How to Fundraise With a Purse Party

Fundraising with a purse party is a fun way to gather the girls together to benefit a cause, be it for a church, a school program or a club organization. Just like the purses for purchase, a purse party can be as formal or as informal as you want—whatever matches your occasion.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Purse sales representative
• Purses
• Prizes or gifts

1. Contact a direct sales representative from a company that specializes in selling purses such as Bella Handbags, Chic Pursenality, Purse Party and PursePartyPackage.com (see links below). Ask if they offer fundraising programs, the percentage of sales they'll donate and whether they'll donate a percentage of sales resulting from parties booked at your fundraising party.

2. Determine if you want your party to be an intimate gathering of friends, co-workers and family or part of a larger, more public affair. Consider selling tickets as part of your fundraising efforts if you open the party to the public. Advertise and "hype it up" to ensure good attendance.

3. Make the purses part of the party's entertainment to boost sales. For instance, host an auction or present the purses in a fashion show line-up.

4. Offer incentives to people who spend a certain amount of money. Give them a free gift, a discount or even a prize for being the "biggest spender."

Tips & Warnings

• Just as there are an endless number of purses to match every woman's tastes and budgets, so are there a variety of selections offered by purse party representatives. Make sure to evaluate their wares to know that they'll match the personalities of the people you're inviting and will appeal to your guests' tastes. Disinterested guests won't buy, and that won't help your fundraising efforts.
• Crown a "Queen of Purse-onality" at the end of the night for whoever either spent the most money or bought the most purses.
• Beware of companies selling designer knock-offs. Some high-end designers are trying to crack down on the sale of counterfeit couture, which cuts into their profits and cheapens their product. They have no qualms about calling the cops if they learn of a purse party where such bags are being sold.