12+ Ways to Generate More Donations

Ask, and ask again

Photo by Jack Church on Unsplash.

Many of these ideas are free or nearly so. Each one can help drive more donations to your door. They are in no particiular order, choose what makes sense for your operation.

Here you will find a few easy low-pressure ways to ask. The key is always be asking.

Let me know what works for you.

Ways to generate more donations:

1. Ask your shoppers

This is so crazy obvious, it is often overlooked.

If you are struggling with enough shoes, have cashiers let shoppers know.

“Thanks for your shoe (or whatever the need) purchase, if you have any you aren’t wearing anymore we would love to find them a new home”

If you need more stuff in general:

“Thanks for your purchase, we could use more fresh items, if you have things you aren’t using anymore we would love to find them new homes.

(hand out a flier with what you do and do not take and donation hours)

In-store signage can also be a prompt. A shoe donation sign-in shoes, toys, games, and puzzles sign-in toys, and so on. Maybe rotate what sign(s) you use based on need.

2. Donations open today sign on the street

This simple reminder can add a few extra drop-offs in a day. It’s a way to jog a memory. Something like, Donation drop off open until XPM today. Some will circle back.

Professionally printed sandwich board types are great. Stick in the ground 3 by 5 signs will do the job too. They don’t cost much and can be reused over and over. Just be sure to pick them up at the end of the day. (check city reglations)

3. Give donors a needs list encouraging them to bring other items

Someone dropping stuff off is already helping out. Have the donation attendant mention one thing you need and give out a flier with what you take. Maybe you need more men’s clothing (pretty much a given), whatever it is, make that the ask.

“Thanks for your donation today, we could use more Men’s clothing (or whatever) if you have any to spare”. Or whatever your need is.

4. Provide excellent donor service and hours of operation

This goes to encourage repeat donors, a positive experience leads to more of them. Greeting people promptly, treating donated goods with respect, and having a personable attendant all make a difference.

A while back I was cleaning out a Great Aunt’s home after she passed. I was a thousand miles from home, by myself with a mountain of stuff to take care of.

On one of many drop off trips to a thrift operation the attendant stopped, touched my arm, looked me in the eye and said “are you OK?” I really wasn’t, but said I am fine. It was obvious I was cleaning out someone’s lifetime of stuff.

Her simple concern made all the difference in those tough days. You can probably guess where I took everything else I had to give away.

5. Announcements over the intercom

This is a simple no cost way to put an idea in your shoppers’ heads. Again, a more specific ask like shoes or men’s clothes will be more impactful.

6. Headline what donations you take or need on your website and social media

Let them know. Pretty much everyone has at least a basic website or Facebook page. Headline donations, what you need, how to donate, and why it’s important. It isn’t necessary to wait until the need is dire.

7. Run a Facebook/Instagram campaign

Post your biggest needs on social media and ask regular customers, employees, and supporters to like and share. It can be general and it can be category-specific. Always have a link to a page that lists what you do and do not take.

8. Engage your board and volunteers in generating donations.

Not-for-profit board members are already ambassadors for the cause. They are often good at fundraising, selling tickets to golf events, and things like that. How often do they talk about donating goods? Who do they know with influence in a market that could benefit the operation?

7. Temporary Drop boxes

Toys for Tots has this mastered. These are great around a theme, winter coats, toys, and so on. A corporate sponsor preferably with multiple locations or a large corporate office can run a campaign.

This is one of those things that board members can facilitate.

8. Hand out fliers at garage sales

Thrift stores already get lots of garage sale leftovers. Why not amp that up by having someone drop fliers all over the area at individual garage sales? The flier should have directions to the store, donation hours, and a list of what is and is not accepted.

If you are a not-for-profit mention your mission and that they can get a tax receipt.

9. Join neighborhood and community garage sales

Partner with the organizer to park a truck somewhere in the area on the last day of the sale. As people wrap up the sale they can just drop off their leftovers at the truck. Staff it well with plenty of boxes and supplies.

Signage about what you do and do not take as well as the mission you serve can be a big help.

This can be a great added value for the organizer. A free service that helps solve the problem of leftovers.

Maximize the effort and drop fliers at every participating home.

If they need sponsors, consider being one.

Be clear on what you do and do not take. If you don’t take furniture but another thrift shop or organization does consider partnering with them.

10. Connect with Junk pickup services and local movers and estate sale operators

In a previous role we had a great relationship with Junk Luggers, as the name implies, they pick up whatever from homes and businesses. They regularly brought stuff to our store rather than the landfill. Everyone won in that scenario.

11. Reach out to service groups, scouts, Rotary, and so on.

Savers/Value City is really good at this. I suggest anyone in need of more donations take a hard look at their program and use their ideas.

12. Fliers at local merchants

If you take furniture, for example, signs, fliers, and business cards at furniture stores can help their shoppers, and you solve a problem. They need stuff gone, and you need stuff.

This usually takes some relationship building and is a good thing to work on if you are an active chamber or service organization member. Otherwise, regular visits over time will crack open a door.

Sometimes a board member or regular volunteer has a connection that can open doors.

You never know, they might have stuff they have now that they want to get rid of.

13. Ask at mixers, presentations, and any time you speak about your organization.

Always connect the dots. Even if the speech is about the cause or mission, bring up donations and how they move the needle.

Chat donations up at a mixer, you never know who owns what, or has what. Mentioning how key donations are will generate a surprise from time to time. It might be a relative downsizing, a warehouse someone is cleaning out, or a storage unit that someone just wants to go away. You don’t know unless you ask.

“Who do you know…” can be a powerful opening line.

14. Pick up

Unless furniture, appliances, cabinetry or other large items are important to your operation I suggest you stay away from these. It can work but it’s expensive, complex and requires a long term commitment.

There are outside fee services that can be engaged to help if this is important. ReSupply Me is one of those, not endorsing, simply an example. I have used them and a growing number of thrift organizations are testing out this third-party concept.

I’m happy to connect directly about this, simply email me.

Some general notes:

Celebrate your cause in everything you do.

Most people are more worried about solving their problem of getting rid of stuff. A few are passionate about contributing to a mission, most are somewhere in between. Regularly telling them what cause you support will make it easier for them to choose you versus someone down the street.

Your employees are your best or worst ambassadors. Training them on how you help a cause and how the community can help makes a huge difference. Front-line staff interacts with the community, and arming them with knowledge and confidence will push your cause forward.

Don’t be shy on the ask. Ask everywhere, all the time.

Hopefully, since you got all the way to the end of this post, you found some value. If so please pass this blog along to someone else that will enjoy it!

Thanks for reading! ThriftRetailer

Since you are all the way to the bottom I’ll share with you that I have been gone for a while because I have been busy moving to a new city in Southwest Missouri from Chicagoland. I look forward to getting back into the habit of regular posts.