on this estimate or an exact number.

STEP 7: Create an Effective Marketing Strategy for Your Fundraiser

Plan your marketing outreach. To do this, you should establish:

  • Methods of communication you plan to use: Utilized prior to and throughout fundraiser, such as: Email, flyers, phone calls, social media, etc.
  • Reminder notices: Calendar WHEN these will be done throughout fundraiser and HOW each will be done, such as flyers, emails, etc. Determine WHO will do this work.
  • Phone List: Create a phone list in advance with contact numbers of all fundraiser help and salespeople to communicate regularly throughout.
  • Email Channels: Determine if you will use email and if so, HOW that will be distributed and WHO will do this work
  • Social Media: Determine if you can use your school or organization social media pages to make announcements and post reminders about the fundraiser. Determine WHO will do this work, and WHEN.
  • Website: Determine if you will post information on your school or organization website about the fundraiser. WHO will do this work, and WHEN?
  • Marquee Signage: Determine if you will utilize the school/organization marquee sign to post info about your fundraiser. WHO will do this work, and WHEN?
  • Posters and flyers: Put together a team to create these and distribute and/or post them. Decide WHEN these should be done.
  • Incentivize: Develop incentives and/or prizes for motivation, and decide how you promote this. The more salespeople you have, the more chocolate you will sell. Incentives motivate sales!
STEP 8: Kick-Off Your Fundraiser

This element is crucial for a successful fundraising campaign. Here are ways to plan a successful Kick-Off:

  • Be sure to account for any holidays or potential conflicts with other important activities.
  • Pass out all brochures to salespeople, and provide necessary information such as timeline, dates, etc.
  • Use clear, simple communication on flyers and emails to avoid confusion.
  • Talk-up any incentives or prizes you have planned for salespeople.
  • Make sure everyone knows what you expect from them. Provide a “How-To” guide and ideas on what they should be doing.
  • This is a great opportunity to establish the goal for each salesperson to make TEN CALLS to help make sells happen.
STEP 9: Selling Phase — What You Should Know

Your “Selling Phase” should be the two weeks following Kick-Off and before your Order Turn-In day. This is the most critical phase of your fundraiser and determines how successful your fundraiser will be.

The better your advance preparation has been, the better your chances of a successful fundraiser. If you have been highly organized, motivational, communicated goals effectively, developed a good marketing strategy, and “supercharged” your salespeople, you will be on your way to a profitable fundraiser.

Tips for Success during the “Selling Phase”:

 

  • Check-in often: If possible, check-in with salespeople regularly. Nearly all successful fundraisers continually and strategically remind salespeople of their task at hand. Ideas on how to do this:
    • Verbally remind them, i.e., have someone (like a teacher or coach) do this.
    • Provide DAILY reminders of the countdown and how many days remain to sell.
    • Ask regularly how many have reached their goals. Encourage them to keep going!
    • Offer assistance and encouragement when needed.
    • Make sure colorful posters and banners are posted around campus or organization.
    • Send out frequent emails, flyers or make phone calls to salespeople and provide reminders of when orders must be turned in.
    • Encourage each person to make TEN CALLS. If they have already accomplished this goal, encourage them to continue further.
    • Send out regular reminder notices via flyers, emails or phone calls; Flyers can be made in advance and passed out on days you’ve scheduled. Emails can also be written in advance and sent on a specific day/time. Reminders should motivate the selling effort by reminding them of goals, incentives/prizes and lend encouragement. Remind them of turn in deadlines!
  • Email or make phone calls to get the word out: This can also be done in conjunction with printed reminders, but these are more appropriate for the final push.
  • Word of Mouth: Tell everyone you can in as many places as possible that you are having a fundraiser and would like their support. Keep in mind: Be tactful and kind and have regard for the varying circumstances for your salespeople and customers.
STEP 10: Order Turn-In Day at Organization

This is the day that you will be collecting ALL orders from salespeople. Here is what needs to happen:

  • Make sure all salespeople know well in advance when this date is. Remind them each day for the last week of the Sales Phase.
  • Collect ALL orders on the date you’ve set. Do not allow for extra selling time; make sure all orders are turned in; contact anyone who doesn’t turn their orders in.
STEP 11: Deliver Master Sheets to Betsy Ann

Master Sheets are the order forms you will provide to Betsy Ann. You can either ask each salesperson to create Master Sheets for their own orders, or you can form a committee to handle this process.

Before delivering Master Sheets to Betsy Ann, make sure to:

  • Create all Master Sheets. Review to make sure orders are correct.
  • Collect all orders prior to turning Master Sheets in to Betsy Ann. If you accidentally receive some orders later than this date, get them to us as soon as possible. We will do our best to process the orders accordingly.
  • Make a copy of each Master Sheet for your records (recommended, but not required).

NOTE: We provide a brochure and a two-copy Master Sheet to each salesperson for taking orders. Orders are written on the Brochure and totaled, then totals are transferred to the Master Sheets. Master Sheets are turned in to the Chairperson who then forwards both copies of Master Sheets to Betsy Ann to have orders filled.

STEP 12: Prepare for Delivery of Orders to Your Organization

Here is what you need to know and do for this date:

  • Get prepared for this day by notifying everyone in advance of the date and making sure you’re staffed.
  • Have a designated space large enough for the shipment cleared and ready to accept orders.
  • Our delivery driver will stack boxes in an orderly fashion, how you designate. Have a plan in place!
  • Arrange for enough help to assist in the distribution of orders. It’s a busy day!

NOTE: Each package is marked with the salesperson’s name, and the number of packages included on their order. One copy of the master sheet is included with each salesperson’s order. To make distribution easier, orders can be marked with a code (such as, room no., grade, etc.). Prior to the day of delivery we provide a total of all the items sold including the cost to you and how much profit you have made. We will deliver your candy on the scheduled delivery appointment. You may pay prior to delivery, or have a check ready to present to the delivery driver. We will contact you in advance to let you know the total amount due upon delivery.

STEP 13: Distribute Orders
  • Notify customers when their orders will be in and ready for pick-up or delivery
  • Late Payments: If customers have not paid for orders in advance, make sure they know to have a check ready upon pick-up or delivery for the full amount owed.
  • How to handle orders not picked-up: Decide in advance how you will handle orders that are not picked up on the day designated for order pick-up.
Your Satisfaction is Our Guarantee

We will promptly take care of any problems with no hassles.

Each salesperson collects his or her order. The attached copy of their master sheet can be used to verify they received exactly what they ordered. Salespersons should notify the organization chairperson as soon as possible with any discrepancies or mistakes. The chairperson should wait about a week to collect discrepancies and notify us. Participants must handle returns through the chairperson and should not contact us individually.

Happy Fundraising!
—Betsy Ann Chocolates

For questions or help with your order, contact:
Betsy Ann Chocolates Fundraising Department
(412) 931-4288 x10
or Contact Us