In today’s digital world, the ways in which we support charities are rapidly changing. Popular methods to raise money typically include auctions, galas, donation pages, or online raffles. However, sometimes it’s beneficial to explore new ways to engage new donors and boost your fundraising efforts.

One effective strategy gaining traction is to drive donations using on-demand merchandise. This approach offers a new revenue stream, as the sale of merchandise supplements donation-based income. When someone wears or uses an item with your organization’s logo, they spread awareness and potentially attract new donors. It’s a form of social proof that can help you get more people involved in your cause.

In this blog post, we’ll dive into the power of on-demand merchandise and offer practical advice for your organization to reach its fundraising goal.

• Benefits of on-demand merch 
• How to create custom merch
• Make the most of your ecommerce storefont
• Leave a lasting impact on your donors

Offer Branded Merchandise to Supporters

t’s a simple concept (we promise) to boost online giving and raise more money. Consider this scenario—you’re at the store for milk, but end up leaving with milk and candy you snagged at checkout.

Take that same idea and apply it as a fundraising strategy. You can offer on-demand merchandise (the candy from our previous example) as part of the donation process. As they checkout on your donation page, you can suggest they add a merch item to their cart.

For example, let’s imagine you’re running an online auction. Any time someone hits that donate button, you can suggest they add a branded tote or t-shirt to their cart. Once they’ve made their donation and purchase, we drop-ship their items to the address they’ve provided. The purchase of these custom items boosts the funds raised during your campaign. They also go on to help spread awareness long after the event ends.

Add On-Demand Merchandise to Your Site

Even when you’re not running a fundraising campaign, you can offer branded merch through an ecommerce storefront. Eventgroove offers a solution for branding your merchandise through an ecommerce storefront.

With us, you can create a fully customized storefront that reflects your organization’s identity and values. This includes incorporating your logo and messaging to ensure brand consistency across all merchandise. You can select the items you want to sell and then personalize them to your brand.

Make the most of your nonprofit organization’s storefront

• Share the link to your ecommerce storefront online and within your social media platforms. Encourage people to share pictures of themselves wearing or using their merch to help you build social proof. The next time you run a peer-to-peer fundraising event, offer swag to top performers, and ask them to share shots of themselves in their social media profiles.
• Expose your cause (and custom merch) to new donors is through printed marketing materials. Print posters or stickers (or anything else) with a QR code. Using their mobile device, people scan the code and are instantly directed to your online donation page and storefront.
• Use your merch to thank recurring donors participating in your monthly giving campaigns. If someone is passionate about you cause to give regularly, they’ll definitely use your tote when they go to the market. That simple act will raise awareness for your organization.

How Do I Brand My Merch?

Before you create your branded merchandise, first pinpoint your target audience. You can do this by reviewing your donor data for insight into what would appeal. The next step would be to reach out to your donor base to discover what items grab their attention:

• Use surveys to gather insights into the interests, and preferences of your previous donors. Ask questions about why they support your organization, what types of programs or initiatives they are most passionate about, and what types of merchandise or incentives would appeal to them.
• Encourage recurring donors to provide feedback through email, surveys, or forms on your website. Pay attention to comments, suggestions, and complaints to figure out preferences and understand areas for improvement.
• Connect to donors individually through personalized emails, phone calls, or meetings to build relationships and understand their preferences firsthand. This personal touch can also help strengthen donor loyalty.

By taking the time to explore what motivates your donor base, your organization can gain a deeper understanding of their preferences, interests, and behaviors. This will allow you to more effectively tailor your merchandise and overall fundraising strategy.

Create a Lasting Impact with your Donors

It’s important to use your merchandise to build lasting connections with your donors. These best practices will help you make the most of your merch!

• Add a personal touch by sending thank-you notes, invites to special events, or one-time gifts with each purchase.
• Encourage your donors to share pictures of themselves with your merchandise on their social media platforms. This way, more people will learn about your cause.
• Think about offering limited-edition or seasonal merchandise to create a sense of urgency for prospective donors.

Custom merchandise offers nonprofits a great opportunity to boost donations and connect with supporters in a meaningful way.

By offering on-demand merchandise in tandem with fundraising campaigns and keeping up with donor engagement, charitable organizations can open up new opportunities for donations. This approach not only helps you reach fundraising goals, but also strengthens the bond with your community.

Ready to dive in? Request a demo, and we’ll be glad to walk you through it and get you started!