Do’s and Don’ts of a Bake Sale

Website design By BotEap.comHave you ever heard the saying, “Timing is everything?” Take it seriously because scheduling your bake sale event will be one of the most important decisions, if not the most important, that you make. Pick the wrong time and you may not have clients, volunteers or a suitable location. Pick the right time and everything will run smoothly.

Website design By BotEap.comHere are 7 ultimate “do’s” to make your bake sale a success.

Website design By BotEap.com1. Keep everything in mind when selecting the day, date and time of your bake sale. Try to coordinate all these pieces of information.

Website design By BotEap.com2. Decide if it is better to have your event during the day, at night or on the weekend. When will you have the most potential customers? When will your volunteers be available?

Website design By BotEap.com3. Be culturally and ethnically sensitive. Scheduling your event for Thanksgiving or St. Patrick’s Day probably won’t work out well.

Website design By BotEap.com4. Plan your event to be closed to a payday. Customers are happy and it’s easier for your customers to “splurge” at the bake sale table if they just got paid.

Website design By BotEap.com5. Use a bake sale theme whenever possible. Holiday events are profitable because you can create a theme for your sale and your customers and volunteers are in a good mood.

Website design By BotEap.com6. Announce why you are holding your special fundraiser. Is it for the school construction project or are you trying to buy baseball uniforms? Let the world know. Most contributors prefer a specific goal rather than just a “fundraising event.” It makes people feel part of something lasting and concrete. They can see what their contribution is going to do.

Website design By BotEap.com7. Finally, consider who your customers will be. What is your normal schedule? If you’re selling at a college site or senior center, find out the best time to hold your event.

Website design By BotEap.comThere are things you need to avoid in order to have a successful bake sale. Here are 5 things to put on your taboo list.

Website design By BotEap.com1. Avoid trying to organize a fundraising event where you are not welcome or where you do not have proper authorization. If authorization was not granted, there is a reason. Move to another location.

Website design By BotEap.com2. Avoid trying to compete with another event. Why compete? You want your event to have a main, center stage.

Website design By BotEap.com3. Avoid a noon lunchtime sell setup. Set it to run from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm This will appeal to the late coffee crowd as well as the lunch crowd.

Website design By BotEap.com4. Avoid lack of staff during the sale. Customers don’t want to wait.

Website design By BotEap.com5. Avoid being unprepared during the setup process and cleanup process. Not doing an advanced scan of the location and the staff in charge could slow things down and put people off.

Website design By BotEap.comPaying attention to the little details of a bake sale will help the event run smoothly. Remember, there’s always one more thing to do… at a bake sale, and that’s probably trying the brownies. It’s a fun quality control problem!