The Benefits of Charity Merchandise for Fundraising Teams

Fundraising teams are tasked with the role of raising money for charities and non-profit organisations by encouraging donations from the public and corporations through hosting events, selling goods and door-to-door collections.

It can be a challenge at the best of times but things can be made a lot easier by investing in promotional merchandise to aid in these fundraising attempts whilst raising awareness of the cause. 

When you consider the benefits of charity merchandise, being used as a way of increasing the visibility of a particular cause is probably the most prominent one. 

For many years, promotional items have been used by charities and non-profit organisations as a method of marketing. The most popular example of this would be printed silicone wristbands and promotional plastic pens.

Fundraising printed products raise awareness

It has been such an effective promotional tool for certain causes that many people can instantly make the connection between a branded wristband and the charity that it is associated with simply by its colour alone. 

By raising the profile of a cause in this way and helping it get noticed by more people, there is an increased potential for donations and support. 

Custom branded merchandise for re-sale

Charity merchandise also provides fundraising teams with the opportunity to raise money through the resale of branded gifts at events or shops. 

Often the custom merchandise and promotional tote bags that are used to advertise a charity are first sold at a small price. This money is then collected and put towards the charity or non-profit.

It is an easy way to start amassing some funds and it enables you to make an instant return on your investment.

Plus, people feel far more inclined to purchase promotional goods when they know that the money is going towards a good cause.

Printed merchandise to reward your patrons

Similarly, promotional merchandise for charities can be used as an incentive for donations by offering branded gifts to those who make a pledge of some kind. Those who make larger contributions could receive a printed t-shirt or tote bag - something with a higher perceived value - whilst smaller donations can be acknowledged with a branded badge or keyring. 

This gifting offer acts as a small token of appreciation, an opportunity to raise more awareness for the cause and it’s a simple way to encourage people to donate some money.

Printed novelties to increase event engagement 

You can even take this idea a step further with a giveaway or raffle that involves people making a donation in order to enter. The winner, who is picked at random, could receive any number of promotional goodies as their prize.

This type of marketing method is very effective on social media and is a great way to build a following and create some hype around the organisation. 

The importance of branded merchandise at charity events

When organising a charity event, such as a walk or run, fundraising teams can experience the benefits of promotional merchandise by investing in custom-printed clothing.

Whether it is printed t-shirts with the event name printed on them or custom caps that display the charity logo, participants should have the option to purchase (or be gifted) this printed apparel and wear it as fundraiser uniform for the day. 

Not only will this boost morale at the event and help build a community spirit amongst everyone involved, but it provides the attendees with a piece of memorabilia that they can take home and continue to wear long after the event.

There can even be additional merchandise available to buy throughout the day, such as printed water bottles which are useful for when hosting an event that involves physical activities, or custom fridge magnets that display contact details for the charity. 

Better yet, a custom-printed gift bag filled with branded merchandise can be distributed at events or gifted to corporate ambassadors as a sign of your appreciation. 

You can also use this as a chance to slip in some further information about your charity in the form of a flyer or brochure making it one of the most impactful ways to get your message out there and encourage future donations. 

Printed apparel for charity fundraising events can help raise the profile of the cause

As a fundraising team, it is important to show unity and your support of the cause that you are raising money for, especially when at events or whilst conducting street fundraising activities. The easiest and most effective way to do this is through the use of printed apparel. 

Printed clothing for your charity event

Printed t-shirts are great for photo opportunities as you can take a picture of the team and share it on social media or the charity website. A single image of the fundraising team in t-shirts with the charity name or message printed on them can be a powerful marketing tool.

Custom-printed clothing also makes it easy for the public to identify all the members of the team, and the charity that they work for, which can sometimes encourage more people to approach them. This is especially true when it is a charity that they recognise or support.

As well as apparel, ID cards and printed lanyards also play an important role in helping to establish who makes up the fundraising team and they add an air of professionalism which helps build trust with the public. This is key when trying to persuade people to donate to your cause.

Not only can the printed apparel be worn by the team, but there is the chance for re-sale to patrons as a way to raise more money and the profile of the cause. 

When worn outside of the event, printed apparel acts as a walking billboard that promotes your charity to all those who see it. 

The longevity of such an item should also not be overlooked. When made to a high standard, most promotional clothing can last for years and it is often kept for as long as this as a souvenir.

In addition to printed apparel and clothing accessories, there are several other charity merchandise items that work well at fundraising events to help raise the profile of the cause. 

Printed products for volume handouts

Some of these include custom printed teddy bears, promotional keyrings, printed balloons and branded hand flags.

Which affordable merchandise items are best for volume giveaways for charity?

Volume is essential when trying to raise awareness for a cause as promotional items will need to be distributed extensively for them to make a substantial impact. This is why it is important to invest in merchandise items that are affordable when purchased at high volumes. 

Some brilliant examples of this include…

Promotional Trolley coin keyrings

For a keyring to earn a permanent place on a set of keys, it should serve a purpose for the user, and there is none better than a trolley coin. These keyrings are popular for supermarket shoppers who never have any change to hand and need an alternative method to release a shopping trolley for their trips to the grocery store. 

Custom Branded pens

The power of the promotional pen is undeniable as it is not only a practical product but it also gains a lot of impressions and can even end up being passed from person to person over the course of its life. 

Printed cotton shoppers

Promotional tote bags and printed jute shoppers are amongst the best and most cost-effective promotional products. They have a large print area so you have no limits when it comes to your artwork design, and they earn a lot impressions as an item that is carried from place to place on a daily basis.

Custom badges and stickers

Custom badges and printed stickers are somewhat of a collectors item so they are highly valued by those who appreciate such a branded gift. 

You can get very creative with your design when making this decorative product which can help to strengthen your branding and bring more attention to your cause.

Overcoming the challenges that charity face when raising awareness

Many paid advertising methods are saturated with messages, services and products which makes it easy for charities to get lost amongst all of the noise. It is also not as effective as a method of marketing for an industry built on relationships and values.

Promotional items have a more personal and engaging element to them which makes them very well-suited for charities. They provide the opportunity to create a lasting connection with the end user that has the intended impact on someone who is likely to support a charity. 

By forming a continued relationship, there is an increased potential for message retention which is key for a charity too.

It is also more cost-effective than other advertising options and this is an essential consideration for charities as they are often on a tight budget.

Promotional merchandise gives your cause a voice that can reach far and wide by being seen by people wherever that item goes, and this can be hard to achieve through digital marketing or traditional methods of advertising when you have a limited budget. 

Explore our range of promotional items and find a product that works for you and your charity or non-profit organisation and witness, firsthand, the benefits of merchandise marketing