Fundraising t shirts are a great way to raise both money and awareness for your cause. While there is plenty of opportunity out there, unfortunately, not every campaign is successful.
So how do you position yourself to be in the successful group?
Many custom apparel companies will try to sell you on:
• The importance of having the best design
• The importance of having a great cause
While these are important things to take into consideration, these factors alone are usually not the reason why you’re not raising funds.
Have you ever looked at other people’s campaigns and wonder how they’re successful while you continue to struggle? Oftentimes, it’s not because of the design of your custom event shirts or because they are more “popular” than you.
It’s because they, in addition to a lot of other factors, are aware of these 4 vital factors that you may be missing. Apply these tips to help boost your success (and bank account) to the next level.
Setting goals
One of the first things you should define are your goals. The trick is to be specific and set smaller, attainable goals based on a timeline. These smaller goals will all work towards helping you reach your ultimate goal.
Write your goals down
This step is often overlooked but is critical. Write your goals down. Don’t just say them or “keep them in your head.”
Read this article from Forbes about why you should be writing down your goals.
Picking products that sell
Determine your audience
You have to be cognizant of what’s “in style” with your target audience. You have to take into consideration demographics like:
• Age
• Gender
• Income
Once you have that solidified, do your research to find out what appeals directly to them.
Deliver what they want
The good thing about custom apparel is you’re not limited to using only generic tee shirts. There are several different garment types you can use.
If your audience is a fitness crowd, you may want to consider dri fit shirts. If your audience is mostly women, you may look at tank tops, yoga apparel, bags and more.
Be different. Give them something unique. Not only will they gladly pay more for these items, but they are more likely to wear it around in their daily lives. The more they wear it, the more you spread the word about your organization.
Marketing
Be proactive
You will have no problem reaching out to your current contact base, but what about beyond that? Successful fundraising campaigns do not solely rely on their current contact base to raise the money they need. Campaigns are successful because they work hard on marketing and getting the word out.
There are several ways to accomplish this, whether it be through online methods, social media or traditional means like press releases and advertising.
Point is, don’t fall into the trap of sitting back and waiting for the money to come pouring in. If life was only that simple. You’ll have to work to become successful. If you don’t know have the time or knowledge to market your campaign, find and recruit knowledgeable people who can help you.
Reach out to like-minded groups
Do groups and organizations who are similar or support your cause know about what you’re doing?
Not just locally in your area, but around the nation as well? With the ease of access of connecting with people, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be on social media promoting your event.
There are several ways to get the word out about your campaign:
• Find groups on Facebook
• Connect with groups on LinkedIn
• Look for meet up or other local events you can attend
We can help
Keep in mind, we are also available to help answer any questions and give suggestions to help you market your cause. While we are an apparel company, we do have a full marketing team here and we’re happy to help our clients become successful.
Margin – The forgotten factor
Not necessarily by you, but by the companies doing your custom printing. They treat everyone as a “business” client and charge them as such. That mentality could severely impact the amount of money you raise.
The entire reason you’re creating branded garments is to generate funds for your charitable organization or cause. Inquire if the printing company you’re working with supports their community and offers ‘true’ fundraising opportunities. Of course, they will undoubtedly claim to do these things, however, can they back it up? Can they provide references you can contact to verify their claims?
We are proud to be recognized for our community involvement and donations to organizations such as the Nevada PTA, CARE Coalition and more.
Raising money is an important aspect for many organizations and while fundraising t shirts are a great way to accomplish that, don’t fall prey to companies who try to sell you on “having a good design is all you need.”
