3 Boom-worthy Tips for School Fundraising Success Raising money for your school can be a daunting task, but with the right tips and tricks, you can ensure that your school fundraising efforts are a booming success. In this blog post, we will discuss three key tips for making sure your school fundraising initiatives are successful and profitable. By considering these suggestions, you can make sure that your fundraising efforts yield the best possible results. So, keep reading to discover our top three boom-worthy tips for school fundraising success! All about Alumni, Parents and Teachers When it comes to successful school fundraising, the most important group to consider first are alumni, parents, and teachers. These groups represent a “built-in” audience and have a vested interest in the success of the school and will be willing to donate to ensure its continued success. Before you launch your merch program or fundraising campaign, schools should implement alumni and parent outreach programs to build interest and trust first. The alumni and parent outreach program should include ways to keep these groups informed of any changes, events, or happenings at the school. This could include sending out emails, newsletters, or even hosting alumni gatherings. Additionally, schools should create and host events specifically for alumni and parents to encourage them to give back and get involved in the school’s success. After you’ve established your program to communicate with your alumni and parents, schools can offer merchandise that shows off their pride in the school. By creating a merch program, schools can provide custom items such as t-shirts, mugs, water bottles, hats, bags, etc. featuring school logos or colors. Schools can even offer personalized items with the individual’s name or graduation year imprinted on the item. This is a great way to generate more revenue while also promoting the school’s success. Go “Old School” A great way to ensure success is by creating a unique merch program with classic or vintage school logos. Vintage apparel is always a hit with alumni (and students), so schools should create collections that feature their older logos on high-quality apparel like crewnecks, t-shirts, and hats. By creating unique and timeless merch, schools can provide their supporters with classic pieces that they’ll love to wear and show off their school pride. Go across Age Groups Students aren’t the only ones who are wanting to rep their school pride. Parents, teachers and faculty are always happy to support their kids and students, so make sure you have items that cater to older generations too. Polos and quarter-zips are always great options for teachers and faculty. For them, try something fashionable like a Half-Zip or a Quarter-Zip for a more athleisure look. For parents, include some premium fleece options. Give them something different like a Pullover, which has a stylish soft texture that would look great paired with embroidered school logos. Don’t forget to include some onesie and toddler tee options too. Parents are eager to outfit their little ones in their alma mater’s spirit wear. You could create a design, using school mascots and a tagline like “future freshman” next to the school’s logo or name. Personalization is Key If you’re looking for ways to make your school’s merch program more appealing and profitable, personalization options are THE way to do it. Offering customization allows customers to create something special and unique to them, while also helping to increase sales. You can offer personalized items like baseball hats with student-athlete numbers, quilted sweatshirts with sorority letters, or even blankets with “Football Mom, “GO (Student Name)!” or “(Student Name) Biggest Fan” printed on them. It’s not only a great way to add some extra revenue to your school’s merch program, but it will also make your customers feel valued and appreciated. Unique Design When it comes to custom personalization, design and decoration can make or break a product. Apparel has come a long way since the days of just putting a logo on it and calling it a day. To stand out, you must think outside the box. One of the biggest decoration trends in fashion right now is nostalgic throwback culture. Embroidery decorations give modern styles that vintage vibe, and pairing them with current styles is a great way to give an otherwise ordinary item a unique twist. Distressed or faded artwork is also a great way to take even the most modern-looking apparel back in time. If you want your school’s merch program to be successful, don’t be afraid to try out new ideas for your designs. Be creative and experiment with different colors, patterns, fabrics, and textures. Combining different elements can make for a truly one-of-a-kind product. When students, parents, and alumni have something they can’t find anywhere else, they’ll be sure to purchase it. Fashion Musts Matching sets, coach’s jackets, and other trendy items are surefire ways to bring in the funds. By offering stylish, trendy items to students and alumni, schools can capitalize on the desire to stay on-trend while supporting the school and its fundraising efforts. Schools can find unique items to merchandise by creating a merch program that sources the hottest items and designs specifically for the school. This program allows schools to stand out from the competition and keep up with current trends, which will keep customers coming back for more. Odom Design is here to help you make it happen We’re experts in school spirit wear and have years of experience designing custom shirts, hats, bags and more for schools of all sizes. We understand the importance of making sure these merch programs are successful and we have the products, services and designs to ensure that happens. We provide a wide range of quality products to help you create apparel and accessories that your school can be proud of. From screen printing and embroidery to performance wear and youth sizes, we can help you find the perfect apparel pieces that represent your school’s spirit. Plus, our design team will create a unique look and feel that stands out from the competition. We know how important it is for schools to have a recognizable and modern look and feel, so our experienced team will make sure you get exactly what you need. We understand that running a successful merch program is no small feat, so let us help make it easier. Our goal is to provide you with the perfect tools, products and designs to help make your fundraising efforts a booming success.