Alexandra Farnsworth
A raffle fundraiser is a wonderful way to raise money for non-profit organizations. It is a fundraiser that is low in cost but requires man power to sell raffle tickets and find items to include in the raffle. Unlike silent auctions, numerous and numerous raffle tickets can be sold allowing for no limit on profit earnings.
A few ways to maximize sales of raffle tickets is don’t limit sales to just members of the organization, branch out to neighbors, local schools, businesses and community members. Make sure to sell the raffle tickets at a reasonable price but where a profit can still be made. Yes selling a raffle ticket for $10 each would be amazing but if you only sell 20, there is not much profit to be made. Whereas if you sell the tickets for $2-3 or even $5, more people are inclined to buy and some more willing to buy more than 1. Who doesn’t love free stuff? Offering a special like buy 10 raffle tickets, get 5 free is a great way to encourage people to buy more. Therefore increasing your potential for sales. When setting up for the raffle, I would use non-translucent boxes. This keeps the mystery of how many people have put in tickets and what the odds of winning would be. You want the buyer to think they have the best odds to win the prize.
When selecting and coordinating gifts, it is important to consider both genders, all age groups, marital status and hobbies. Also shop smart and try to get as many items as you can donated. I suggest maybe a movie night themed basket with popcorn, candy and the classic movie items. A spa basket is always a hit and popular item. Don’t forget the men, anything sports or manly always works. For the men, depending on your demographics maybe some fun hunting, fishing or outdoor items. If your organization allows it, maybe a beer and nut combo. Doing anything with fun bakeware or cookbooks is a gender and marital status natural. For couples maybe offer a ‘night out’ combo of dinner somewhere with a bottle of wine from a local winery. Don’t forget the kids. Consider what is popular in the media today, are Minions, Star Wars or Frozen still popular? Maybe include some items related to those movies for the younger population. Kids are a great driving force for parents to bid on something. You can do a trip down memory lane with fun old school candies and treats with old style soda bottles. Finding things to raffle can be fun and creative, options and ideas are endless.
Volunteers are essential in increasing sales of tickets. Turning the sales of tickets into a competition can drive the volunteers to sell more. Offer a prize to the first and second place individuals who sell the most. By offering a second place prize, people think their odds of winning something have increased. When trying to select prizes to offer, once again see what you can get donated to save money. Local businesses are usually willing to help organizations raise money by donating gift cards or goods. If a competition isn’t your style, a reward can be offered when monetary goal is met. Perhaps a pizza and ice cream party or something else that interest your organization.
Raffle fundraising is a great option to raise funds if the man power is there to support it. There is the potential to raise significant amount of money for the organization if the raffle is done right.