Fundraising Merchant Plan
| Summary: How to use a fundraising merchant plan to
increase your profits. Use a win-win approach to maximize your fundraising
success and increase fundraiser donations, get more silent auction items,
door prizes, and participant rewards for your fundraisers. |
What is a fundraising merchant plan? A merchant plan is a step-by-step outline covering the development of a mutually beneficial relationship with
area merchants.
Local businesses are an excellent fundraising resource.
They should be part of every non-profit group?s fundraising strategy.
When asking local merchants to get involved with supporting
your organization, think like a business owner.
Make sure it?s a win-win situation!
Getting started with your merchant plan
Build your relationship gradually
Nobody wants to be "used." Whatever you do, try to give the
merchant something of concrete value in return for their
assistance.
Don't ask them for anything (yet)
Offer to help promote their business at no cost to them. How
do you do that? By partnering with them in ways that will
increase their customer traffic, while at the same time
providing benefits to your supporters.
Check them out
Find out what ads they are paying to run. Incorporate those
same promotions into a free giveaway flyer that's handed to
everyone who's a participant, supporter, buyer, and even a
prospect of your fundraiser.
Help them out
Give the flyer away to your supporters as a way of saying
thanks. The merchant gets a free ad campaign. Your group
gets to make a positive impression on everyone they contact
by giving something of value.
Broaden your horizons
Approach all merchants within a five-mile radius. Have a
sample contact script written out. Make sure your script
clearly communicates what your organization's goals are and
what's in it for the merchants.
Key points for a merchant contact script:
Tell them what you're all about
- Introduce yourself
- Name your organization immediately
- Allay suspicions - "I'm not here to ask you for anything"
- Describe your approach of helping first
Tell the merchant what's in it for them
- More traffic to their business
- Increased positive visibility in the community
- Flyers are only hand delivered so viewing is assured
Tell the merchant they are in control
- Merchant composes offer, not you
- Merchant sets expiration date
- Merchant gets free advertising to prime customers
What's in it for you?
What results can your organization expect?
First, you've gained
the support of several local businesses.
These merchants willbe impressed when they see the same
promotional offerings they've paid others to distribute coming
back from your hand-delivered support.
Don't think a merchant won't recognize a positive ad campaign
result when they see it. And, it's free to boot!
Second, you've created a very positive impression by giving a
flyer to everyone your group touches.
"This group cares enough to give me this set of coupons even
though I didn't buy anything. They value my time. This group has
the support of the community merchants. They are a quality group."
Third, the flyer results in repeated exposure of your group's
name and contact information.
Every person looking at the flyer receives what advertisers call an
"eyeball impression" of not only the merchant offers, but their
sponsor.
Make sure your group's name and information is prominently
displayed across the top of the flyer.
Lastly, the merchants are well on their way to becoming your
supporters.
Next time around, your group can ask for extra discounts for your
supporters that are "exclusive" special offers.
You can also ask in the future for other forms of
support and partnership.
And that's how you get your fundraising Merchant Plan started!
Related Pages
101 Fund Raising Tips - Boost results with
organization, the right incentives, and preparation.
Merchant Plan - How to put
together a successful merchant plan for long-term success.
Publicity Tips - Simple methods to get
your fundraisers well publicized - Publicity is the key to successful events.
Common Mistakes - Simple mistakes many
nonprofit groups make and how to avoid them.
Maximize Your Results - Ten quick
tips on improving your results - Easy profit boosters.
Follow-up - Describes the importance
of follow-up and its impact on your future fund raising success.
12 Sales Secrets - How to boost your
fund raising sales results with twelve sales secrets.
Fundraising Fundamentals - How to
increase community awareness of both your need and your offering.
What's In It For Me - To succeed,
everyone needs to know "What's in it for me?"
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