Provide samples
Believe it or not, using sample candles doubles the sales volume. Why? Because people can see, touch, and most importantly, smell the candles.

The fragrance is what sells the product and that doesn’t come through on the brochures. Not until they start providing scratch & sniff versions anyway!

Order at least two sample candles for each seller. Get a variety of all the popular fragrances in the main styles. Your fundraising company can easily tell you which ones those are and you can use the samples to fill orders, so you’re not wasting any money.

Use a sales script
I’m a big believer in kids actually getting out there and doing their own selling, so you need to teach them how to sell. Surprisingly, it’s not that hard to do.

As the kids say, here’s the thing. You must do these three things:

Smile and introduce yourself while making eye contact, then state why you are raising funds.
Ask for their help and use the word “because” to justify it.
Recommend a favorite and place the sample in their hands.
“Hi, I’m Jimmie Jones and we’re raising funds because we need new computers at school. Can you help us out by buying a candle? This French Vanilla one smells great!”

And that’s when you hand over a sample candle and an order brochure. After that, you keep quiet until they ask a question or agree to place an order.

Sell a second product
Another great way to maximize profits is by offering something completely different. If the customer doesn’t like the candles, you can quickly pitch your alternative.

Or, if they buy, you can upsell them with the same offer. Same number of sales calls, double the profits.

One product that works especially well is a fundraising card offering two-for-one discounts on pizza or similar products from fast food chains. These retail for $10 and cost $2, so there’s plenty of extra profit built in.

Plus, they appeal to families because they provide real value for the price. They get their money back the first time they use the card, so it’s a great deal for them.

Offer sales incentives
Motivation is a wonderful tool because people always act in their own best interest. By offering sellers prizes for every sales level they exceed, you motivate even the worst ones to reach the first bonus level.

Plus, your top sellers will keep cranking out the sales to achieve the really good prizes for selling hundreds of dollars worth of candles. Your supplier will provide certain prize packages, but I recommend supplementing those with extras like a free discount card or items donated by local businesses.

You can even spend some of the profits on really great prizes like a videogame console, the newest games, or an iTunes gift card. Just make sure you inform your sellers about all the great prizes available.

When you start, have them state their sales goals by prize level in front of their peer group. Why? Because fear of failure and peer pressure are truly powerful motivators!

Reach a bigger audience
Another way to increase sales is to expand your sales targets beyond family, friends, and neighbors. Set up sales tables at local events or even at high-traffic shopping center locations.

Use big signs to spell out why you’re raising funds. That helps pre-sell people as they approach. For many of these sales, you might need to fill them immediately from your sample inventory. Still, it’s an excellent way to make hundreds more sales!

Candle Fundraiser Summary

Boost your candle fundraiser profits by providing samples, teaching your sellers a simple sales script, selling an alternate product, and offering sales incentives. In addition, you can sell even more candles by expanding your marketing efforts beyond just family friends, and neighbors.

Take some time to develop the right candle fundraising program, select a good supplier, and watch your profits soar to new heights!