Business Gifts for Charitable Causes

One likes to think that charity is its own reward, but sometimes a little reward can sweeten the pot. Research has shown that when an appeal for donation is accompanied by a promotional item of some sort, the response rate is greatly increased. Not only do more people actually respond to your appeal, but those who do respond generally give more. Business gifts are not just for the sales market. They can be very useful to the non-profit fund raiser. The business gifts that you choose for your fund raiser or public awareness campaign should depend on the type of promotion that you’ve chosen to do.
Thank You Business Gifts for Charity
The least expensive options for charity business gifts are essentially token gifts that say “thanks for your contribution”. If part of your aim is to increase awareness of your cause as well as to raise money to further it, choose promotional items that are meant for display. Among the most visible and cost effective thank you gifts that you can hand out to your contributors are car stickers printed with your message. They’re inexpensive enough that you can acknowledge even the smallest contributions, and they allow your contributors to become a part of your cause by publicizing it.
Selling Promotional Items for Charity
Folks are used to buying things for charity, particularly chocolate bars, candles and all those little fundraising packets. Why not get double duty from your fund raising efforts and get some promotional value from the items that you sell? Speak with an account representative for a promotional items supplier to get suggestions for business gifts that fit your cause and your budget. Some ideas that work for nearly any cause include selling t-shirts with your slogan and logo, promotional mugs with your slogan printed on them and promotional tote bags printed with your logo and slogan.
The important thing to look for when seeking business gifts to promote a cause is visibility. Choose items that will be seen in the market where you want to make an impact. If your message is meant for schoolchildren, for example, sell notebooks and notepads. If your message is meant to encourage health, choose pedometers or jump ropes.
Special Event Giveaways
Another way to spread the word with business gifts it to give them away at public events. There are many public awareness fairs and events in which you can participate, or you can organize your own. In either case, you’ll have an ideal pulpit from which to preach your message when you take a table or booth at an event or exhibition. Be sure to treat your participation just as you would if you were a business. Come prepared with information about your cause, professionally printed if possible. Well-designed promotional materials like brochures and flyers can make a very strong impression on the people that you want to reach. You’ll also do well to invest in some sort of business gifts or promotional items that carry your message beyond the event. You can even sell promotional items with a higher perceived value to help fund your cause.
Choose your giveaway items carefully. Among the best promotional giveaway items for public fairs and events where many groups are promoting their agendas are carrier bags. Eye-catching carrier bags cost very little in relation to other promotional items, but they are extremely visible. If you choose roomy promotional carrier bags in eye-catching colors, your booth will be one of the most visible at the event. That’s advertising that you can’t buy.

About the Author

Gareth Parkin is the co-founder of Ideasbynet, the UK's largest online source of business gifts and promotional gifts. He has taken the UK gift market by storm by the applic