Using Sporting Events for Discount Card Fundraisers

A guide to leveraging sporting events to sell discount cards.

Maximum exposure usually translates into great sales results. It would be great to get visibility for your discount card at an activity with a large gathering of people. This way, instead of having to go out into the community to sell your cards, people can come to you.

Here are some ways that sporting events provide excellent venues for discount card fundraisers. But first, ensure you get your program approved for the event so you won't infringe on another group. Plus, you wouldn't want to have to compete for buyers anyway.

Use Public Address Announcements

Write a short sales pitch for the announcer, telling everyone about your discount card. Ensure the announcements mention discounts, that you're selling the cards at the event, and where they can find you. Try to get the announcements made as often as possible.

Hand out Discount Card Promotion Flyers

Have your selling crew at the event early, so they can hand out promotional flyers to everyone who comes. The flyer should enlarge the back of the card so that people can see the offers, price, and expiration date. It should also emphasize that a limited number of cards are available and that the discount cards will be available throughout the event, not just at the halftime intermission.

Go Through the Crowd

Have some of your more enthusiastic sellers go through the crowd with discount cards to sell. Tell them to be considerate of those watching the event and to squat down while talking to someone so they don't block anyone's view. Wear the same color group uniform or t-shirt to make your members more easily recognizable. You can even have your members stand out by wearing a unique colored hat.

Set up a Sales Table

In addition to having some of your sellers work for the crowd, arrange to set up at least one table in a strategic location where there will be lots of traffic. Make posters to help promote your fundraiser. Ensure you have enough sellers to sell the cards and collect the money at your table.

Additional Selling Ideas:

• If your event is a football or basketball game, consider arranging to purchase the game ball from the athletic department. Those purchasing cards would then be eligible for the game ball, perhaps autographed by team members. The discount cards can be numbered so the winning number can be announced.
• Another idea is to offer a free dinner with the coach. Your organization would secure the cooperation of the coach and their spouse before the event. You would then award a complimentary dinner for two for the winner and their spouse or friend. The winner would be drawn from those purchasing cards that evening. The coach would also get a free meal.
• Finally, don't forget to promote any prizes offered with the PA announcements and place this information on your promotional flyers and posters.

See our discount card fundraiser.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.