How to Make Raffle Baskets and Raffle Basket Ideas

Raffle baskets are huge moneymakers at fundraisers. You might not realize how much work goes into making raffle baskets. Here is a guide to creating raffle baskets for your next fundraising event.

How to Get Items for Raffle Baskets

Ask local businesses to donate to your cause. Write a letter explaining what the fundraiser is for and what you will use the raised money for. If you can, provide them with your organization’s Nonprofit Employer Identification Number (EIN). There is much more that goes into writing a donation letter, so check out some examples online. 

After you gather donations, you might find that you need to buy more products. These products will fill up the baskets or help you make extra baskets. Head to Skylight Creative Ideas to find tons of fun products. Make these products personalized to your organization by branding them.

How to Choose Raffle Basket Themes

After getting all the items for your baskets, you will want to group everything into themes. This way it makes sense for someone interested in that topic to put their tickets in the basket. 

Common raffle basket themes and items include:

Sports Team: Professional game tickets, sports equipment, sports team gear

Cosmetics: Local hair cut certificate, cosmetics bag, ring light, makeup

Movie Night: Movie theater/Netflix gift card, popcorn, candy 

Date Night: Restaurant gift card, a bottle of wine, heart-shaped chocolate

Barbeque: BBQ grill set, barbeque sauce, seasoning 

Liquor and Beer: Bottle of liquor, beer, koozies, bottle opener

Coffee Lover: Coffee mug, coffee beans, travel mug, a gift card to a local coffee shop

How to Set Up a Raffle Basket 

The size of items you have for each raffle basket determines what you will use to hold them. Add concert or event tickets into a picture frame. Stuff a basket or container with tissue paper to make it easy for people to see what is inside. Add the items into the basket.

Be sure to wrap up the basket in cellophane so that nothing gets lost during transport. Tighten the shrinkwrap with a blow dryer. Tie up the bag with a ribbon or bow for a nice presentation.

Name the baskets with their themes. Print or write out everything that is in the basket in case people can’t see what is inside. Put an overall value on the basket to entice more people to buy raffle basket tickets. 

Find the Perfect Raffle Basket Products

Putting raffle baskets together takes a lot of time and effort. The end results are well worth it to support an important cause. 

Skylight Creative Ideas is a full-service promotional products company. We have been a leader in the industry since 1977. Our goal is to provide innovative ideas and top-notch customer service. Exceed your goals with our quality products.

Have questions or want to place an order from Skylight Creative Ideas? Call us at 410.879.8401 or contact us on the website.

How to Use Branded Products to Show Staff Appreciation

 Times are tough. Show your staff how much you appreciate their support throughout 2020 and beyond. These gifts are a sure way to show that you care. 

If you haven’t seen your staff in person in a while, let them know you are thinking of them with some branded products. Thank a group of employees, or select individuals to thank separately. 

Why is it Important to Reward Staff Members?

Employee appreciation is one of the simplest, yet effective ways to keep them motivated and working hard. When your staff is regularly recognized for their work, they feel valued. This results in higher retention rates. It saves your company the cost and trouble of continually looking for new staff.

Overall staff satisfaction is the employer’s responsibility. Overworked employees will eventually burn out and feel unable to produce quality work. Rewards help ensure that your employees are happy, which results in a better work environment overall. Customer satisfaction can increase because they are interacting with genuine, positive employees.

What are Some Swag Ideas for Employees?

The possibilities are endless when gifting your staff with branded products. Consider what your staff enjoys doing outside of work. You can even choose seasonal or holiday gifts so they are specific to the time of year. Think about gifts they will use. Some branded product ideas include:

Branded Beverage Accessories

Whether staff is working from home or in the office, they always need something to drink their coffee and water out of. Get them mugs or refillable water bottles to keep at their desks every day.

Technology Items for Employees

If your staff members require long amounts of time on their computer or cell phone, technology items could make a great gift. This is something that they could use both at work and at home. Help your staff protect their privacy with a webcam cover or gift them with a modern 4-in-1 phone stand. 

Custom Branded Apparel

Design company logo apparel for your employees. Purchase high-quality products for them. Decide from sweatshirts, polos, hats, and more. These types of appreciation gifts are best to purchase with consideration of the time of year. 

Branded Bags

Everyone uses bags. Employees take backpacks to work with their laptops and other items in them. Lunch bags are used almost every day of the week. Tote bags are helpful when grocery shopping. Determine which bag your staff would use most and add customization to it! 

Staff Appreciation Branded Products

Skylight Creative Ideas is a full-service promotional products company and has been a leader in the industry since 1977. Our goal is to provide innovative ideas, top-notch customer service, and quality products to help our clients meet and exceed their marketing and branding objectives. 

 

Put thought into your staff appreciation gifts. Find exactly what you are looking for on our website. 

 

Questions or want to learn more? Call us at 410.879.8401 or contact us on the website.

Is Your Business Ready for the Holidays? Marketing, Promotional Products, and Planning.

The holidays come fast every year. If your business is not ready, now is the time to prepare. Marketing goals, promotional products, and budget planning are just a few things that your business has to consider. 

 

 

Marketing

Marketing efforts entice customers to purchase from your business. Use referral programs as a method to gain new customers during the holidays. Each new person referred by a current customer means a discount or gift from your company. Word of mouth is one of the biggest ways to get a new customer to trust your business.

 

Direct customers throughout your store with easy-to-read graphics and displays. Promote social distancing with stickers on the ground so that people know where to stand while waiting in line. 

 

Make sure that your social media platforms and website are up-to-date. Each new holiday deal and promotion should be updated so that customers are aware of what to expect. 

 

Promotional Products and Gift Giving

Small Business Saturday, Black Friday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day are some major upcoming dates. Get your promotional products and gifts ready for the season of giving.

 

Thanksgiving

Show clients, employees, and customers that you are thankful for them. If you run a small business, a simple handwritten thank-you card will make their day.

 

If your business gives out turkey or ham for the holidays, consider handing out kitchen thermometers to go along with it.

 

Small Business Saturday and Black Friday

These two days are some of the biggest shopping days of the year. Get customers into your store or on your website on these busy days with promotional products. 

 

There are so many places to choose from, so give people a reason to support your business. Offer customers a branded tote bag or blanket with their $75 purchase. 

 

Holiday Parties

It is almost the time of year when companies hold employee holiday parties. This year may be different for these parties due to COVID-19. Find unique ways to still show your employees you appreciate them. 

 

Figuring out holiday gift ideas for employees is difficult. Think about each of your employees’ personalities because everyone is motivated by something different. Take into account the season you are in. Gift a fall scented candle or personalized thermos. 

 

Planning for the Holidays

Set goals that your business wants to meet by the end of the 2020 holiday season. Put thought into your marketing, promotional products, gifts, and planning. 

 

Skylight Creative Ideas hopes that you enjoy the holiday season! We are a full-service promotional products company and have been a leader in the industry since 1977. Our goal is to provide innovative ideas, top-notch customer service, and quality products to help our clients meet and exceed their marketing and branding objectives. 

 

If you have questions about getting ready for the holidays or want to learn more about Skylight Creative Ideas, call us at 410.879.8401 or contact us on the website.

How to Use Branded Products to Raise Money for a Cause

Raising money for a cause is a lot of work. Set a goal and end date that your organization or business wants to meet. Decide what fundraising efforts worked best in the past, and leverage them.

 

 

If you are looking for fundraising ideas for your college or high school, check out our blog post. There are various other causes to raise money for including breast cancer awareness month, local animal shelters, and environmental help. 

 

Use branded products to raise money for a cause. Here are a few fundraising ideas to get your organization or business started. 

 

Donations

Your organization has the option to give out branded products for free with a donation. Make it a set donation amount (ex.: Free t-shirt with a $20 donation). You can also just ask for any donation amount, where people might donate well over $20. 

 

Set up tables asking for donations for your branded products at popular local events and festivals. Ask if any businesses or restaurants want to partner up with your organization and allow you to raise money with your promotional products.

 

Giveaways

If your organization has a connection to a sports team or arena, ask them if you can sponsor a giveaway. Choose from high school, college, and pro leagues depending on your budget. The giveaway could be at the entrance of the game enticing fans to come into the game earlier, or they can be thrown out during timeouts. 

 

Popular ideas for this giveaway include customized t-shirts, sports-themed stress relievers, and drawstring bags. 

 

Although this is not a direct donation to your cause, it gets people interested in what you stand for. Your giveaway grabs people’s attention so they check out your website, follow your social media, and eventually donate to the cause. Your organization can also have people around the events talking about the cause and collecting donations.

 

Raffles

Raffles are quick money makers for causes. They take a lot of planning but are typically very successful. Raffles usually include baskets filled with branded products, tickets to local events, and gift cards. Run your raffles as a silent auction or with raffle tickets. 

 

Add in products to the baskets that people will want to spend their money on. Some great ideas include stainless steel water bottles, hoodies, and hats. 

 

Choose the Right Products for Your Target Audience

There are always new ways to raise money for important causes, so continue to research and try new ideas. Keep donors interested by changing up your annual fundraising efforts.

 

Skylight Creative Ideas is a full-service promotional products company and has been a leader in the industry since 1977. Our goal is to provide innovative ideas, top-notch customer service, and quality products to help our clients meet and exceed their goals. 

 

If you have questions or want to learn more about Skylight Creative Ideas, call us at 410.879.8401 or contact us on the website.

4 Types of Desk Organization

Working from home or in an office cubicle? Desk organization keeps your daily tasks running smoothly. Follow these four types of desk organization to keep your space clean–no matter where you are working from. 

Project and Task Organization

Avoid placing sticky notes all over your desk and office as reminders. This clutters the space, and people forget to look at them, anyway. Instead, use Google Sheets or Excel for your daily tasks and other projects. Here, you can prioritize everything that needs to be done. Give each item a due date so you stay on track. If you would rather handwriting everything, use a weekly organizer to plan down to the minute. 

Use a calendar for major projects, events, and meetings. A desk calendar or calendar pinned to the wall gives you easy writing access. Calendars are useful to glance at for the date when signing important documents.

Paper and Office Tool Organization

Sometimes organization tools are necessary for all the paper, pencils, and other office tools you have lying around. For on top of your desk, a small desk caddy is perfect to place your writing utensils, pushpins, and paper clips. An organization box has compartments to keep a cell phone, spare change, and other private belongings. 

Many times desk drawers get overlooked because the inside materials are hidden when closed. Steer clear from a messy “junk drawer” with an expandable drawer organizer. Keep important papers from getting lost or ruined with an accordion ring binder. 

It is easy to misplace items when traveling often or working in the office a few times a week. Keep your laptop and other materials in one place with a laptop travel backpack. Stay charged while on the go with a USB cord connected to the port. 

Electronic Organization

Cables and wires typically get out of hand around office desks with the many electronics. Stay organized and minimize the number of tangled materials. First, use fewer wires by going wireless with these items. 

• Wireless phone chargers

• Wireless mouse

• Wireless keyboard

• Wireless earbuds

A 3-in-1 charger will keep all your batteries fully charged. Easily organize the rest of the cables left with a cable organizer. The unique design allows you to use a large range of cables. The magnetic base and clips make it simple to return the cables to the correct position.

Desktop and Laptop Organization

Have you ever spent a long time trying to find a file on your desktop? While less paper keeps your physical desk more organized, sometimes your virtual files get messy. Spend a day organizing your folders and files. You must continue to coordinate so that this never happens again. 

Give each file a name easy to search. Name folders consistently. Everyone has a different method that works best for them, so take some time to figure yours out. Consider organizing folders by year, topic, or client. 

Stay Organized

Your desk organization will keep you productive throughout the workweek. If you are looking for more desk organization items, head to our website. 

Questions about Skylight Creative Ideas? Call us at 410.879.8401 or contact us on the website.