Last Week at Hasseman Marketing
Grow Your Fundraising Efforts Through Promo
There is a large group of people hovering anxiously around a painted line in the road. There is an electric energy in the air as they look at their watches. Some of the participants are stretching and kicking their legs in order to get ready. There is a shout from the front of the group, “Runners! On your mark! Get Set!” Then a shot rings out and the group of runners dash away in a group of controlled chaos away from the start line.
There are fast runners, slow runners, walkers, and weekend warriors. All of them have come to challenge themselves at this latest 5k. And all of them will be raising money for a cause. There are thousands of ways that organizations raise money to increase funds and awareness. Local 5K races are popping up everywhere. Why? Mainly because they are (relatively) easy to plan and there is potential for funds for the organization. (It doesn’t hurt that the organization can promote healthy living AND increase awareness as well!). And there is one thing that all of these 5K’s have in common.
It’s all about the SWAG!
Usually, it’s the race t-shirt that runners covet. But it could be the race bag, race medal, or all of the above! Runners want to challenge themselves to see how fast they can run. And they want to do it in a group for socialization and recognition. But don’t kid yourself. They want the race shirt. The lesson here is that (when done right) promotional products can have a BIG impact on your organization’s next fundraiser. The concepts on how promotional products can affect a fundraiser are similar to how they can affect behavior for a business. But just to get your creative juices flowing, let’s discuss a few here.
Increasing Donations
One way I have seen non-profits successfully use promotional gifts to help in fundraisers is to incentivize higher giving. The organization will create “gift levels” that inspire donors to give a little bit more to get the nicer gift. Obviously, if you are going to employ this tactic, you need to have promotional incentives that move the meter! The key is to focus on things that have really high perceived value, without breaking the bank! But you can see this technique successfully used by everyone from Big Brothers/Big Sisters at Bowl For Kid’s Sake to your Public Radio and TV.
When creating a program like this, value is very important, but so is exclusivity. If you can create a promotional gift that is a “one of a kind” then you have a great chance at really affecting behavior! If you want donors to really step up their donation, then you better step up your game. Think outside of the box here! What about a custom “lettermen’s jacket” that is done in the organizational colors? What about a custom guitar? Think of an “award” type promo that can be considered a collectors gift, but can also promote your organization for years to come.
The lesson is, if you want a big result then make sure you are thinking big with your items!
Increasing Participants
At the end of the day, you want as many people involved with your fundraiser as possible. One of the best ways to increase your membership is to offer an incentive to “sign up.” As an example, my team and I are helped a local mud run to increase racers and ultimately, increase donations to our local park. The race itself has been going on for years and was well-respected for the course and the obstacles. Now we just need to increase the number of racers! So the first thing we did was to improve the quality of the race day t-shirt. Many 5K races (and other local races) default to a basic cotton t-shirt for their race day giveaway. And for certain races, that is fine. The problem is, most serious runners don’t wear a basic cotton t-shirt when they are running. They want a nicer “performance” t-shirt. So by improving the basic t-shirt element, you not only increase the likelihood they will wear the shirt later (and promote your event) but the shirt also becomes a reason to do your race, rather than another.
As a runner, I know this is a part of the discussion when choosing a race. The other thing we wanted to do was incentivize early sign-up. Having racers signed up earlier has several advantages. You can better plan for everything from water stations to parking to even that t-shirt order. In addition, you get money in earlier to fund your promotional efforts. So one year we gave away a basic drawstring backpack for the first 250 racers that signed up. That quickly increased early sign-ups and helped us promote the event overall!
Promotion of the Cause
Of course, the long-term effect of these promotions is you also get to promote your organization or cause! At the end of the day, the reason you are raising money in the first place is so you can make an impact! By promoting your organization (long term) you not only increase your reach, but you also make fundraising in the future easier and easier. Why? Because donors are more likely to give if they know and understand the mission and impact of your organization.
So whether you are planning a local 5k to raise $1000 or a huge capital campaign with the intent of raising $1 million, make sure you consider the impact of including promotional gifts in the mix.
If you want to create the perfect race, sign up below here our free guide for planning your next 5k.
6 Branded Products Beer Drinkers Will Love!
Let’s talk BEER! As Ben Franklin once said “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” I agree! And if you want to market your company or organization, you might want to consider this demographic. Especially with the rapid growth of Craft Beer Drinkers in the United States, reaching beer drinkers is a great marketing goal!
So let’s take a look at some great promotional items that are sure to reach the beer drinkers heart.
SiliPint: What is the SiliPint? It is the world’s first Silicone pint glass…and it can’t be broken! You can dishwash it, drop it, freeze it, bake or even hit it with a golf club! You can’t break it! And as a good friend of me once said “Drunk people drop sh#&$%!” 🙂 If you want your message to be kept for a long time…the SiliPint might be a cool idea!
Offero Beer Glass: For the true Craft Beer drinker, this is a cool gift. (You may have seen this mentioned before on the Coffee Drinker blog too). The idea is the back of the cup is higher than the front so your nose is totally inside the cup. This enhances the smell and the taste of the beer. You might want to give this a whiff!
Classic Paddle Bottle Opener: If you get a nice 6 pack of beer, you will need an opener. And if you are like me, yours tend to walk off sometimes. So it’s great to get a nice one! This is a really great opener with a huge imprint area and plenty of color. I really like this one…and have it in my kitchen. Check it out here.
Govinno 16 oz Beer Glass: The award-winning Govino beer “glass” is actually not glass at all. It is made from a food-safe, BPA-free polymer, which reflects a beer’s color and projects its aromatics much like crystal. It’s ideal for lagers, ales and weissbiers too. So again…no breaking of your Beer Glass!
12 Can Duffel Cooler: In case you want to take a few cold ones to the beach or the lake or the game, this 12 Can Duffel Cooler can be perfect. It’s a great size because it’s easy to carry (not too big) but can hold several beverages (not too small). I use this cooler bag all the time!
64 oz Growler: If you know a Craft Beer Drinker, then you know someone that wants a Growler! The Growler is the perfect vessel to transport a beer from a microbrewery to home. Great to try new beers…and great to get beers you love when you go back. Check this one out here. Now these are just a few! Let me know if there are other products that I forgot! Cheers! Want more great content like this? Sign up for our VIP list! Get access to our weekly content and special deals…by simply going here! Sign up today!
Last Week at Hasseman Marketing
Add Proven ZIP To Your Direct Mail
Gary Vaynerchuk said “Marketers ruin everything!” Keep in mind that Vaynerchuk is a marketing guy. But he points out that as soon as marketers find something that works, they (we) tend to use it to death until it becomes a nuisance.
Consider email. We used to get excited each and every time we got an email. We read every single one! Now we can’t wait to hit the “delete” button so we can get rid of the nuisances.
The same can be true for many forms of Direct Mail. Direct mail is historically a great marketing tool for small businesses. It still can be. The problem is, this is a case where some marketers have ruined it for the rest of us. We know this as consumers. Where do you open your mail? Many of us answer that question, “Over the trash can.” We are standing there (mentally) hitting the delete button on marketers. Tell the truth, you are probably almost stunned these days when you get a real, sincere piece of mail!
So what can you and your company do? You can stand out…that’s what.
One way you can stand out is to get noticed before you hit the “circular file.” To do this, some marketers will create direct mail that looks like a real card. Some will even go to the lengths of having someone hand write out the envelope. This is a good news/bad news proposition. The good news is, handwritten envelopes DO tend to get opened. And if you have a small group you need to send a message to, this is a great way to make sure they see it. The bad news with this tactic is if your customer opens mail thinking they are getting a personal piece of mail, and it’s just an ad, it can backfire. You seem disingenuous, and the customer will likely (sometimes subconsciously) resent you and your company for it.
Another obvious way to get your message seen before it hits the trash pile is to scrap the envelope. You can send a colorful postcard or a flyer without putting it in an envelope. I actually like this tactic for some campaigns. But this idea too, has shortcomings. First, you are usually limited to what you can include on the space you have to imprint (especially with a postcard) AND you are never quite sure what condition your marketing pieces is going to arrive in! Again, sometimes this is fine. But sometimes these limitations are just too annoying.
One of the best ways to ensure a successful direct mail campaign is to incorporate promotional products WITH your direct mail. The results of this math equation should really get your attention. Direct Mail + Promo = Marketing Gold! But why does this combination work so well? Let’s get to it.
Getting It Open
First and foremost, using a promotional product can help you create what I call “bumpy mail!” Bumpy mail (or dimensional mailers) are packages that are odd shaped or bumpy. This unique shape calls to the customer or prospect “open me!” Curiosity will help you “kill the cat” because your potential client will want to know what is in the package.
But don’t just take my word for it! Let’s take a look at a study done in 1993. This study, done by Baylor University, sent packages to 3000 school administrators. They were divided into three groups. The first group received an envelope with a sales letter, sales collateral and postage-paid business reply card The second group received an envelope with similar contents plus a promotional product. The third group received all of the contents listed above, delivered in a box with a die cut slot, instead of an envelope. The results (as you might expect) were impressive.
Those who received a promotional product in a dimensional package responded at a rate that was 57% higher than those who received the same promotional product in an envelope!• Response rates for the dimensional package recipients were 75% higher than for the group who received only a sales letter! In case you were skimming, you might want to read that last line again. Response rates for the dimensional package recipients were 75% higher! Wow!
Now I can hear those “Yeah-But” folks now. “Yeah but the cost of shipping is going to be higher for that piece.” Of course it will be! But how much is a 75% increase in response rates worth to you? Remember a key word here. This is not a 75% increase in OPEN rates. This is RESPONSE rates! If you can’t increase your sales (and overcome in the increase in shipping) with that kind of response rate, you need to seriously reconsider your sales offer!
The Lasting Impact
Here’s the thing…if I ended the post with the above information it would be enough. But the best part about adding a promotional product to your direct mail is I get to say “But that’s not all folks!” I have always wanted to say that! The fact is, when you add Promo to your Direct Mail, you get all of the other benefits of promotional products AFTER your customer opens the offer!
- Remember the Rule of Reciprocity: Customers feel good about you and your company when they receive something from you. By adding something of value to the direct mail offer, you create a sense of value. This creates a better opportunity to sell to this client long term.
- Totally Targeted: This promotional piece is still super targeted. You have reached directly into this prospects home or office…and are communicating to them there.
- Lasting Impression: You have now created a long term advertising message (if you chose the product correctly) long after the postcard, letter or flyer has been thrown away.
Find Your Watermelon
Years ago I was in a sales training seminar with a Promotional Products Industry expert, Cliff Quicksell Jr. He told a story about a young industry professional that needed to get a message to only 6 people. She needed to get it to them…and she needed to make sure they did NOT throw the letter away by mistake. This young pro, as Cliff tells it, took a Sharpie and wrote the message on six watermelons…and sent them! “She had a tough time with the post office,” Cliff said. “But she finally got them to take them. So I ask you. You come in Monday morning and there is a watermelon on your desk. Do you read it?”
I love that story! The message is clear. Find your watermelon! While you may not have to send giant fruit (though that would be awesome), you better stand out. Promotional products can help you do that in a cost effective, results-based way!
This post is an excerpt from the book Delivering Marketing Joy. You can purchase that here on Amazon.