September has finally arrived, and it has brought more than falling leaves and colder temperatures. It’s also brought a new “Dealership Spotlight” feature! For this month’s spotlight, we’re featuring a dealership that has devoted itself to making fundraising easy and FUN for everyone it partners with. Uplifting Promotions has been part of the Butter Braid® Fundraising family since 2005. For 17 years, the team at Uplifting Promotions has been committed to offering superior customer service and simple fundraising programs to help group leaders, teachers, and volunteers in their efforts to reach their fundraising goals.
History
Julie Lyon’s desire to run her own business started with her parents. Both her mom and dad have run their own businesses ever since she was a little girl. She was incredibly inspired by them and carried that with her into adulthood. Though Julie was born and raised in Arizona, she did move away for a time and spent 7 years in Colorado where both of her kids were born. While there, she met Keith Wagner and Al Hooyman, the owners of Integrity Fundraising. The families spent a lot of time together, and they got to watch Integrity’s business continue to grow every year.
See, Julie always wanted to have her own business, but it couldn’t just be any business. So, when Keith and Al told her about Butter Braid Pastries, its fundraising programs, and its unique mission to “Share the Good”, Julie knew this was an opportunity she didn’t want to pass up. A fundraising dealership sounded like the perfect fit for her family. In 2005, Uplifting Promotions opened in Julie’s hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.
Changes to the Dealership
Over 17 years, Julie has updated many areas of the dealership to streamline processes and make her fundraising programs as simple and seamless as possible. There is now an easy-to-navigate, mobile-friendly website, automated reminder and response emails for customers, and improved information for group leaders. Uplifting Promotions has also added an online store for their groups to use. This new option allows sellers to promote their own, personal online store link via email, text, or social media. Supporters can order and pay online using a credit card or mobile wallet.
In 2020, Uplifting Promotions moved into its first commercial space after 15 years of being run from a home office. The dealership recently added its third freezer trailer and is excited to use it in fundraisers this fall. Uplifting Promotions also added a new product line to their offerings this last spring, and the team is excited about the positive feedback from group leaders, sellers, and supporters!
Julie has no idea how many hours she works – time flies by when you are helping groups raise dough! She is currently training a new Customer Service Specialist to help in the office. Uplifting Promotions also has 3 seasonal delivery drivers, but the business could always use more. If you know anyone in the area looking for extra work in October-December and February-April, give her a call!
Fundraising Groups
Uplifting Promotions has always strived to make its fundraising programs as successful and easy as possible for group leaders. Julie loves being able to help groups reach their fundraising goals. With the help of Uplifting Promotions, groups have been able to raise funds for so many wonderful causes. Underprivileged students have gotten to go on international trips, teachers have been able to order much-needed supplies, scholarship funds have been replenished, and the list goes on. Since 2005, Uplifting Promotions has sold almost 1.5 million items through their fundraisers.
Group leaders really appreciate Uplifting Promotions’ devotion to their causes and its efforts to make fundraising a hassle-free process. One baseball team mom wrote, “Thank you so much for a successful fundraiser. My oldest son is 20, so I have been doing school fundraisers for a very long time. This was the most well-organized, easiest fundraiser I have ever done. The pastries are so easy to sell, and you have this process so fine tuned that it made my job almost foolproof. Your employees were very efficient and pleasant as well. I will definitely be suggesting our school partners with you in the future for upcoming fundraisers.”
Uplifting Promotion’s Mission
Julie is very passionate about the mission behind Uplifting Promotions. When asked about it, she said, “Providing the best customer service to my groups is so important to me. These group leaders are mainly volunteers and teachers. They have their own jobs, families, friends, etc. to juggle, so making fundraisers easy for them is always my #1 goal. I do everything I can to cushion them from impacts like the product shortages, pricing increases, and operational costs that we’ve been navigating the last 2 years.”
We have been blessed to have Uplifting Promotions as part of the Butter Braid Fundraising team for the last 17 years. The team at Uplifting Promotions is incredibly passionate about the work they do, and they’re looking forward to continuing to help the groups in their community for many more years to come. If you’re in Arizona and looking for a “WOW” fundraising experience, call Uplifting Promotions or reach out on the company’s website. They will set you up with an easy fundraising program that your group members and supporters will ask for again and again.
Connect with Uplifting Promotions Today!
Website: https://upliftingpromotions.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raisesomedough/
