Promotional products can prove extremely useful for community and charity organisations in their efforts to build awareness and support for their cause. With declining funding by federal, state, and local governments and ever-increasing competition, fundraising has become an essential component in ensuring the long-term viability of such organisations.
Different strategies are available to those wanting to incorporate branded collateral into their fundraising and advertising campaigns. Most often products are produced for resale at events or as gifts for those who sign up to attend an event or join a team of some kind. Other organisations have products available for ongoing purchase either onsite or though their website. Branded products can also be given away as an enticement to draw support from a particular section of the community or simply to raise awareness.
Understanding the strategy, or strategies, that are going to best suit the organisation is the most important part of the process. Where, when, and how will the products be distributed?
One also needs to clarify the target audience. Narrowing variables here is very helpful for product selection and will lead to a more favourable outcome in terms of fundraising potential. What appeals strongly to a young demographic, for example, is less likely to work with a more mature audience and vice versa. There are products available to suit specific markets, others appeal to a broader demographic. Some are great day to day items, like water bottles and pens, while others could be considered more desirable lifestyle gifts designed to be utilised long term.
Most people understand the need for fundraising activities to occur to keep community organisations, such as sports clubs, schools, charities and not for profit organisations viable. Campaigns that are appropriately targeted and well thought out have the potential to generate good will and bring communities and like-minded individuals together and create real drive behind a particular movement. Working with a professional promotional products supplier to assist with appropriate product selection, clarify your target audience and balance economies of scale will maximise the effectiveness of your campaign whilst minimising cost.
As mentioned in earlier “Quick Reads”, promotional products are as an investment in your business and brand. For community and charity organisations they are perhaps even more integral in that they are a key aspect of their everyday operations and how they raise awareness and revenue for a worthy cause.
What role can promotional products make in the process of fundraising?
“The SCOODA Quick Read” is a weekly educational series created on “all things promo”