Product Giveaways at Fundraising Events
Jig-A-Loo Giveaway
Our Team in Training cycle team held a yard sale a couple of weeks ago to help raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Each team member has pledged to raise a minimum of $2,100 in conjunction with training for their century ride. We so much money to raise, we are always looking for creative fundraising methods.
My husband is coaching, and I am mentoring the cycle team, so our fundraising requirements weren’t as high this season as they have been in previous years. Coaches aren’t required to participate in the fundraising, and mentors receive a fundraising discount, in exchange for helping to train the team. Part of the mentor’s job is to help their fellow team mates with their fundraising goals.
With this in mind, we decided to host a yard sale at our house, to help 4 of our cycle team members that were struggling with their fundraising goals. We live in a house that has a large, 6/10th of an acre yard and 2 driveways for plenty of parking. We donated the use of our house and yard so that the team, many of whom live in tiny apartments or condos, could hold the yard sale.
Members of the TNT Cycle Team
I had recently been contacted by a marketing rep for Jig-A-Loo to see if I would be interested in receiving samples of their product to review on my Bike Diva site. Jig-A-Loo is a slicone based lubricant, which is a bit similar to WD-40. The marketing rep also wanted to know if I would like to set up a product giveaway on Bike Diva. I mentioned to the marketing rep that I was getting ready to host a TNT yard sale at my house. So we decided to hold the giveaway along with the yard sale.
The marketing company sent me promotional banners, 3 Jig-A-Loo baseball caps, 3 Jig-A-Loo t-shirts, 24 sample cans of Jig-A-Loo and 12 full size cans of Jig-A-Loo. It was a win-win situation. I had free merchandise which I could either sell or use for raffle prizes, and Jig-A-Loo found some new customers.
I was recently contacted by Action Wipes. They make an improved version of a baby wipe, for use by adult athletes. In addition to all the athletic charity fundraising events I do, I have recently started to race in local cycling and running events. Action Wipes wanted to know if I was interested in having them sponsor me, so I said sure thing.
I mentioned to the owner of the company, that I am actively involved with the Team in Training program and am always looking for new fundraising ideas. I told them all about the recent yard sale and Jig-A-Loo giveaway. They are interested in setting up a similar promotional opportunity which will take place either late spring or early summer 2009. I will place a table, under my EZ-UP tent, so I can setup a table full of Action Wipe products. We will be working out the details in the coming months, but I expect to receive a bunch of their products which I can either sell, or raffle off at the fundraiser.
Jig-A-Loo and Friends
I have been lucky, in that many companies have been contacting me to see if am interested in receiving free product to review for my websites. But I would have no problem contacting the companies directly to ask for donations of their products to be used at my next fundraising event.
It is a win-win situation for the company. They receive free advertising and are associated with helping to raise funds for a non-profit charity organization. With enough lead time, you could write up some press releases and send them to local TV stations and newspapers. You never know when the local media is looking for a human interest story.
I will be contacting all the companies that are sponsoring me to solicit them for product donations. Many companies won’t donate money to individuals, but if you tell them you can help promote their product at a charity fundraising event, they shouldn’t hesitate to send you product samples.
I’d be interested to hear from anyone else that has received free promotional items from companies. Did you contact them, did they contact you? How did you use the donated items – were they raffled off, given away as door prizes, etc…?
Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva
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