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Your non-profit organization has come up with an idea for a fundraiser. The leadership team has determined the goals of the event, established a budget, and picked out the venue. What comes next is the challenging part… Figuring out the most effective marketing strategies for your fundraising event. Getting the word out to your supporters is crucial if you want a packed house on the day of the fundraiser. You need to have a promotional plan that includes both digital and physical marketing strategies. We are going to specifically focus on what it takes to achieve the best fundraising event merchandise.
Benefits of Selling Merchandise
Set your non-profit organization apart from the rest with expert marketing strategies for fundraising events. There are many other groups like your own, but you need to convince the public that yours is worth their time, money, and dedication. Above all else, there should be a trustworthy story behind your organization that captures people’s hearts and minds. Everything that you create should be tied to this story, including your merchandise. Here are a few reasons why you should make event-specific merchandise.
Merchandise promotes brand awareness.
There is more to branded merchandise than throwing your fonts and colors onto a product. However, those fonts and colors do play a big role in terms of recognition. You need people to have this sense of recognition in order for them to support you. People don’t donate their time or money to places that they aren’t highly familiar with. Luckily, merchandise is a fantastic way to build brand awareness and develop a positive brand association. When people see this merchandise, they should quickly recall the impact of your non-profit. Essentially, by offering special edition merchandise at your fundraiser, you succeed at casting a light on the kind of organization that you run.
You can solidify partnerships with merchandise.
Perhaps you are not executing your marketing strategies for fundraising events on your own. You may have a massive donor who is supporting you through your efforts. If you have established a true partnership with this donor, it can be a fun idea to include them in your special edition merchandise. After all, they are making your fundraiser possible. Through this collaboration, you are able to build excitement around the event and expand your reach to the supporters of that donor. Having increased exposure to what is potentially a brand-new audience means obtaining even more donations for your cause.
Merchandise sales diversify your donor contributions.
It is likely the case that you have seen commercials on TV or online advertisements that ask for donations. These have a storytelling element to them, along with a clear call to action. You might have even created your own public announcements. One thing that often carries through these messages is that, by contributing to the cause, supporters are able to receive some kind of gift. This may be a piece of apparel, such as a t-shirt. This gift acts as an immediate, tangible thank-you. Once again, collaborative campaigns pave the way to your organization’s increased success. So, encourage your loyal supporters to spread the word about your fundraiser and the available special edition merchandise.
What to Consider When Creating Merchandise
It can feel stressful to determine what will make your marketing campaign the most successful. This is especially true if it is your first time creating merchandise for your organization. Just like with any marketing strategy for fundraising events, you need to first learn about your audience. Analyze how they typically interact with your non-profit. You can even directly ask them what kind of products they hope to see from you. As you are brainstorming how to produce memorable merchandise with your board members, consider these ten questions.
- Are there any particular products that will stand out?
- Should your merchandise be limited edition?
- What number of products should you order?
- How much will you sell the products for?
- Where can you best promote your merchandise?
- Are there eco-friendly options?
- Who needs to help with the design of your merchandise?
- When will recipients get these products?
- Are you offering merchandise at your fundraising event?
- What have your competitors already done?
Say “Thank You” with 3D Pop Up Cards
It does not matter how big a contribution is. You need to give thanks to your donors. They believe in your vision enough to give to the cause, which makes their loyalty critical to maintaining your efforts. Construct a thank-you policy that not only includes donors, but also the staff and volunteers who keep things moving along as smoothly as possible. You can share your appreciation in the form of a beautiful, meaningful pop up card. Gain some inspiration for your 3D cards with these design options.
Make your logo into a pop up.
What better way to show off your branding on a card than by highlighting your logo? Your logo should be something that all of your supporters can easily recognize. Make it central to your marketing strategies for fundraising events. The goal of a logo is to pique the interest of the public and differentiate your organization from others. The Pink Polar Bear Foundation is an international group with a very distinct logo. This organization focuses on polar research, with the mission to protect humans, animals, and vegetation in Greenland. They sent a 3D holiday card to their supporters that displayed their namesake—a 3D pink polar bear. Made up of geometric shapes and bright shades of pink, this bear is stylized unlike any other.
Show off a significant site.
As a non-profit organization, there may be a certain spot in the world that means something especially important to your cause. In fact, this location may be the entire reason why you are investing in marketing strategies for fundraising events. Your fundraiser could be centered around giving back to a particular community. Consider highlighting this site in a 3D pop up card. An example of a group that did this is Caring for Cambodia. This non-profit aims to educate today’s generation of Cambodian children to make a difference for tomorrow. Angkor Wat is a Buddhist temple located in Cambodia that is UNESCO-protected. The organization partnered with Awesome 3D Cards to design a stunning, golden representation of the heritage site.
Illustrate what it is that you do.
Non-profit organizations across the world serve their communities every day with the help of donors and volunteers. Some even serve those across borders. The Whole Planet Foundation, in particular, aims to alleviate poverty across the globe. It was established by Whole Foods Market, and was designed around a network of pro-poor microfinance institutions. In the foundation’s 3D pop up card, their team came up with a design of a Vietnamese market stall. A woman in traditional Vietnamese clothing is seen waving with a colorful fruit stand behind her. This 3D model emphasizes being able to develop a world of success for entrepreneurs of all kinds. When you develop your marketing strategies for fundraising events, be clear about what your goals are for the future.
Make your supporters feel valued, appreciated, and special with the dynamic micro-experiences offered by Awesome 3D Cards. Our product is so much more than just a card. It is a way to genuinely and positively connect with those who mean the most to your non-profit organization. If you are searching for effective marketing strategies for fundraising events, look no further. Our team wants to hear from you about your event! Schedule your consultation now for a fully-custom card design that you deliver before, during, or after your fundraiser.