If you’re interested in creating a new custom keepsake, just purchased your own custom keepsake, or just received the product and wondering how you should market them, take a look at some of the amazing tips that our clients have shared with us over the last 45+ years! Whether you’re looking to raise funds; retain or create incentives for your donors; commemorating an event or anniversary; or increase revenue; we have tips that can help with your new keepsake.
Raising Funds
- There is strength in numbers, so think through all the possible ways the keepsake can be sold to raise money for your organization.
- Partner with other teams within your organization to maximize the # of units sold therefor maximizing total funds raised. Different divisions within your own org. may have a similar need, so working together gives you the greatest chance for success.
- Advertise the keepsake ornament on your home page of your website as, “The Official Annual Keepsake.” That will help by building hype and establishing a base of collectors who will want the new ornament each year.
- Advertise on all of your social channels that this is the “Official Annual” because it helps to set the expectation for the program and to get buy in up front. When people realize that the ornament/keepsake is part of something bigger it becomes more impactful and a collector’s item!
- Partner with other local businesses who may want to help you sell the ornament to raise funds for your cause. Small local retailers may be willing to set up a small display of your keepsake as a way to help their community!
Donor Retention or Incentive
- One of the hardest things for a non-profit is holding onto donors in a competitive field or getting donors to give at a higher level. So where does your keepsake come in?
- It’s a great vehicle to incentivize an existing donor because your donors already have an affinity for your cause, so what better way to commemorate that affinity than with a unique collectible that highlights what your organization is about.
- Try promoting the piece with your donors to get them to give more therefore increasing donations overall.
- For example; If a donor currently gives you $50.00, to get them to give $100.00, offer the collectible as an incentive. By spending $10.00 on the collectible your net gain is $40.00 for each person who signs up!
- Try promoting the piece with your donors to get them to give more therefore increasing donations overall.
- If the intent is to give it as a donor gift, GREAT IDEA! Why? Because donors get inundated with promotion products as a thank you but they don’t have the staying power of a keepsake ornament. Creating and promoting this as an annual keepsake will solidify those donations for years because they become collectors!
- For example, your message to a donor could be… “Thank you for your donation. As a token of our appreciation, we want to offer this unique annual keepsake, which this year, highlights (mention something about what the ornament’s subject matter is)! Each year we will offer a new keepsake as a thank you for your generous contribution.” This type of messaging gets your donor in the mindsight that this is part of something bigger!
- It’s a great vehicle to incentivize an existing donor because your donors already have an affinity for your cause, so what better way to commemorate that affinity than with a unique collectible that highlights what your organization is about.
Commemorating an Event or Anniversary?
- Use the ornament or keepsake as a way to help promote the event. Let people know in advance that the ornament will be available either as a gift or for purchase to support the organization, at the event!
Increasing Revenue
- We all set out with the goal to create products that generate revenue but that’s not always easy so how can you make this unique collectible stand out…
- Location, Location, Location – Ornaments are an impulse buy so give them great visibility in your store where that impulse buy is happening to maximize results.
- Sell Price – Determine your ideal sell-price with a healthy margin that will lead to volume sales. That will give you greater exposure to more people versus a larger margin and larger price point hurting your ability to sell volume and get in the hands of more people. Remember, that these are custom to your brand, so the more people exposed to that the better!
- Highlight Key Features – Greater sales will come from highlighting what sets your unique keepsake apart. For a lot of the products in the field and with a huge push towards “American Made” you already have one key feature locked in so what are some others…
- 100% Made in America
- Created from the Finest Materials
- Hand Crafted
- Custom Designed
- Storable Gift Box
- Annual Collectible
