Maximizing Donations: Tips for Handling Gift Basket Requests from Organizations

[lkhartmann]

I seem to be getting an onslaught of requests to donate gift baskets to various organizations and am wondering how others handle it. Last year I donated at least 8 valued at over $50 a piece some were about $100.... I got no response back from any of the organizations as far as new business. I don't have an issue with donations, but business is business... What do others do when asked to donate baskets? I was thinking about donating gift certificates this year... spend $50 and get $25 for free or Get $50 for $25 somthing that would give me the opportunity to actually speak to someone... Thoughts??????

 

[jenniepc]

Gift certificates may be the right way to handle these. Last year I donated baskets for auction to several organizations and, like you, nothing afterward. They couldn't even tell me who had won them. And the persons asking for the donations didn't want to book anything either. I will definitely do gift certificates only for future requests. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[chefheidi2003]

If I donate a product it is something small..I usually do a Catalog..a Season's Best..and a Gift Certificate through me. I make the GC worth one thing if they just spend it..and more of they book a party and use it at their party.

 

[Brenda.the.chef]

do you just print up a document saying something like "This certificate good for $25 of PC products" Contact me to place your order?I sure do like this idea better because I'm also getting bombarded with donation requests and getting nothing in return except a tax write off.At least a certificate would force the buyer's hand into contacting you! And it's just a piece of paper with no money spent until the order is placed.

 

[chefheidi2003]

do you just print up a document saying something like "This certificate good for $25 of PC products" Contact me to place your order?

I sure do like this idea better because I'm also getting bombarded with donation requests and getting nothing in return except a tax write off.

At least a certificate would force the buyer's hand into contacting you! And it's just a piece of paper with no money spent until the order is placed.

There are some great GCs in the file section on here..then I just add my own stuff.

 

[monicag]

I started doing gift certificates through me only a few years ago because I was seeing nothing from donating product. I usually only do a $10 gift certificate and a Season's Best hoping they would spend $25 or so or maybe even host a party. However, what my experience has been is they usually spend right around $10 or don't even use it. And there are some times that people are constantly contacting me to donate to something and I just don't have the money to do that. I am in business to make money, not to give it all away. I do like the idea of a get $50 for $25......might have to try that.

 

[cookingwithlove]

I only donate actually products to organizations and events that I am involved in. I do a very large basket for my children's school. A gift certificate redeamable through you with an expiration date it is a good way to go for other requests. Keep it small, $10-$25. It is also okay to say no as well or to offer a to do a fundraising event with the organization.

 

[kam]

That is a great idea about the Gift Certificates!

I get asked CONSTANTLY at work to donate for various events/charities that are sponsored by our company. Since I work here, people know I sell PC, so I don't get any advertising from it. So it really is like asking me to donate $50 or more from my pocket with really no benefit business-wise.

It would be like them asking everyone in the company to please donate $50 to the cause. Or, how about asking all employees to use their % disount from Kohls to go buy stuff to put in a basket! Same thing! We only get a 20% discount on personal orders.

I think people think we get things for free. And by that, I mean products to donate.

I don't want to sound mean about it, but if I donate products, it is like me making a personal donation of cash...and they don't ask all employees for that.

SO...the gift certificate is a good idea...spend $X and get $X free.

I will have to remember that when they get snarky at me for not donating!

 

[Becca_in_MD]

In the past I have donated extra and/or retired products that I have on hand, usually with a value of about $25-30. Sometimes I've included a personal gift certificate with the "double it when you host." Most of the gift certificates have never been redeemed, never mind getting a booking from it. In my 8 years of biz, I don't think I have gotten any business or contacts from these donations. I recently decided that I will only donate when one of my past hosts asks me to help their organization. I also donate to organizations I'm involved with. I've gotten requests from customers to donate. I've even done vendor events and contacts from there have asked me to donate even though they never bought anything from me. I think one even went so far as to say "no, we'd rather have product than just a gift certificate. Product will be more attractive at the auction." For those times when you want to say "no," just say "I'm not able to donate at this time." No explanation required, except for Kathleen who is being unfairly pressured in the workplace.

 

[Becca_in_MD]

That is a great idea about the Gift Certificates!

I get asked CONSTANTLY at work to donate for various events/charities that are sponsored by our company. Since I work here, people know I sell PC, so I don't get any advertising from it. So it really is like asking me to donate $50 or more from my pocket with really no benefit business-wise.

It would be like them asking everyone in the company to please donate $50 to the cause. Or, how about asking all employees to use their % disount from Kohls to go buy stuff to put in a basket! Same thing! We only get a 20% discount on personal orders.

I think people think we get things for free. And by that, I mean products to donate.

I don't want to sound mean about it, but if I donate products, it is like me making a personal donation of cash...and they don't ask all employees for that.

SO...the gift certificate is a good idea...spend $X and get $X free.

I will have to remember that when they get snarky at me for not donating!

Next time I think you should donate something you've gotten as a gift but don't like/aren't using. Not PC-related at all. My MIL gives me things that I repurpose into donations to school auctions. Unless of course they specifically say "please donate something PC," then go GC. Otherwise you can say "you were asking for donations, this is what I have."

I get irked with the PTA doing basket bingo, assigning a theme to each grade level and asking families to donate items for the baskets based on the theme. The same thing happened at nursery school for a silent auction. Parents got in a tizzy going out and spending $$$ on items for the basket. Just donate the money and be done with it!

 

[Brenda.the.chef]

In the past I have donated extra and/or retired products that I have on hand, usually with a value of about $25-30. Sometimes I've included a personal gift certificate with the "double it when you host." Most of the gift certificates have never been redeemed, never mind getting a booking from it. In my 8 years of biz, I don't think I have gotten any business or contacts from these donations. I recently decided that I will only donate when one of my past hosts asks me to help their organization. I also donate to organizations I'm involved with. I've gotten requests from customers to donate. I've even done vendor events and contacts from there have asked me to donate even though they never bought anything from me. I think one even went so far as to say "no, we'd rather have product than just a gift certificate. Product will be more attractive at the auction." For those times when you want to say "no," just say "I'm not able to donate at this time." No explanation required, except for Kathleen who is being unfairly pressured in the workplace.

OK... Clueless asking for clarification here... do you actually donate a 'real' gift certificate worth something? or do you just print something up? I'll look up the files on my lunch break, but I am just slightly confused with the above posts.

 

[Becca_in_MD]

I just print my own. I never look on the files here :blushing: so I'm not sure what's here. I put an expiration date on mine, usually for a few months out. For example, if I were to give one now, my expiration date would be June 30 because I would want it to count for Free for All. Or I would date it Aug. 30 so it's within this catalog.

One that I put with a product donation:

The Pampered Chef
$25 Host Gift Certificate
“Dinnertime in No Time”

Congratulations!! You have won a $25 host gift certificate from The Pampered Chef. You can use this for an extra $25 of free product when you have a Pampered Chef party by August 30, 2011, with at least 10 people in attendance. That's on top of the $150 in free products that my average host receives. You’ll have lots of fun with family and friends and get additional free, half-price and discounted products. My average hosts save at least $200 on their orders. This is only redeemable through me. (include my contact info at the bottom)

If you do just a GC donation, change the wording and take out "host" in the beginning part. Then say "if you host a party by XXX you will double this and get an extra $50 of free product" or whatever number you're comfortable with.

With them redeeming the GC through you, you can decide when to submit the order and if you want to tack it onto a show, make it count for a particular month, etc. However you want to do it that benefits you the most and costs you the least.

 

[monicag]

In the past I have donated extra and/or retired products that I have on hand, usually with a value of about $25-30. Sometimes I've included a personal gift certificate with the "double it when you host." Most of the gift certificates have never been redeemed, never mind getting a booking from it. In my 8 years of biz, I don't think I have gotten any business or contacts from these donations. I recently decided that I will only donate when one of my past hosts asks me to help their organization. I also donate to organizations I'm involved with. I've gotten requests from customers to donate. I've even done vendor events and contacts from there have asked me to donate even though they never bought anything from me. I think one even went so far as to say "no, we'd rather have product than just a gift certificate. Product will be more attractive at the auction." For those times when you want to say "no," just say "I'm not able to donate at this time." No explanation required, except for Kathleen who is being unfairly pressured in the workplace.

I really like the "double it when you host"......think I'm adding that to my gift certificates. How rude for someone to say they don't like the gift certificate.....they want product.....they asked for a donation......you gave them one.

I had done a fair a few years ago (and got nothing out of it.....bookings, sales, etc.). They asked for a donation so I gave away the mini-bundt stoneware pan that PC had put on the outlet. The lady that won came up to me and said she really wouldn't use it, could she give it back and have me order the new metal pans we had just brought out. I told her no, that was the donation and I didn't have the metal pans in stock and would have to order them and pay for them out of my own pocket and then I would now have a bundt pan that I had paid for also and would be losing money. I told her I would give her a discount if she would like to order the metal pans. She didn't like that idea.

Really, it was free....give it as a gift or sell it on e-bay if you don't like it!

 

[kam]

Next time I think you should donate something you've gotten as a gift but don't like/aren't using. Not PC-related at all. My MIL gives me things that I repurpose into donations to school auctions. Unless of course they specifically say "please donate something PC," then go GC. Otherwise you can say "you were asking for donations, this is what I have."

Haha! Love it!!

I really like the "double it when you host"......think I'm adding that to my gift certificates. How rude for someone to say they don't like the gift certificate.....they want product.....they asked for a donation......you gave them one.

I had done a fair a few years ago (and got nothing out of it.....bookings, sales, etc.). They asked for a donation so I gave away the mini-bundt stoneware pan that PC had put on the outlet. The lady that won came up to me and said she really wouldn't use it, could she give it back and have me order the new metal pans we had just brought out. I told her no, that was the donation and I didn't have the metal pans in stock and would have to order them and pay for them out of my own pocket and then I would now have a bundt pan that I had paid for also and would be losing money. I told her I would give her a discount if she would like to order the metal pans. She didn't like that idea.

Really, it was free....give it as a gift or sell it on e-bay if you don't like it!

Amazing!

 

[Tracy99]

I have donated products I have earned. Like the hwc products after May was over. I have only done it for organizations that are also doing a fundraiser show w me. If I donate something for a raffle, I offer less of a fundraiser match. I have included the homemade gc but havent gotten anything out of it yet.

 

[chef131doreen]

I don't put an expectation date on it ,in Ct gift certificates and fit card are not allowed to have an expiration date the govener changed the law on that so I just don't put one . I have been putting that I will double it if they host a show .love thatm

 

[frozenchef]

I too am getting a lot of donation requests lately (it's the season!) and will run out of inventory soon so I may do the gift certificate with $50 for $25 or double if you book a show.
However, gift certificates don't usually do well at silent auctions for the the organization (which is why I started doing products) since people won't spend more then the card is worth and usually the starting bid is only 50% of the value.
Unfortunately, like most of you, I just can't keep "giving stuff away" as I've never received additional business from the auction items.

 

[lt1jane]

I usually will grab a few of my door prize items (SB, Kwikuts, Twxits, etc..) and put them with a gift certificate and call it good. I usually make my GCs $15 which they can increase to $25 by hosting (since the IRS maximum is $25 per person). I have only ever had two people redeem my gift certificates. Yes, I spent a few dollars on a SB and other small items, but I was not out any real money. I too, put an expiration date on the GCs.