To help answer this common question about whether or not you need to get a Gambling License, we went to directly to the source and have copied and pasted excerpts right from representatives of the AGCO (Alcohol & Gaming Commission of Ontario). That way we know we are giving you the right info! Keep in mind, that that you should definitely cross reference our advice with their website, as the information you are about to read was the most current that we knew about, at the time of writing the article (March 2019). This is just advice that we are giving you here, but it would be wise to double check things to ensure you are doing everything by the book.
To be quite frank here, if everyone followed the AGCO’s rules perfectly, most halls would be out of business, and we would also be out of business!! We believe you just have to be creative with how you do things. Basically they do not like to see actual cash out at each game as they do not want people winning money. We have been told that one idea is to instead sell raffle tickets at the front door as your guests enter, and they can use these raffle tickets to “gamble” with at the games.
They can give a raffle ticket to the person running the Golf Putt Challenge game for example vs. actual money and get a shot at it. Just like they do when you go to a town fair – you give them money, they give you game tickets, and that is how you play their games. The other way around things from what we have heard, is to not give away money as a prize, but instead an actual tangible prize. If it is donated then even better!
One other important thing to note, is that they say Games of Skill are good but Games of Chance are bad. So games like Hockey Shootout, Hole in One, Bra Pong, Bean Bag Toss – these all requires skill. Other games like the Wheels and Plinko are all won by chance. With that said, the Crown & Anchor and Plinko, are our most popular rentals, so figure that one out!
A spokesperson from the AGCO was quoted saying that Games of Skill are acceptable as well as a few other ideas:
As for games of chance and 50-50 tickets, she said people holding a stag and doe can try different ones (games of skill are allowed) or an auction, or simply charge more for tickets.
So that is why it is important to ask the hall if they have a gambling license because then you are permitted to run raffles. In this article, they are quoted saying that there are 5 ways to make money at your fundraiser:
– Ticket Sales – Donations – Silent Auctions – get prizes donated, but no liquor bottles. You can get LCBO or Beer Store gift certificates and have people write their bids down on a piece of paper. Try to get the Bride’s side bidding against the Groom’s side to increase the bid amounts – Live Auction (same as above except with a lively auctioneer!) – Games of Skill – not chance (putting contests, scoring contests, nailing the log, guessing how many jelly beans in a jar etc.) and then all of the funds raised through these methods go directly to the Bride and Groom
So now that we have cleared that all up for you, are things clear as mud now?!
Trying to figure out how many cases of Drinks to buy for your Fundraiser is certainly a huge task to take on – You don’t want too little, and don’t want too much! On average, each guest may drink 2 to 4 drinks, so you can use this number to judge how many drinks to buy. All of our rolls of Drink Tickets come in rolls of 1000. We will estimate that 30% of them are beer drinkers, 40% of them are mixed drink drinkers, 10% are wine drinkers, and 20% of them are non-alcoholic drinkers (pop/water) – so let’s say 10% will just drink pop, and 10% will just drink water.
Knowing this will also help you decide how many cups to purchase. Does that help? Of course, this is just a guide and you will know your crowd the best. We strongly advise you to buy MORE than you need, as things are fairly easy to return. Just advise your bartenders NOT to open up everything in the bar, and only open the case when its ready to use.
The Formula
So we have a formula for you! Just follow this formula, and it will help guide you to decide how many drinks to purchase ahead of time. Some people will have 6 drinks, others will have 1. We are using an estimate of 4 per person to simplify things, and encourage you to do the same. It is probably more like 2-3, but we have inflated it, because is easy to return later on if you purchased too many.
Beer
Take the number of people expected to come x 0.3 (30% of guests drink beer) x 4 (4 drinks per person) / 24 (number of beers per case) = number of cases of 24 beers to buy. If you are using 3 kinds of beer, take that number and divide it buy 3 so you know how many of each brand of beer to buy (assuming you think people will drink all equally). Change this to 28 if you buy cases of 28.
ie) 150 expected to come x 0.3 = 45 people will drink beer 45 people x 4 drinks each = 180 beers to buy 180 beers / 24 per case = 7.5 cases to buy in total 7.5 cases / 3 brands = 3 cases of 24 beers, of EACH brand to buy
Hard Liquor
Take the number of people expected to come x 0.4 (40% of guests drink beer) x 4 (4 drinks per person) = number of people who will have mixed drinks. Give this number to the LCBO and they will advise you how many bottles of each to get – they are the experts in this area!
ie) 150 people expected x 0.4 = 60 people will drink mixed drinks 60 people x 4 per person = 240 mixed drinks will need to be made Now give this number to the LCBO and they will direct you on what to buy
Mixers for Hard Liquor
Take number above from Hard Liquor and divide it by the number of mixers you want (usually gingerale, coke, cranberry juice, orange juice) assuming you think it will be equal amounts. So in this case you would divide that number by 4, and this will tell you how many people will be drinking each type of mixer. We will call this “X”. Then look at how many millilitres of mixer would be added to each cup, and multiply that by X, then divide that by how many millilitres are in each bottle/carton. This will tell you how many bottles or cartons to buy of EACH mixer.
ie) 240 (number from above which was how many mixed drinks to be made) Take that number of 240 / 4 types of mixers = 60 people will be drinking a mixed drink 50ml of mixer will be added to each drink x 60 people = 3000 ml is needed in total of mixers 3000ml needed in total of mixers / 1000 (each bottle has 1000ml) = 3 bottles So 3 bottles of EACH mixer is what you need to buy
Wine
Take the number of people attending and multiply it by 0.1 (10% of guests will drink wine only) x 4 (4 drinks per person) = number of glasses of wine to pour in total. Assuming that your guests will equally enjoy red and white, divide this number by 2 to find out how many glasses of wine you will need to put for red AND white. You should really just stick with super generic brands that will appeal to the most amount of people. Make sure to have a white AND red option, but don’t have any more than the two to choose from. Buying boxed wine is the easiest to work with, and the cheapest for you in the long run.
ie) 150 people expected to come x 0.1 = 15 people will be wine drinkers 15 people x 4 drinks per person = 60 drinks of wine to be served 60 drinks / 2 types of wine = 30 red to be served, 30 white to be served Take this number to the LCBO and they will help you decide which one to get
Pop
Take the number of people expected to come x 0.1 (10% of guests will drink pop only) x 4 (4 drinks per person) = number of cans to buy for people just drinking pop. If you have 3 types of pop, then take that number and divide by 3 and this will tell you how many people will be drinking each kind of pop. Remember to add this number to whatever you got from the previous calculation.
ie) 150 people expected to come x 0.1 = 15 people will drink pop 15 people drinking pop x 4 drinks per person = 60 cans of pop to buy 60 cans of pop / 3 types of pop = 20 cans of each type of pop to buy for people ONLY drinking pop. This doesn't include the mixers so add that number to this one.
Water
Take the number of people expected to come x 0.1 (10% of guests will drink water bottles only) x 4 (4 drinks per person) = number of bottles to buy for people just drinking pop. Take this number and divide it by how many bottles are in a case, and that is how many cases of water you should buy. We think Costco sells them in cases of 30 which is the best bang for your buck!
ie) 150 people expected to come x 0.1 = 15 people will drink water 15 people drinking water x 4 bottles per person = 60 bottles needed 60 bottles / 30 per case = 2 cases to buy
Buy Extra!
Isn’t math fun?! Confused? Don’t be! It is fairly straight forward, just get your calculator out and take good notes. Now whatever you just learned in this above example, add a few on of each!! If you buy too much, just keep your receipts and return the extra pop cases you bought, or juice cartons you bought. Just ensure that they are still sealed. The LCBO and Beer Store will allow returns under some conditions. The AGCO Website says:
When returning unopened alcohol purchased from a government store, you must produce the permit and a copy of your payment records (e.g. receipts and/or invoices). Check with the retailer at which you purchased the alcohol for further details.
Typically, The Beer Store will allow up to 20% of the beer you purchased to be returned, as long as it is a perforated case (not glued), you have your Special Occasions Permit with you, the seals of the case are not broken, and it is a full case that is unopened. The LCBO will allow returns as long as you have your receipt and it can be a saleable item again (not used).
Also one quick note, is we recommend to have a table near the bar off to the side, which has plastic cups and a jug of water. That way the bartender won’t be overwhelmed with orders like this, when people can just do this themselves! Shortens the line a bit and gives them a break. All you have to do is put someone on water duty to ensure it is always full!
We understand that many people, despite the regulations, still share their event with anybody who will listen – so with the general public. Something like – “Please invite your family and friends to attend my event” is a big no-no. Advertising Fundraisers through social media is technically not allowed unless you do so following their guidelines. Advertising with a Facebook group is allowed though as long as it is NOT open for the public to see. Taken directly from the AGCO website, they said this:
Acceptable forms of notification may include social media (not available for viewing by the general public, must be a personal guest list), private invitation, etc.
They recommend to keep a list of ALL people who bought a ticket, and ALL people who said they will buy their ticket at the door. It cannot be advertised to the public and instead seen as an invite only event. So just ensure your settings are accurate when setting up a Facebook Event, and you are good to go! Most newspapers now know not to allow advertisements related to Fundraisers because of some legislation that went through in 2013.
It can be overwhelming to understand how to run a Casino Night Fundraiser, especially if you have not done this before, or if you don’t gamble! If you are using actual money on the tables to bet with, then this section does not apply to you! If you were thinking of providing people with chips as they enter the hall, then you are in the right place.
Many people think that giving people a stack of 100 chips each is an excellent idea. And in theory, it makes sense. But logistically it is a nightmare. Carrying around a bunch of chips is not easy – you can put them in your pockets, or put them in a cup and carry them around, but it is not so simple. Plus have you considered how many chips you would need to rent from us? Even if you wanted 50 per person… if you have 100 people coming, that is 5,000 chips so you would have to rent 17 cases of chips from us costing you around $190 just in chips!
Plus what are the chances that all 5,000 chips will make its way back into the cases before the night is done? VERY SLIM! Which means more charges for you. Let us show you an easier way.
Our recommendation:
Instead give everyone ONE Poker Chip as they enter, or you can use ONE Raffle Ticket. This chip or ticket will be a different colour than anything else there at your event so no cheating can take place. They will take this chip or ticket to a PitBoss or someone that you have nominated in charge of this, and exchange this in for maybe 10 chips. These chips would be a high denomination of black and red lets say, rather than 50 white chips. If you use our Dealers and Pit Bosses, you will appreciate the fact that they will take care of this exchange of chips and tickets on your behalf and figure out how much to give each person.
Your guest will take one of these higher denomination chips and exchange them for smaller denomination of chips at the actual Casino Tables when they are ready to play. When they are done playing, the Dealer will exchange them back in for higher denomination chips so again they are not carrying around 50-100 chips each. Make sense?
At the end of the night, you need to make sure that people return their remaining chips back to the Dealers and do not go home with them (or you will incur charges!). A way to encourage this, is to have people exchange their remaining chips in for Raffle Tickets. The more chips they have, the more Raffle Tickets they get, thus encouraging them to do well at the Fundraiser too! They can take these Raffle Tickets and rip them in half. They will keep one half of the ticket and put the other half in a Raffle Drum. Spin the Raffle Drum and draw a ticket out, and this person will win a Prize that you have picked out.
Makes sense? We think so. So this is how we run things when you use our Dealers, and if you don’t use our Dealers, we recommend you still adopt this method. When booking one of our Casino Night Packages, we send you your invoice detailing what you ordered. There will be a link there to help you decide how to run your night, and will give you tips on whether to use blue chips or monopoly money.
When we take the Security Deposit on your credit card, your bank holds back that amount from your credit limit for 7 days. We do not actually touch it or have anything to do with releasing it, as it is all automatic.
If the bank does not hear from us about any charges, then they take care of releasing the money back to you on their own. If you return damaged items or you lose something, then your card will be charged the amount that Jack of all Spades deems fair, and the bank will release the remainder back to you.
When you choose a hall, they may have a bartender who manages their own sale of drinks, or they may allow you to bring in your own drinks and serve it. We would say that for a Fundraiser, people do tend to run their own bars. If your event is more of a Birthday party for example where you have staff waiting on you, entertainment paid for, etc., then have the hall also take care of this. But at Fundraisers, it is common to see the volunteers running around like a chicken with their heads cut off, because the whole point is to make money, and therefore do things yourself! You gotta put in the man hours to see the payoff. Below we will break it down for you, so that you can decide which option suits you best.
Hall Runs Bar
Let us assume that the hall is running the bar, and they charge $4 per drink. You can charge $5 per drink, so that you still make $1 off each beer sold. In most cases the hall runs the bar, so make sure they have a good variety of alcohol in stock. Generally, the hall rental will be much cheaper if they supply the alcohol since this will create more income for the hall. This can save you a ton of headaches as you do not have to worry about purchasing the alcohol in advance, transporting it there, finding people to run the bar with you, ensure they have their Smart Serve, etc.
You Run your Own Bar
If you run your bar instead and charged $5 per drink, the profit is much higher as the beer probably only cost you $2 from the case – however like we mentioned, there is a lot more to it! You have to take into account the cost of straws, beer cups, ice, bartenders, Permit to sell alcohol, etc. Running your own bar will include more work and more initial investment, not to mention liabilities. Make sure that you aware of your city by-laws as well. Have someone you trust serve the drinks who is Smart Served, or you can have a buddy obtain their Smart Serve Certification online for $34.95+tax.
So What does Jack of all Spades Recommend?
Should I run my own bar or get the hall to run the bar? Such a common question we get! If you are expecting a drinking crowd, then you will want to run the bar yourself as the profits are enticing. But if you don’t want the hassle and money might not be your driving force, then have the hall run the bar on your behalf. Your choice!
Here is a a quote from a spokesperson representing the AGCO (Alcohol & Gaming Commission of Ontario):
“If someone wants to have a party, the private event [Special Occasions Permit] allows them to serve alcohol at a location where there is no permit. …Alcohol can be sold, but not to make a profit, or it can be served at no charge. Because the event is private, it cannot be advertised. …If the facility does have a permit …the event may be advertised, and alcohol may be sold at a profit since it’s being served by trained staff.”
In this article, she was also quoted saying:
A public event with a special occasion permit, often run by a charity, not for profit organization or religious group, can advertise and profit from the sale of alcohol, with the intent of putting the proceeds back into the community for projects or programs. However, a buck and doe falls under the category of private event, where no advertising is allowed and alcohol isn’t meant to be a money maker.
We have heard some say that the AGCO recommends that when it comes to alcohol sales, permit holders can’t make a profit. Instead, permit holders will have to come up with an expense sheet outlining how their alcohol revenue will ONLY cover their expenses.
Bringing along Food for Fundraisers is a daunting task as there are so many mouths to feed! You can bring your own food to the hall, use the caterer at the hall, or find your own caterer. Nobody expects you to make everything, so do not be afraid to ask people to help prepare the food and have a sort of pot luck. Lots of people may offer you help but not know how to help. Ask them to bring an appetizer or even better – give them a few options to choose from.
Some great party food suggestions are: pizza, cracker and cheese trays, deli sandwiches (although these can be a lot of work and money), vegetable trays, fruit trays, potato salad, etc. Try to get foods that you can prepare before hand; do not have to be heated up when you get there; and that are easy for cleanup too. Use disposable containers or foil pans as you have zero clean up when done! Bring lots of tupperware so that you can make some take-home meals for people who could use it, assuming you have lots of food left at the end of the night. You might even want to consider Roma Pizza, as you do not have to worry about ordering hot pizza to be delivered at a certain time, and this pizza is amazing! Just pick it up from their Barton Street location in Hamilton the day of.
We see a big trend in pig roasts and pulled pork – we are confused by this. That is expensive! Your guests will be just as happy to have some cheaper options that don’t include meat which will cost you an arm and a leg. Plus with all the vegans and vegetarians taking over the world, you don’t want to neglect their needs. 🙂
Whatever you do, do not appear “chintzy.” The days of chips, cheesies, and pop won’t cut it on their own! Buy several different munchies that you can put around on the tables, as you may not serve dinner/snacks for a couple of hours, and you want to keep your guests happy while they are there. Encourage people to stay by having a good variety of foods. We are huge fans of Costco’s Chicago Mix – a huge crowd pleaser and it will make them thirsty too.
Remember to also bring along enough plates, bowls, forks, spoons, knives, paper towels, napkins, etc. Sometimes people try to just serve finger foods so they don’t need any utensils. Many people forget about these small things until the week of – just keep your eyes open for sales and stock up! You can always return what you don’t open so hang onto the receipts.
Designate 1-2 people to be in charge of clearing the used plates and cutlery throughout the night to cut down on the time needed at the end of the night for cleanup. Designate someone else to refill chip bowls, and have several helpers in the kitchen to look after the food.
Find people who are outgoing, good in the field of sales, who are well liked and know lots of people, are not afraid to ask people for things to sell your admission tickets. You should get family members to sell to family members and their friends; friends to sell to their family and friends; coworkers to sell to coworkers and their friends, etc. Make a list of everyone you know, go through your phone contacts, go through your Facebook contacts, talk to neighbours, talk to coworkers, talk to people in your social circles at school, sporting events, or church. Keep talking and always have your tickets handy!!
You might want to put on the ticket itself, what the major door prize will be. That way if people have bought the ticket but are contemplating going, this will remind them of why they need to go!
Do not have just one person selling the tickets as this is a lot of pressure and not fair to them. Get many people selling them, as it is a lot of work and you will sell more this way. Do not count on people showing up at the door either just because you told them when it would be – always sell tickets in advance even if you are certain they will come. Many people will buy tickets just to show support, but will have no intention of going to the event.
You may want to consider using a ticket spreadsheet to keep track of who is selling which numbered tickets. Encourage as many people as possible to pay upfront, which will help prevent you from confirming an inaccurate number of guests with the hall. You might also want to offer everyone that buys a ticket, to be able to win a door prize, even if they are not there. So rip that admission ticket part off for the door prize, have them write their name and number on it, and set it aside for them. This will encourage people to buy tickets, and maybe more than one if the prize is good enough! Or sometimes people allow them to be part of one of the grand prizes, but offer the guests that actually show up the chance to win the “super grand prize” which will encourage everyone to come!
Some people offer a special rate for couples such as this: $10 for one person, or $15 per couple. We think that the spouse is going to come no matter what – it would be weird if you approached your aunt and she only purchased one ticket and not one for her husband. So if she is going to buy two anyhow, don’t offer a special rate. If you are in the Niagara region, the going rate is $5 per ticket. Once you get to Grimsby/Stoney Creek/Hamilton, the price is more like $10. Once you get to Burlington/Oakville, the price is more like $15 each. Don’t get us started on Toronto prices… but we see them closer to the $20 range. If you include a full dinner at a fancy hall, then feel free to charge more. We like the $10 price range – as it doesn’t scare people away!
First of all, let’s simplify things. Do not allow bets of nickels or dimes or quarters at games. This will eliminate having to have a separate float at each game, and to keep rolls of coins at each game. Instead just deal in loonies and toonies and bills. Keep it simple man!
At the front door when people enter, you will need a large float there to break people’s twenties because that is what most people will start with. Consider renting our Deluxe Cash Box as it separates all the change and bills effectively. You may have 10 people show up at once so you need to make it a smooth transition into the hall and take their money fast!
If you make the admission ticket price $12 for example, you will probably have to keep breaking people’s twenties over and over so plan to have a ton of change. If instead you made the admission price an even number like $5, $10, $15 or $20, this is more efficient and you will be less likely to make a calculation error.
As far as how much change to prepare for, we really cannot answer that as it depends on how many people you have coming, how much you are charging for games and drinks, etc. Money is money, so if you have too much “change” it is not as though it will go to waste. Worst case scenario is you bring your coins and bills back to the bank to exchange for bigger bills. You are already going to the bank to deposit the large sum of money you just made at your Fundraiser, so get way more than you are anticipating. You just trade it back in for bigger bills when you are done. Just ensure that the front door has a ton of change, and each person manning a game or selling raffle tickets or jello shooters will wear a Money Apron, so they too will need a small float. Throughout the night they can get more change if they run out from the front door people who carry a larger float. You will want them to empty out the money collected thus far too, to minimize the amount of cash being carried around and possibly lost! In addition, empty out the Cash Box throughout the night and keep it somewhere safe. If you are collecting thousands or tens of thousands of dollars throughout the night, your Cash Box will be overflowing!
If you are playing a Toonie Toss game, you CAN reuse the toonies, so don’t go crazy on having TONS of toonie change. People never think of this!
First let us apologize for the picture. It was just too cute to not post here! We certainly do not recommend you to beg lol. But you are probably wondering how to get Donations, and we have some great tips.
This is a tricky task – it can be hard to ask for free stuff sometimes, but you have to do it! A party is not a party without prizes! It is imperative that you understand how to get Donations for Fundraisers. Do not be afraid to ask people! Think about what kind of donations would best suit your event’s needs. If this party is for a couple in their early 30’s, chances are there will be many couples there in the same age group, so choose age appropriate gifts. A gift card to Laser Tag is probably not going to excite too many people unless they have children nor will it encourage them to pay for a game as a way to win this prize.
So if you are using Prizes when someone wins a game, make sure it will be worth their while to play the game. You can match themes too – so for a Golf Game, you can have the prize be golf or sports related.
How to Start the Donation Process
Create a list of friends, family, and co-workers who may be able to provide donations for your event – those who may own their own business or hold a management role.
Write a list of everyone you know that have a small network marketing business (Avon, Arbonne, Scentsy, DoTerra, etc)
Next make a list of local businesses that you hope can provide you with gift certificates or free stuff, and that you think your guests would like to bet on.
Make it a team effort and get all of your committee members to help.
Who is Donating?
We could give you a list, but this list is forever changing. What might have worked for one person, won’t work for the next.
Companies have a certain amount to give out each year, so if you are coming to them in September, they probably have already met their quota and won’t be able to help you.
With that said, there are some tried and true companies that seem to never run out of donations:
Splitsville in Hamilton, Steam Whistle in Toronto, Lazer Mania in Hamilton, Club 54 in Burlington, Ice Dogs in St. Catharines, Ray’s Reptiles in Hamilton, and Hooters in Niagara Falls religiously donate without a fight.
You can email Steam Whistle and they will mail the tickets to you!
You can try Molson if you are selling their beer – they usually donate some paraphernalia but not 100% of the time.
But in the Niagara region especially, we have many Stag & Doe Facebook pages that share these company names. What happens, is that 100 people read it that day, and then they all email that company. The company gets overwhelmed and shuts it down! This is why we say the list is forever changing.
One of the best ways to get donations is to ask a company where you you have an “in” – so you would ask for it in person at their place of business or by writing a professional letter.
Any mid-sized to large company may have to clear their donations through their head office with the use of your letter anyhow, so this is probably the best avenue.
You can also ask some network marketing companies, as they are often eager to sell their brand and get their name out.
You can attempt to try out some Wineries or smaller businesses that you frequent, such as your massage therapist.
You are better off talking to businesses, that YOU do business with. Get your committee members to help as well, as they will have special businesses that they do business with and might have a relationship with. That helps!
The Do’s and Don’ts of Asking for Donations
The Do’s
Go in person wherever possible!
Asking in person usually gets a better response than using the phone or email.
It puts people on the spot a little more and they are more likely to say yes, since it is so easy to type “sorry I cannot help you out”.
SMILE! Look happy and be positive. Make them remember you.
Always bring a typed letter for them, that has their company name printed on it – make it look like an official request.
Visit restaurants at a convenient time for them when they are able to get the manager. The best way to do it is WHILE you are eating there. Ask the manager to come to the table and hand them the letter in person. They want you to be happy so may comply on the spot!
You can always try some free online ads begging for help on some Facebook Stag & Doe pages or through Kijiji, but you won’t get too much of a response that way, since this method is totally overused and annoying for people to read over and over.
The Dont’s
Don’t facebook message everyone in your friends list asking… Nobody will respond! Especially if some of these people you NEVER talk to or maybe haven’t talked to in 10 years.
They will be offended that you are asking when you haven’t communicated with them in such a long time.
It will put people off, so only choose people who you have some sort of a relationship with, or maybe who YOU have helped in the past.
Don’t waste your time going to the mall and talking to the managers of places like LuLu Lemon or the Gap which are mostly corporately owned.
They won’t do squat for you!
Those types of companies only deal with super large fundraisers for the United Way as an example and get inundated with tons of donation requests, so they won’t have time for your tiny Stag & Doe. Sorry, but it’s the truth!
Don’t go restaurant to restaurant in a food court but instead go to stand alone restaurants that have franchisees – such as Boston Pizza or another one that you frequent
Don’t visit them at busy times when they are more likely to “shoo” you away.
What to do AFTER leaving the letter with them/emailing them?
Get the person’s name that you left your letter with and thank them for their time.
Make sure to follow up within 3 days of them receiving the letter, by saying – I am just checking in to see if the request has been reviewed as I am excited to see if you can help!
Do not leave voicemails, as they often will not be returned.
Just keep calling till you reach them, or ask when a better time would be to call back.
Make a list of all places you leave your letter with, who you left it with, the date it was, and if you followed up with them
Don’t hound them! Just be pleasantly persistent – its our favourite term to use
They said “YES”
Make sure to show your gratitude!
Make an announcement on your Facebook Event page about the new prize and get people excited about it
Make a sign with all the businesses that donated and hang this up at your Fundraiser.
Include business cards or print their logo on this sign
Show your appreciation as they don’t have to help you, they chose to help you.
They said “No”
If they refuse to help you with a free donation, you can always ask for this option instead: Some places will match what you buy – so if you buy a $50 gift card, they will give you a $50 gift card.
Another alternative is to ask for a discount on a service – so would you be willing to offer 50% off your Massage Services (this is IF they refuse to give you something for free).
If they say no – still thank them for their time! They don’t have to help you out, and are inundated with people asking the same things, so if they helped everyone, they would not be in business!
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