Asking For Raffle Prize Donations
Asking people to raffle prizes donations can be intimidating, especially over the phone or face to face. Many people fear flat our rejection while others are scared of having to answer questions about why their cause is so important. The truth is you will have better chance of receiving a raffle prize donation if you visit the business in person rather than sending a donation letter.
The key to keeping your cool while asking for prize donations is all in the preparation. The more prepared you are the less nervous you will be and as a result you will feel more comfortable engaging in a productive two way conversation.
Here are our top tips to help you prepare:
Accept that some people will say no. Receiving a no is really the worst thing that can happen when asking for raffle prize donations. Once you accept that you will hear a few nos along the way, you have nothing to fear.
The truth is no one will ever have a 100% success rate so it is important not to beat yourself up over it. Asking for donations is a numbers game. The more people you ask the more donations you are bound to receive. So if you do hear a no, don’t be disheartened – just move on to the next person and eventually you’ll get a yes!
To increase the likely hood of hearing a yes it’s important to research your donor. Work out their goals and target market and see if they align with your cause. A person is more likely to give a prize donation if it will positively affect them or their business. Make it easy for them to say yes by spelling out the benefits for them if they were to donate to your cause.
When you ask, be specific. The easier you make it for the donor the more likely they are to say yes. People are very busy and if they feel like donating to your raffle will create more work, like thinking of a prize, they will say no. Ask them for a specific product you know they sell or for a prize that is of a specific monetary value. This will make it easier for them to get an understanding of your expectations. Remember to tell them that if they cannot give exactly what you are asking any contribution would be appreciated.
Lastly, practice makes perfect. Plan out your pitch including what you will say about your cause and why people should donate. Once you have done this rehearse it out loud many times. Ask a friend or family member if you can practice the pitch on them and get them to ask you questions as if they were the donor. This will help you address any common objections or queries when it is the real deal.
Visit our Mega Raffle Prize List to get inspiration and direction on what prizes might work best for your raffle’s target audience. Then you can focus your attention on approaching the right type of business to ask for prize donations.
