It takes a creative approach to fundraise money. Ask any professional fundraiser or non-profit organization. You have to have the drive, creativity and the ability to take a lot of no's before even a single yes.

There are a lot of other avenues to finding funding besides just going directly to individuals. This is key since most people will exhaust all options with the individuals they go to directly before they have achieved their full budget. Visit the previous fundraising blogs that are posted each Wednesday for different ideas and approaches on how to obtain the capitol you need for your project.

Many different types of organizations and individuals that are in the fundraising process use raffles. Collecting items to raffle often is a very good start to a fundraising campaign since it can be easier to obtain physical items at first than directly asking for a cash donation. It can also be easier to ask people to purchase raffle tickets, which gives them the potential to win prizes, whereas a straight donation does not give a direct return.

Many artists in the FSRP program find the raffle concept a good place to begin. Throughout a fundraising campaign, you can conduct a number of different raffles. The raffles can also instill and build confidence in the fundraising process.

Raffles work especially well with people or businesses that want to know “what’s in it for me” or “what do I get out of this”. Certain people you approach will see value in the record you are making and the ideals that you are going to set forth, however there are people that want to get something in return even if it’s only a chance of return. These are the people that will be most effective buying raffle tickets.

Think of someone who you might want to ask for a hundred dollar donation. This person might easily have the money to give, but may not be one to just donate it. When you present your plan, that person might purchase one hundred dollars worth of raffle tickets with the hope of winning something from it, when they might have otherwise said no to a straight up donation.

Basically raffles are an effective way to achieve your money goals without directly asking for money for the project. It is part of the passive / submissive approach to your funding. I will cover the different styles and approaches to fundraising including the passive / submissive, the assertive / confident and the aggressive / don’t take no for an answer approaches over the next couple fundraising blogs.

So how do you get the prizes for a raffle?

You ask. Ask any of the FSRP clients that have done the raffles in the past, it is a lot easier, and a great learning experience, when you ask for items instead of cash. It can also help you build your approach and hone your skills for when you get to asking for cash donations.
When you deliver a plan like the FSRP and explain that there are numerous elements that make it a sound investment for any type of business, person or company to be involved in, you have a solid chance at receiving a service, item or a gift certificate.

This does not cost anything for them in cash and many businesses are already set up to give away certain products and or services to charities, raffles and benefits.

When looking for items for the raffle, make sure you make a quick pitch. Call ahead or email and ask if you can speak with the manger or owner. Make sure you are talking to someone who handles donations or has the right to offer them.

Refer to the solicitation blog from a few weeks back, make sure you are talking to the person at a time that is respectful. If you are looking for gift certificate from a restaurant, walking in on a Friday evening and asking for the chef/owner….well….let’s just say, that would not be in any way smart.

Schedule a time, be brief, cover what you are doing, why you are doing it, how you are doing it and how a donation of a service or product could help you out. Sell yourself and sell the concept. With a donation to the raffle, this organization is helping independent music, the charity you have chosen and also helping your group to serve as a role model for others.

Bring a copy of the fundraising letter or fundraising press release with you, a copy of current music, a one sheet on the band and maybe also bring along a shirt or some other kind of merchandise to give them as a thank you for their consideration.

Also, point out the cross marketing that the company will get. Tell them about how you will advertise and market their company. Explain how they will be mentioned on your website, on posters for the drawing show, if you have one, and in press releases. When an organization sees that you are thinking about how you can bring attention to them in return for their gift to you, you will see a greater response and a better chance at a larger donation or gift.

Look for services, products, potential in numerous products and different ideas.

Restaurant gift certificates are always very popular. Oil changes, even a couple if you can get them, is great. Gas cards are also becoming popular. Items where people can choose their prize are also effective, and gift cards from any store you like. Paintings, trinkets, toys, cds, tool sets from a hardware store, coffee cards from a local coffee shop….Just think of anything you would like and go with it.

Services are a great approach too. Cleaning service, a maid service for a day or a month… car detailing is another good one. Go to one of those personal assistant companies and see if they will donate a personal assistant for a day. Just brainstorm and the ideas will come. Be creative and you will find success with it.

Lastly, what are some services that the band, or you as the artist could raffle off?

I have seen bands offer maid service for a day. This is a great idea and it is good cross marketing the band. Imagine the band cleaning someone’s house in maid outfits, calling the local media to talk about the raffle, and the winner and a local newspaper coming down to take pictures of the band cleaning the house.

Raffle off dates with each of the members. My favorite raffle of all time was one where the guitarist of a San Francisco band raffled himself off as the soundtrack guy for the winner for a day. He followed around the winner with one of those backpacker guitars and was the theme/ soundtrack music for a lawyer, who bought fifty dollars worth of tickets, for an entire day. It was hilarious, it got media attention and the band was featured in the arts and lifestyles section of the local music rag the following week.

Approach it with different themes. You can easily do a series of raffles. One can be restaurant themed, another could be seasonally based, and another could have a music theme or any another topic of your choice.

For example, do a raffle that is all about clothing. Raffle off some gift certificates to a number of different clothing stores. Of course the first prize would be the largest gift to a given store.

The same idea goes for restaurants. Grab a number of different restaurants; see if you can get more than one gift certificate. I have a raffle item I tell artists to try called “Eat out for the week”. This entails a single raffle gift, usually first prize or the solo prize, where the winner receives seven gift certificates to seven different restaurants in town.

Organize the prizes you get and put them together into different raffles and different levels. This way you can ask for more for the raffle that has much more expensive prizes than what you would ask for in the raffle that has less expensive gifts and prizes.

Decide before you start when the drawing is going to be. Do you want to make it at a show where people have a final chance to buy tickets and announce the winners there? Do you want to just make an announcement or do you want to hold it at one of the stores or establishments that has donated? Again, think marketing, think of how you will bring the most awareness to your raffles and at the same time get the most tickets purchased.

Get help selling the tickets. Get your friends to help, you can even give them a percentage of the tickets they sell. So for example, if someone sells ten tickets at five dollars, maybe give them 10 percent. This can help with getting other people involved in helping you sell the most tickets.

Some of the businesses involved in the raffles may also help and sell tickets at their establishment. Take advantage of every avenue you can find.

Very important - check with the local and state rules around raffles. Some states will require that you call it something else. Certain states even consider raffles gambling. So check out the rules and laws that apply where you are.

Lastly, make sure when you draw, anyone that purchased has a chance to win. Do not require the winner to be present. It will turn people away and you will sell less tickets. Just make sure you get contact information on each ticket.

Raffles are just one more approach you can add to help you raise the money for your budget. They will also help you get more comfortable with the ideas surrounding fundraising and how you present your pitch and your project to others. Remember, the more avenues and angles you take during the fundraising period of the FSRP, the faster you will be able to achieve the budget for your project.


© Loren Weisman