Soap as a fund raiser

[rodeogal]

Have any of you ever done a group fund raiser with your soap? I sold Tupperware several years ago and they have a regular program. They take a few of their regular items, mark them up 40% and offer them as the FR. The group gets to keep 40-50% of the sales, depending on the Consultant.

Would you offer a special soap, or pick out a selection, or let the group buy any one you offered?

 

[DWinMadison]

Have any of you ever done a group fund raiser with your soap? I sold Tupperware several years ago and they have a regular program. They take a few of their regular items, mark them up 40% and offer them as the FR. The group gets to keep 40-50% of the sales, depending on the Consultant.

Would you offer a special soap, or pick out a selection, or let the group buy any one you offered?

You may have seen in some of my previous posts, I'm working on this very idea right now for my church to benefit missions projects. That's why I made my infamous soap stamp. My wife is high-school theatre teacher, and I have also been discussing making soap as a fund-raiser for her program as well. My plan is to make a limited variety, say 5 to 6 bars) that provide "something for everyone:" Goats' milk for the skin conscious, Rosemary/mint or Tea Tree for the spa crowd, something vegan for the tree-huggers, patchouli for the hippie in all of us, and something like a cedarwood/sage for a "manly bar." (I think there are lots of floral and cucumber-melon soaps commercially available, so I'm thinking I will avoid those) I plan to make some samples then take orders. I attend a huge church, so they may want to pre-order and sell them in our book store or at a missions fair.

 

[lizflowers42]

You may have seen in some of my previous posts, I'm working on this very idea right now for my church to benefit missions projects. That's why I made my infamous soap stamp. My wife is high-school theatre teacher, and I have also been discussing making soap as a fund-raiser for her program as well. My plan is to make a limited variety, say 5 to 6 bars) that provide "something for everyone:" Goats' milk for the skin conscious, Rosemary/mint or Tea Tree for the spa crowd, something vegan for the tree-huggers, patchouli for the hippie in all of us, and something like a cedarwood/sage for a "manly bar." (I think there are lots of floral and cucumber-melon soaps commercially available, so I'm thinking I will avoid those) I plan to make some samples then take orders. I attend a huge church, so they may want to pre-order and sell them in our book store or at a missions fair.

DW, just imagine the possibilities if you cater to high school girls with "inspired by" scents like Bath and Body Works, Victoria's Secret and designer fragrance labels. Pre-teens and teenage girls love that stuff. In fact, my parents found a box of my sister's and my old loot when they were cleaning before a move.

 

[rodeogal]

That is awesome! I, too, work for a school system. Many of our clubs do fund raisers each year. I got the idea, because I did a TW one a few years ago for the band.

How are you going to price your soaps? Will you calculate a 'wholesale' price for the bulk sale? If you do a school FR, will you markup the soap then give them xx amount per bar? I am curious. I also have a feed store wanting my soap, but I don't really know how to price it to them!

I have looked at the 'calculators' but in order to follow the model, my soap would have to sell for $6.60 for a 4.5 oz bar. I currently sell it for $5.25. I am lost!

 

[lizflowers42]

Rodeogal, I haven't done any fundraising with my stuff, but I used to sell Avon on the side (I'm a social worker...not a high paying job...so I was fund raising for myself ). I did e-parties as well as home parties, where the host invited attendees and the more sales that brought me, I gave a percent discount to the host.

I have attended lots of other consultant type parties, where the person brings either stock with them, or samples of items to place an order for sale. If you were to do something similar, I would have a few different tester items that each person could try.

 

[Lindy]

I have groups buy soap from me for their fundraisers. I sell it to them at proper wholesale (50%) and they then benefit from being able to sell for full price, or more, and keep the funds earned to support their group. One of them was an Irish Wolfhound group and they had me make my doggie shampoo bones. They continue to order from me annually....

 

[judymoody]

I donate soap to various fundraisers - silent auctions and the like.

If you go this route, be sure you have insurance in place. Even if you don't profit personally, money will change hands and you could be held liable if some sue-happy person decided that your soap scarred him or her for life. Unlikely to happen but a basic policy from RLI is cheap and provides peace of mind.