Why Discount Cards Are The Best Option For Fundraising In a Down Economy

Discount cards are consistently one of the best methods for any church, school or charity to raise money, but they are particularly effective when the economy is in a slump. Many people have lost their jobs, or had their hours reduced; how many people are going to buy a $2 candy bar or spend $12 on cookie dough when they can barely afford a gallon of gas for their car? Discount cards work because they offer the customer a way to save a lot more money than they pay for the card. Perceived value is important, and there just isn’t much value in candy bars or cookies when you can’t afford to pay the electric bill.

When economic conditions are deteriorating, it affects entire communities, including businesses. Discount cards help in this area as well; those merchants who choose to participate usually experience a surge in business, since they are attracting potential new customers with the discount or savings offered on the card. Even though they are not making as big a profit per item, they are bringing in more brand new customers, which potentially means more profits overall. Discount cards effectively help boost the local economy at nearly every level, from the people who live there to the businesses that keep the town alive.

How profitable are discount cards? The answer to that depends on how many your church, school or organization sells, but even at a minimum they are substantially more profitable than other common fundraising products. For example, if you have a small group of 15 or 20 people who will be participating, you might expect to sell 250 discount cards. Even at this level, your profit margin is 50%, and your group has earned $1,250! On the other end of the scale, suppose you have 250 to 300 individuals who will sell the cards – you could easily sell 3,000, which puts your profit margin at an incredible 106.25% – and $53,750 toward your project.

Think of how the support is spread around the community when you use discount cards for your fundraising needs:

1. The customer spends $10, and potentially saves hundreds for an entire year from the date of purchase at local merchants.

2. The merchant increases their customer base due to the rise of new customers driven in by savings offered on the card. This essentially means greater profits for the merchant; if the new customer enjoys the product or service, they will continue to use or consume it even after the discount card has expired.

3. Your church, school or organization experiences the best support for your project, because many people will buy the cards due to the high value and money-saving opportunity.

When you think about it, discount cards just make good sense all the way around, for everyone involved. Honestly, there is no other single activity you could participate in or product your group could sell that offers extreme results with a minimum of preparation and work.

For decades, sports teams, choirs, PTA groups, church groups, school bands, elementary and middle schools and community groups have depended on product sales and other activities to support their monetary needs.  Discount cards make it easy and enjoyable for everyone involved, and the community-wide support is something you just don’t find with other products – especially in tough economic times.

Isn’t it time you gave discount cards a fair shake? Once you see the results first hand, you will be amazed; and you won’t have to worry about coming up with something when the next fundraiser rolls around.

Mark South
Easy Fundraising Cards