The holidays are a time to be grateful. We gather with friends and family, we celebrate relationships, and we give back where we can. For charitable organisations, being grateful often means thanking your donors for their support over the past year. And for many charities, this means sending thank you notes.
Yet, think about the notes and cards you receive yourself. What do you do with them? Perhaps you read and appreciate the card and display it for a short time. Or perhaps it goes right into the recycling bin after you’ve opened and acknowledged it. Thank you notes are a nice—and important—gesture, but there are additional impactful, visual, and lasting reminders of gratitude that you can give to your supporters this year.
In this post, we explain how fundraising merchandise can help your charity show appreciation and strengthen donor loyalty. We also provide tips for choosing the most effective and meaningful products for your upcoming campaigns of gratitude.
Donor Loyalty Matters
Let’s start with some welcome news: Three-quarters of people supported charities last year and the public donated an estimated £13.9 billion, which is an increase from the previous year, according to the CAF UK Giving Report 2024. However, there is no singular reason people give to charity and supporters have countless causes to choose from. Donor loyalty is key to maximising your fundraising, and the best way to build loyalty is by cultivating positive, long-term relationships with your supporters. Here’s three key benefits to donor loyalty:
- Higher lifetime donor value: A loyal supporter tends to give more money over time, both in frequency and in the amount of their donation.
- Word-of-mouth benefits: Loyal donors are more likely to become vocal advocates for your cause. They tend to be the ones who volunteer with your organisation, participate in activities, and spread the word to others.
- Reduced fundraising costs: Donor loyalty is simply more cost effective for your charity. It takes tremendous effort to engage new supporters, or to bring lapsed donors back into the fold. One source suggests that it costs up to seven time more to find a new donor than it does to retain an existing one!
Unique Benefits of Charity Merchandise
Remember, donors have a lot of options out there, especially as we enter the year-end charitable giving period. Gifting charity merchandise is a proven way to show your appreciation, retain donors, and build long-term loyalty. But that’s not all! Here’s three additional benefits to fundraising merchandise, any time of year.
- Charity merchandise creates a tangible connection. Let’s think about that thank you note we mentioned above—a supporter may feel a connection when they first receive it, but it’s likely to end up in the rubbish bin at some point. High-quality, functional merchandise, on the other hand, has a much longer shelf life, which means it can serve as a daily reminder of your cause and foster an ongoing emotional tie to your charity.
- Charity merchandise builds a sense of belonging. Think about some of the most iconic representations of a charity, like the Movember moustache. The reason these designs are so powerful is because they give supporters a sense of belonging to a movement or cause that is larger than the individual themselves—and it feels good to be a part of a positive community.
- Charity merchandise inspires further advocacy. Think of it as a walking, talking billboard! Charity merchandise is an effective awareness-building tool because of its inherent visibility. The most popular merchandise—including t-shirts, badges, and tote bags—are all highly functional, eye-catching beacons that broadcast important messages about your charity and build recognition.
Tips for Choosing Effective Branded Merchandise
Ready to move beyond the thank you note? Smart move! Your charity can turn nearly any idea into a special branded item. But there’s a few golden rules to keep in mind to design the most effective product for your purpose. First, make sure it aligns with your mission. Take a step back and think about your specific audience. Who are they? What type of item would they appreciate? For example, if you work for an environmental charity, consider ethical, eco-friendly products.
Another tip is to personalise products for donor levels. Consider designing a range of branded charity merchandise that is attuned to your various donor levels or tiers. For example, you might gift a branded sticker to first-tier donors, a badge for second-tier donors, or a high-quality reusable shopper filled with both items to your top-tier donors. This way, you can make all donors feel recognised and appreciated, no matter their income or ability to give.
And remember, for special thank you gifts, opt for quality over quantity. Focus on durable and functional items that your supporters will actually use and value, which enhances the overall impact of the gift. For more design inspiration, see this previous article on creating eye-catching charity merchandise.
Making the Most of Merchandise
Once you have a design in mind, think about how you will incorporate it into your fundraising and communication channels. Adding charity merchandise gifts doesn’t mean you have to cease your thank you notes. In fact, merchandise should complement your existing multi-channel appreciation strategy. For example, you can really wow a supporter with multiple moments of gratitude: send a thank you gift, deliver a digital thank you message, recognise them on social media, and invite them to an exclusive event!
Think about ways you can make the most out of your merchandise. For example, you could appeal to your supporters to post photos with their merchandise as part of a creative holiday gratitude activity via social media—ask supporters to share photos of what they carry in their new tote bag, or where they’ve been spotted wearing their new badge. Remember, the more you and your supporters share, the larger and stronger the community you can build.
Lastly, keep tabs on everything! Track donor engagement and measure the effectiveness of your new merchandise through your normal charity channels. Did donations increase as a result? Did you engage new or lapsed supporters? Which products performed the best? These insights will help you refine future campaigns, select the most effective products, strategically time your thank you strategy, and justify future investments in other branded merchandise.
As we head into the Christmas season and approach the vital end-of-year giving period, we hope this post helps you think beyond the thank you note. The right charity merchandise will help you build donor loyalty and maximise your fundraising efforts for years to come. Our friendly design experts are ready to help you turn your ideas into reality. Please get in touch with us anytime. Together, we can ensure a season of gratitude and success!