The National Bureau of Economic Research studied donation rates of nearly 100,000 people at American Red Cross sites across Ohio and found that the promise of a reward gift yielded up to 9.5% more donations.*

Promotional products can work wonders in helping to incentivize donors and make perfect thank-you gifts for volunteers. This sector offers a wealth of opportunities for promotional products distributors, but what’s the best way to reach these potential customers and how do you demonstrate the value of promo to them?

Here are a few strategies for reaching local nonprofits:

1. Try leave-behinds. Catalogs are a great leave-behind item to allow nonprofit organizations to browse product-based fundraising ideas at their leisure. Make sure they’re imprinted with your contact information and drop them off at the reception desks of your local hospitals or churches. It’s also a good idea to leave a self-promo item along with your catalog; using promo to sell promo is one of the most effective sales techniques in our industry!
2. Send an email blast. Using email marketing for targeted campaigns is extremely effective because you can curate your list to only include the decision-makers of nonprofit organizations. Then you can tailor your messaging to include product solutions for increasing nonprofit donations! ESP offers its users an email marketing tool so you can build incredible emails using pre-designed templates or completely from scratch!
3. Network on LinkedIn. This social platform is a great tool for reaching executives in specific markets. Once you identify an upper-level professional in the nonprofit sector you want to target, send a quick message offering help for their next event or fundraiser. But don’t blast a curated message to all of your leads! Be sure your message is authentic and personal.
4. Create educational content. Building white papers or infographics that demonstrate the power of promotional products in the nonprofit sector is an effective way to increase your sales. You can then share your content across all of your social media pages or send it to specific nonprofit leads.

Once you’re able to break into the nonprofit market, it can provide you with ample and consistent business for years to come. Month-long observances, annual fundraisers, social media initiatives, disaster giving and other avenues provide countless opportunities for you to pitch giveaways and gift products to this sector.

What are some creative ways you’ve helped nonprofit organizations? 

 

 

*Source: “What Promotional Products Can Do for Your Non-Profit or Charity.” Mertes, Alyssa. September 23, 2021. Qualitylogoproducts.com.