Issues to Avoid with Fundraising Calendars

You might think that dealing with fundraising calendars is all smiles and sunshine in terms of the process, but the truth is, there are still some significant dangers that you need to avoid with it, just like any other fundraising ideas. No investment of course comes without risks and issues. So let me give you a heads up on some of the crucial dangers to avoid with your fundraising calendars. Remember these different issues and try to avoid them as you create your own calendars.

a. Theme concepts that backfire – While the general rule is always try to be creative and innovative with your fundraising calendars, you should be aware that sometimes, these interesting concepts can backfire. I know of some fundraising campaigns who did have some promise, but their custom calendars did not become popular because the design actually inflamed part of their market (women) because it had some sexist overtones.

That is why you should avoid your concepts from backfiring. Always test out your designs and get feedback from a wide variety of people before you actually commit it to calendar printing. It pays to be smart with your custom calendars and get the right concept to the right market.

b. Wrong market targeting – Another danger and potential major mistake that a calendar designer might experience is to target the wrong market. Sometimes you just “think” that (for example) homemakers are your main market for fundraising calendars, since they will be the ones more likely to buy calendars for their homes. You will then be surprised to discover that your homemaker targeted calendars are not really selling as much, and the other calendar for businesses are picking up.

It is easy to get caught up with the stereotypes and just think it is common sense to assume the best market for custom calendars are something like homemakers. But the truth is, there are a lot of different factors that determine “the best market”. So instead of assuming your target market, always discover exactly who it is. Do some market research and find out. The more you know, the better you can target your calendars.

c. Bad calendar printing – Now, a common danger that you need to avoid when you are printing your calendars is basically the bad kind of calendar printing. While every calendar printing company will say they only print the best quality color calendars, it is of course a given that you don’t really have to believe them. Since you will want to print only once and not waste time and resources, it is best that you be sure that your own calendar printer is good at doing its job. So make sure you check their sample calendars to determine if they do indeed make good calendar prints. Check reviews as well to make sure their reputation is sound.

d. Lack of precise budgeting – Finally, one of the biggest dangers when it comes to fundraising calendars is the lack of precise budgeting. While calendar printing is indeed cheap, you cannot really sell them TOO expensively even if they are for fundraising. You have to get that budget tweaked just right so that you can deliver good color calendars and still sell them for a significant profit for your fundraising efforts. So do not just spend and spend thinking it is all cheap and easy to profit from fundraising calendars. Make sure you do a proper budget and figure out the most ideal cost and selling price for your prints.

Great! Make sure you remember all these dangers and try to avoid them if you can. It is better to preempt these dangers before they actually appear. Good Luck!