Fundraiser Mug Sales: An Introductory Guide
Sunset Hill Stoneware has an awesome fundraising program designed to make your organization money. Sports teams, clubs and many other groups have used their mugs to make money for what they do best. For the uninitiated, we’ve put together a list of the basics for everything you need to know about fundraiser mug sales and how they can make a difference for your group.
Why Stoneware Mug Fundraisers?
Stoneware coffee mugs add a “wow” factor that you simply won’t find with more traditional fundraisers. T-shirts can fade and turn into painting clothes in a matter of months. Even the highest quality chocolate bars money can buy have an appeal that lasts for the 30 seconds it takes the average person to eat them. Stoneware mugs, however, have a massive appeal and can last unscathed through years of daily use.
High-quality coffee mugs also come with an extra layer of team spirit. Sure, lots of products can have your logo on the packaging. They might even print it onto the product. Rarely will they set your logo in stone so it’ll never fade or chip.
Not to mention, unlike some types of fundraisers, stoneware mug sales allow you to sell your product ahead of time. Instead of having to cart a boxful of mugs around your neighborhood and ringing doorbells on a perfectly good Saturday, you can spread the word and pass around a sign-up sheet that allows your supporters to see what they’ll get. You may choose to purchase product ahead of your sale if you choose.
Why Now?
In theory, there’s never a wrong time to raise funds for your club or team. However, one of the best times to fundraise with stoneware comes during the winter.
While activities like winter sports, robotics and scholastic bowl are already underway, organizers of other activities and clubs are in the middle of the off-season. Many are starting to consider their budgets for the year. They may be running tight on funds already, with little support from outside organizations.
Running a mug fundraiser is an easy way for organizations of all types to make money without having to raise membership prices or cut back on what they love to do.
How Sunset Hill Stoneware’s Mug Fundraiser Program Works
We’ll take most of the work out of your fundraiser before it even happens. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect when you order fundraiser coffee mugs from Sunset Hill Stoneware:
1. Let us know you want to start a fundraiser
When you send us your team’s logo or mascot artwork, we’ll send you a mockup and an order form that you can pass out to your team and its supporters within a matter of days. This mockup is an artistic rendering from our graphic designer that captures all the details of what your team’s mugs will look like when they arrive at your door.
2. Choose your color and style
Our easiest option for your mug fundraiser offers three different unique shapes—the Potbelly, Renaissance Voyager and Wide Mouth. Among those, you can also choose from four different color options.
Don’t see your team or organization’s colors in our fundraiser program? No problem. We offer over 70 different colors and combinations you can choose for your fundraiser. Chances are, we can find a glaze that matches your team’s colors.
After you choose your color and mug style combination, we’ll get to work adapting your mascot or artwork onto a mockup. This not only captures every detail of what your mugs will look like once they arrive at your door, but it also allows you to presell them and generate hype. We’ll also put this artwork of your pottery mugs at the top of your order form, so your group’s supporters will know exactly what to expect from their order.
3. Get the word out
Once you receive your order forms, pass them out to your team and tell them everything we told you about why stoneware mugs are so great. Your sign-up sheet will allow your group’s supporters to order as many coffee mugs as they want or need. As long as your order includes at least 24 pieces, you can get as many mugs as you might need.
Not sure how to “sell” your fundraiser to your supporters? Check out our list of handy tips below.
4. Send the order form back to us online
After your order forms have made the rounds and you’ve reached the deadline you set, scan the form and send it back to us through email. Our team will send you an invoice for the number of pieces on your order form, then we’ll get to work on your mugs as soon as we can.
5. Let our potters work their magic
Once you send us your order, our artisans will get to work. Each of our potters is skilled and produces hundreds of custom coffee mugs every day at our production facility in Neenah, Wis. This handcrafted process using natural clay ensures craftsman quality that you and your supporters will be able to see and touch.
6. Receive a product that lasts a lifetime
Quality is the name of our game. It’s visible in the thumbprints on the bottom of your fundraiser mug’s handle and in the exact details of each medallion we create for you. Due to the nature of our processes, these mugs are durable and meant to last for years. Your organization’s supporters will not only be backing your efforts, but also getting a naturally collectible product that they can use for a lifetime.
A Few Tips for Your Fundraising Event
The biggest pointer that we can offer is to make sure you get the word out. Let everyone know about your mug fundraiser: friends, neighbors, family members, coworkers, that one guy in your neighborhood who gives out “free” self-help books before demanding donations. We mean everybody.
If you decide to offer your mugs as a pre-order, make sure they know what they’re getting. Tell them that the mug they’re ordering is made in the USA by skilled artisans. You might also let them know that Sunset Hill Stoneware’s mugs are safe to put in the microwave, dishwasher and even the oven, so it’s practically guaranteed to become their new favorite mug that they use every day.
On that note, make sure you price your mugs right. Typically, we recommend you set a price of $30 for each mug. That price will allow you to make $11.50 per piece–a much wider margin than what you’ll find with other types of fundraisers.
You might think that $30 sounds expensive for a coffee mug. However, the quality of these pieces commands a higher price point than the printed mugs you’ll find in big-box stores. Check out our detailed comparison on why our handmade mugs command a premium price with premium quality. Aside from having your logo or mascot set in stone with intricate detail, these pottery mugs are true works of art. No two are exactly alike, from the ridges on the inner walls that the potter leaves behind with their fingers to the drip lines on our two-tone glazes. They’re not only a great way to show support for your team, but also show that your supporters know quality when they see it.
It’s hard to go wrong with a mug fundraiser. To learn more or get started, check out more information on our fundraiser program today.