Letter requesting raffle prizes

moo2moo

I'm having a nightmare of a time writing a letter to local businesses requesting either a raffle prize or offering the opportunity to advertise in our school funday programme. Everything I've writen so far comes across as a bit pathetic. Can anyone offer any pointers?

Ideally we're aiming to sell £1500 of pre-printed raffle tickets. So the prizes need to be something a bit more than a bottle of wine and a tin of chocs. The committee didn't like the idea of a hamper made up of lots of small donations.

ahai1

You are going to have a hard time as lot of organisations give out grants and I have seen one organisation sending out rejection letters to people who applied. I think the hamper may have been a good idea. I know people ususally buy the prize then give it away.

nephilim

i'm afraid you wont get much, unless you go for the hamper, as most companies will reject anything over a "token" amount.

moo2moo

I'm not aiming for big organisations, just local small businesses. I wanted to write something that would appeal to them and get a positive response without costing the businesses huge amounts of time or money.

More along the lines of "place an advert in our funday programme for £10". We have to print a programme anyway, last year we sold 400 programmes to parents. If we can sell 1/4 page advertising space at £10 then thats £40 per page. It seemed a bit more reasonable than the local pre-school who ask the same businesses for £50 per time and somehow manage to get it.

Most of the businesses locally are hairdressers, nail salons, reflexology studios, health spas and the like.

Perhaps a business owner who gets approached by local schools could offer some help?

full-time-mum

Are you fundraising for something specific? Its always easier to ask for donations when you can say "We are holding a funday to try and raise £xxx to buy such-and-such and wondered if you would consider supporting your local school by either making a donation for our raffle or advertising in the funday programme (see below for costs). All contributions will be fully acknowledged."
I would be straight to the point and ask outright rather than try and pu$$y-foot around the subject.

Maybe you could include a list of contributors on a school notice board/website/in the newsletter for the next x issues covering the next school year/etc. Keep it short and sweet and leave a phone contact and email address for further queries.

See what you get before you reject any ideas.

Good Luck.

Edinburghlass_2

Don't discount the big supermarkets, our local Tesco and M&S always supports the local schools efforts in one or another. For instance they used to give us carrier bags when we had to bag up the uniform orders as did Iceland.

Try and go in and ask yourself or ask the members of your PTA/committee and see if anyone knows someone in the shops/supermarkets and you could split up the task between you.

Gingernutmeg

moo2moo wrote: »

Perhaps a business owner who gets approached by local schools could offer some help?

My mum owns a small local business and we get so many of these letters. Personally, she's much more likely to respond if the organisation and cause genuinely are something local, and if the letter is sent by someone who actually uses the business - it sounds awful, but she does get a bit annoyed if the letter is flung over the counter (or pushed under the door) by someone who only comes in the shop when they're after a raffle prize/donation/wanting you to buy an advert. Local businesses get a LOT of these requests, it's only natural that they're going to be more inclined to help you if they feel that 'you' have supported them too.

As to the content, just be polite and concise. Personally we always prefer it if the letter is straight to the point, rather than an essay or a guilt trip. Local businesses don't really like to be made to feel like people think they do 'nothing'.

And finally - remember to thank the donors!

ahai1

You should have no trouble in selling advertising provided that you do it properly and as people suggested provide a business case for it. I was wondering how much time do you have?

I also think it might be a good idea to have smaller prizes. I was also thinking could you have posters up saying this has been sponsored by?

moo2moo

Thank you. Suggestions noted with enthusiasm. Will make sure everything is delivered in person by people using the service. I have 3 1/2 months until the event. So no gun to head but very concious that all the other schools in the area have big summer events at similar times.

The school P.T.A. have agreed to fund a first prize of £100. As long as I have 2 other attention grabbing prizes by late April I can get them printed on the tickets along with the donor details. I will also dedicate the back page of the programme to thanking the local businesses by name for their donations. You're right, smaller prizes would also be much appreciated. I will re-visit the idea of a hamper.

Thank you all!

ahai1

Ideally the best thing would have been to do is to organise it at a different time from the other schools rather then at the same time.

full-time-mum

ahai1 wrote: »

Ideally the best thing would have been to do is to organise it at a different time from the other schools rather then at the same time.

This sounds good on paper and in an ideal world would make sense, but schools have limited indoor space and have to work around exam timetables and cirriculums. Most schools have a sports/funday/fayre in the summer because the weather is more likely to be dry and people are more likely to come and visit and (hopefully) part with their cash.