Business
I got involved with Scent-Sations when my buddy (Scent-Sations CEO) Bob Scocozzo started "bugging" me to sell candles for his brand new start up company. My reply "Me... a guy, my size (6’3", 325 lbs) selling candles?"
Bobby bugged me for 4 weeks and I "relented" and told him I'd do it for ONE MONTH ONLY!
After 1 month, I was overwhelmed to find out about how many people all around me were nuts about scented candles, and absolutely loved Mia Bella’s better than anything else they ever burned. I literally couldn’t keep the stuff in stock just from orders from my workplace. Luckily for me I live only a few minutes from the warehouse and could stop by on the way to work to pick up inventory that had been pre sold!
I sold a co-worker 4 candles. She gave 2 to her sister for gifts. The sister called me and asked me if she could do a fundraiser with the candles. My answer was "I don’t know, let me call my friend, Bob!"
Bobby said "Of course we can!"
Six months later they called in their fundraiser order. That little parochial school sold over 700 candles! I said, "this cant be this easy!"
I decided to focus a lot of attention on fundraising. I started calling and knocking on the doors of anyone I could think who did fundraising: sports groups (I coach baseball), schools, day care centers, etc.
I also found out that about two weeks prior to school openings there are tons of small stories about different organizations having meetings for fund raising for their group. I either call them (if there is a contact number in the article) or simply drop by to their meeting armed with Mia Bella's information and products.
If I go to the meeting I carry a large candle, enough brochures for everyone at the meeting, a few votives for handouts, and a sample order form and master sheet. I then explain our procedure for doing fundraisers.
I always ask the organization what their financial goals are: "HOW much money are you looking to make?" Whatever they answer I tell them a basic formula to think about: "Based on a $5 profit, lets say you have 25 people, if they sell 10 candles each, your profit is $1250." With this kind of math in front of them, usually their jaws are dropped for a few minutes. Then they smile! (P.S. they can choose to sell the candle for whatever they want. Many sell for MORE THAN A $5 PROFIT!)
They get as many order forms as they wish (order forms can be found in the back office under all fundraising materials). I explain that their organization’s name will be on top along with the top 20 scents of the season for them to sell (they can customize this if they wish by reviewing the 4 fold brochure with the 90 scents on it).
We then find out the price that they need to sell at. Typically it goes from $17.00 to $25 per candle. I put the name and telephone number of the person in charge of the group so that they can be reached by anyone doing the fundraiser.
I tell them they have 2 weeks to sell after accepting the fundraiser. What comes back to me is the master sheet (found in back office) along with a check which fully pays the amount we agreed on. In my case I charge the fundraiser $11, as being in the local market I can pick up and avoid all shipping costs. If I were long distance from the company I would add the shipping cost to the $11 or whatever my selling price is.
I also let them know that my sticker will be on the bottom of every candle in case any customer has questions about the candle. Of course, Ive gotten lots of fundraisers, enrollees and customers from this label. Many people who buy from that fundraising group love the candle so much they contact me to do a fundraiser for their group.
Here is the amazing result of Bobby bugging a big guy to do candles. I've averaged ONE fundraiser every 10 days for two years now. Imagine having a side business that is practically on auto pilot and you will realize how powerful this can be. All it takes is a little "energy" to get out there in the early stages and being consistent in talking to those organizations that can make this kind of business happen. It doesn’t hurt that I can offer them the most powerful candle in history and one of the most money making products in fundraising history!
-Dave Lewis
