Sharon Lin
Raffle sales have seen an increase in recent years. I have personally run several successful campaigns using profits and revenue generated from raffle sales for gift baskets, and it is evident that the most lucrative ways to generate donations is through word-of-mouth. By providing gifts that are seemingly worthwhile (such as large gifts as oppose to gift cards, or in reverse, large denomination gift cards as opposed to an assortment of cheap gifts, it is easy to get more people interested in winning a lot for a little.
By selling tickets in bulk for larger sums of money (such as offering discounts if someone buys 20 tickets, or offering cheaper prices for buying greater quantities of tickets), more customers and participants will be enticed into entering the raffle. It is also possible to grab people's attention by offering small contests for raffle tickets, such as preliminary draws for small prizes or having contests to earn raffle tickets as prizes. This will push people into the pool, allowing them to fantasize about winning the prize and subsequently buying more tickets in order to ensure that their fantasies are realized.
Another issue that arises when dealing with raffle sales is ways to motivate volunteers to sell more tickets. This may seem difficult, especially for volunteers who do not know much about the sale of raffle tickets – however, this is easily amended if volunteers interact with their customers. By describing how few tickets have been purchased (if this is indeed true), volunteers can grab the attention of smart customers who may realize that buying even a single raffle ticket, let alone rolls, will massively increase their chances of winning the prize. On the other hand, buy spreading word that tickets are on sale (if, again, this is true), volunteers can grab customers who are interested in making the most of their dollars.
Winning raffle prizes is similar to winning a gamble, but it certainly doesn't have to seem that way to the customer. By cleverly spinning the chances of the raffle, it is possible to ever so slightly influence even future customers into believing that their chances to win are high. Of course, it may be the case that their chances are high in comparison to everyone else's chances, and this in turn may encourage them to purchase more tickets, thus donating more money to your cause. However, it may be worthwhile to mention either way that it is often the person who buys the most tickets who wins the prize – and if the prize is expensive enough, then they may still be getting a good deal for their money even after spending so much on tickets!
Whatever method is used, asking a large number of people to purchase chances to win a single (or multiple) prizes is a sure way to generate a profit for a fundraiser or sale. It is easy to set up, easy to explain, and easy to generate revenue – plus, it is fun for everyone involved, which is a massive benefit to volunteers selling tickets and buyers purchasing tickets. By using strategies to increase the sales, however, an even greater number of participants can be reached, thus increasing the influence of the raffle and increasing the possibilities of winners.