How To Organize A Raffle in 7 Easy Steps
Raffles are a great way to raise money for charity, or to promote your event or business as they generate a lot of attention & are known to build interest through word of mouth. To people that are new to organizing raffles, it may not always be clear how and where to begin. Whether it’s a large or small undertaking, we’ve come up with a simple guideline to follow. It offers powerful effective steps that will position you and your goals in line for success.
How To Organize A Raffle in 7 Easy Steps.
1. Check Local Laws and Regulation.
Always do some due diligence and check local or regional laws regarding raffles. In some provinces and states, raffles may be considered as lotteries that requires special licensing, permits and/or taxation codes. Please double check the region you are in to ensure your raffle, draw or lottery is legal to operate
2. Set Goals.
You have to determine if the raffle is for charity or for profit. Set dates and objectives for your organization or team and prioritize them. The goals you set will also give your team motivation and urgency.
3. Raffle Prizes.
Do some serious research about what type of prizes you want to offer your target audience. Most people will buy tickets for raffles offering items or experiences they are interested in. In the case of charities, many sponsors can be approached to donate “big ticket” items, otherwise not affordable to the raffle organizers. Think about the things people “dream” about. At the top of the list are:
- Cars, who doesn’t want a new wheels? Winning an automobile can solve a problem or fulfill a wish or dream.
- Travel vacations, who doesn’t want to travel? Trips can get costly for the average folk so many people try their luck at winning trips. Hard workers deserve time off and winning a trip fulfills a desire for escape.
- Electronics, who doesn’t want the latest gadgets? If you’re budget conscious or the scope of your raffle budget is on the smaller side, electronics is the way to go. They are affordable and still offer a great incentive to purchase raffle tickets. There are many coveted TVs, Tablets, Game consoles, Cellphones and laptops.
- Gift Certificates. Gift cards offer an excellent prize option. They are cost effective and people love them because it gives them the option of getting something they really need or want.
4. Print Raffle Tickets. Lots of Them!
Now that you’ve gotten yourself organized you need to print custom raffle tickets. Sounds easy enough, however it’s important to consider how many you want to print. It’s also crucial to brand your custom printed tickets so they look professional, attractive and legitimate to your buyers. It’s cheaper if you buy your printed tickets in bulk from a specialized custom ticket supplier.
5. Promote Your raffle.
There are many avenues you can take to promote the raffle. For bigger budgets you have the option of TV, Radio and print advertising however in today’s digital world it’s easy to get momentum for your raffle if you leverage the power of social media. A carefully curated promo can spread quickly through word of mouth online.
Offer early bird draws, it’s excellent promotional technique is to offer incentives for early ticket buyers. You can also offer cheaper ticket bundles or exclusive prizes for early buyers. Lastly, make the tickets affordable no matter how many tickets a person may be interested in buying.
6. Sell Tickets.
Use every avenue available to you. Get creative. You can sell tickets door to door, in malls, online, email, snail mail or word of mouth. always refer to step 2 and keep your target goals in mind.
7. Hold The Draw
Hold the raffle on the date advertised and contact the winners and celebrate with your grand prize winners. This is a great opportunity to create content you can share with your next batch of raffle tickets.
On a final note, if you keep focused on your goals and follow the list of steps we’ve provided for you, your raffle should go smoothly. And remember. Set goals. Stay organized. Sell tickets.
