Bake sales seem like simple fundraisers but they can fail as easily as they can succeed. Knowing a few strategies will give your group the best advantage and make your bake sale a success.

You don’t have to be actively planning a bake sale to begin your research. The first thing all fundraisers should know is the community.
• Does the community easily support fundraisers? Attending fundraisers and talking with volunteers will give you an idea of how much the community supports causes. Stopping at other groups bake sales and asking a few questions is a simple way to begin to understand if your community actively supports events. Ask them how they feel it’s going. Don’t ask them how much they have made. Ask them if they have had any problems. What might they do differently? Don’t forget to support them while you are picking their brain. Sampling other bake sales will also give you insight.
• Are there constantly fundraisers? Communities get burned out on the same old fundraisers, especially if several organizations use the same ideas. It’s one thing for an organization to have the same fundraiser every year – in fact community members will look forward to that event but it’s another when every weekend someone is selling goodies at the entrance of the grocery store.
• What are the demographics of your community? A rural low-income area will have fewer resources than an urban area with a higher median income. It does not mean that a bake sale will be more successful in a higher income area but it will give you an idea of what you can expect to charge and what the attitudes of the community are. With a tough economy, people are looking for bargains and supporting a good cause gives an extra bonus to their purchase.
Once you have a basic understanding of your community, then begin planning your bake sale. There are a few things to consider when planning the actual event.
• Where are you going to hold your bake sale? Your location will determine your customers. Some stores allow events to be held outside their doors, some will allow them inside. Grocery stores and mega-marts are very common but I don’t see as much success in those locations as I have seen in some more creative arenas. Look for farmer’s markets – many will allow charity tables and many of those attending are looking for ways to support their community (and there’s nothing better than snacking as you are walking through the stalls). If the fundraiser is for a school related activity, see if you can sell during sporting events. I’ve held bake sales at bookstores with coffee and tea. Talk to area coffee shops, many would be more than willing to support a great cause, especially if it drawns in customers.
• Who do you want to sell to? The obvious answer would be everyone but that’s not a practical expectation. Ask yourself, who would be the most supportive of your organization? A school related organization is going to get most of its support from parents and students. Raising money for new football equipment is going to get the most support from football fans. There are some causes that seem universal such as cancer awareness and literary programs but the truth is many younger people may not care that children in Africa don’t have books or that adults are getting colon cancer. Knowing who would be the most supportive will help you plan what to sell and where to sell it.
• What expenses will you incur? Do you have to pay for a location? How will you advertise? Do you have to pay for licensing? It is important that you contact your local health department prior to planning your bake sale. With so many contaminated food concerns, many areas are now requiring that anyone selling food have permits. In my area, the licensing is free but we have to have someone with a food handler’s permit and that costs money. Many jobs require food handler’s permits so you may luck out and someone in your organization may already have one. If not, you have to get someone to pay for one. The permits are not overly expensive (around $20 depending on your state’s cost). They are often good for years. With your licensing will also come information about what you can and cannot sell. Cookies are often fine, cream filled homemade pies are often not. Additional expenses may incur when you have to keep foods at a particular temperature. The last thing is paper goods – plates, napkins, utensils.
• What are you going to sell? Never plan a bake sale without planning what you are selling. It has been popular to ask for bake sale donations and sell what you get. If you want a bake sale to be a success, however, having a good handle on what people can bring will help. Try for variety without being overwhelming. Basics are best and by basics I mean Tollhouse Cookies, Banana bread, Peanut Butter Cookies and Brownies. This is not the time for someone to try a new recipe. Now, you can work with a theme outside of the basics but success cannot be guaranteed. People are more likely to buy what they know. With food allergies rampant, have everyone include their recipes even if it’s just a basic list of ingredients. If they are worried about their secret family recipe then it’s probably not a good bake sale item. Customers want to know what’s in their food. You can decide to offer a sugar free variety or an allergy-free variety but know that they may not sell (they may, you never know). Your location will also help determine what you are selling. If you are working at an event as concessions, you don’t want to sell whole loaves of bread because your customers what something they can eat at that moment. If you are selling at a craft fair, then something that can be gifted will be a nice addition but something messy may not be appreciated by your fellow vendors.
• How are you promoting your bake sale? Some groups just show up at a place and hope that their presence will bring in customers. This is not an unreasonable expectation; however, you may miss some people who would be more than happy to support your cause. There are now multiple resources for free advertising that you can easily utilize. Start with your organization’s communication – do you have a newsletter? E-list? Let everyone know when and where your bake sale will be even if they are not involved in the planning. Use networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. Ask your local newspaper to do an article on your bake sale and organization – some may do a full article, some may just put a little blurb in the events page. Ask local churches and schools to put a note in their newsletter. Make up a simple flyer and post it in places where you can draw customers from (this would depend on your community and your organization). Make sure you have information at your table about your cause. A simple flyer attached to the table can answer questions while you help other customers.
• How are you selling your items? This is something to plan along with everything else but will be the last thing you do. Do you plan on having everything pre-packaged? That is – will your goodies be wrapped in plastic and on paper plates as needed? This is a very good idea because it reduces the amount of time you need to make a sale and keeps the food protected. Will you have a base cost? For example, all items for $1 and packaged accordingly. I find this to be the best plan if you are in a high traffic area because the customers will be able to pick what they want and not have to figure out the cost. For areas where your customers can peruse, such as at sporting events or craft fairs, you can have more variety of prices.
As you can see, with a little planning and some creative thinking, your bake sale can be an easy success. While there is no real formula for a successful bake sale, knowing your community and taking some time to really brainstorm about what you envision and what you expect can lead you to successful events every time.
If you join Budget Artists in supporting the Great American Bake Sale, be sure to come back and share your success with the community!

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