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Fundraising

Most Important Thing About any Fundraiser

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We are often asked what the most important part is to our unique fundraiser.  While we do supply customized tools to help make it easier to promote your project, the bottom line is if you don’t TALK TO YOUR PATRONS or donors then odds are your campaign will not succeed.  Sending out emails is awesome. Posting one of our custom images on Social Media is helpful.  Dropping a letter in the mail is a good idea.  List it on your website, share with local news media and the list goes on but if you don’t pick up a phone or stop by to actually talk with folks then odds are your fundraising campaign will never get off the ground.

So please…

…talk to your patrons.

…let them know you appreciate them.

…ask them for their support.

…ask them for a referral.

The bottom line is if you want to see any fundraising campaign succeed you will need to communicate with folks one on one.

Practice Fundraising

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It seriously takes practice to become a good fundraiser.  For some people the process of “fundraising” may come more natural but everyone needs to do a few things to become more effective.  Here are a few quick suggestions.

1. Read. Read. Then read some more.  Find good books to help you learn and expand your skills.  Some may be more topical to your organization and others may be about general fundraising principles.  The big thing is to just read.

2. Attend seminars and classes to learn more about fundraising.

3. Travel with or listen in on a phone call while someone else in your organization talks with a patron.

4. Find marketing materials like that from Real Souvenir Publishing that works to make your fundraising flow better.

No matter what you do, don’t stop learning.  Be prepared to expand your horizon and in the long run expand your success in fundraisers for your organization.

Put Your Town or Village on a Deck of Cards

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Playing cards are a great way to celebrate your town or village and we can help you do it with our Real Souvenir Playing Cards. Each card in the deck is made the way souvenir cards used to be…with fun pictures on each card face.

In more recent years people have moved to cheap, marketing decks that offer no real collectible value.  They usually throw a logo on the card back and then keep the faces all the same. Then they sell the decks for $3 or $4 and include them in a clear plastic box or even worse, a generic white or gold tuck box.  Here at Real Souvenir Publishing we like to do it right.  Not only creating a collectible, but creating a fundraiser that can help your organization raise funds.

Why Try a New Fundraising Idea?

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Often times the most difficult part of any organization is getting the board or trustees to agree on any one thing. Fundraising is no different. Many times your group is burned out, tired and stretched to the max. Trying something new just adds to the frustration and often times gets little or no results. This is why getting your own deck of playing cards is not only a good idea for your group, but an easier endeavor for your board!

Why is it easier?

We provide the know how and help to make your fundraising campaign a success. Along with forms, art and information to make your campaign successful we provide the expertise in getting a quality deck of playing cards for your organization.  Not to mention the ability to raise the funds to pay for printing your deck.

Why playing cards?

Over the past several years we all have seen playing cards take a HUGE resurgence in popularity of getting “unplugged” and playing cards. While the latest craze may change card games like poker (Texas Hold ‘Em), pinochle, spades, whist, euchre, canasta and so many others always seem to stay fashionable.

So if your group hates “new ideas” then we must admit that this fund raiser is probably not for you. If however your organization is burned out on the same old thing why not try something different. Get your own deck of Real Souvenir playing cards that highlights your organization or group.

History is Not Cheap

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Often times folks in the community don’t understand how much it cost to keep their local, state or county “history center” alive.  While public funds may be available for some of the larger organizations they still often times need to subsidize funds to be able to pay for expansion, projects or even the next display.  When it comes to small city, town or village history centers they often struggle to find funds and live from small fundraiser to small fundraiser.  If it wasn’t for the volunteers who poor their lives in to these local history centers much of their local history would be lost at a flea market or sold on an online auction where no one knows anything about it.

Here at Real Souvenir Publishing, we recognize the importance of helping you highlight your organization while trying to have successful fundraising campaigns.  We know many organizations struggle to make ends meet!  So what we’ve done is create a unique, trademark fundraising program that helps any size organization create their own “creative collectible”.  While we can’t do the fundraising in your community ourselves, we do what we can to help you look professional, keep organized, invite sponsors, get your own deck of souvenir cards or collectible and then sell them to your sponsors, patrons and community to raise the much needed funds you so require.

Population 500 or More Suggested

Populations 500+

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After years of experience we have learned that the history centers with a population of 500 to 30,000 tend to be the ones that are the most successful with our fundraising program. While we have had a few with populations of less than 500 and quite a few with more than 30,000 we have learned that those who tend to be in this margin are able to not only get their sponsors faster, but are able to sell the decks faster afterwards.

If you would like more information about doing your own deck of cards please contact us.

Special Event Fundraiser

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Do you have a special anniversary, season, or event coming up in your community or with your non-profit? Why not create a collectible deck of playing cards for your local event? It can be a local festival, carnival, fair or any type of event can be a great reason to create a piece of history for your organization. Something that allows you to not only raise funds, but it allows you to get your own “creative collectible” for your community or organization.  We have the plans to help you not only do the fundraising but get the deck printed so you can sell them in your community or at the event.

We Make History Fun

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We so LOVE working with history centers! Not only because we love history, but because it is so cool seeing all of the history that is being captured through the various decks of cards we have created. From historical and genealogical societies, museums and preservation organizations to chambers of commerce and business associations. Some of these groups work with each other and share the proceeds raised. The choice is up to you.

One thing we do know is that a decks of cards can cross all age barriers. From children to adults. There are so many things that various ages do with a deck of cards…which is why we believe that when we help you get a deck of cards we are “making history fun” for all ages.

Tired of Same Old Fundraisers?

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Are you looking for a different type of fundraiser? Are you tired of fundraising ideas that don’t do as well as you wish? Please understand, we’re not saying all other types of fundraisers are bad, we’re just saying it’s time for not only something that is fresh, but something that is VERY popular. Something that crosses ALL age barriers without rotting out your teeth. Something that can not only help raise much needed funds, but create an acute awareness of your organization. Something that is both fun and educational. Customized playing cards.

Over the past several years we all have seen playing cards take a HUGE resurgence in popularity. From the poker games like Texas Hold ‘Em to traditional card games like Spades, Pinochle, Euchre, Canasta and many others.

This is your chance to not only catch the craze, but to create an awesome deck of cards for your non-profit…with little or no money out of your budget!

Featured Fundraiser

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Way back in 2005 our small company set out on a mission to create a unique deck of cards for the Circleville, Ohio community.  Our goal was to create a deck modeled after an 1898 deck of souvenir playing cards that our owner had in his collection.  In our minds we thought people would like a deck with unique card faces better than a deck with normal card faces.  The deck was created and as we thought, PEOPLE LOVED THE DECK!  It was sold during the annual festival in town called the Circleville Pumpkin Show.  After selling out of the initial batch we ordered more to keep up with demand.

Shortly after the Pumpkin Show we were contacted the Pickerington Historical Society to help them create a deck for their organization.  It was at this time we started to develop our trademark fundraising that has now helped hundreds of history centers, Main Street associations, etc. create their own deck of Real Souvenir Playing Cards. 

Back at the time of this article decks would retail between $8-12 to the general public with each organization deciding where they want to set the price.

The article here was published in the Museums and More magazine way back when all the craze started.

Historical Society Playing Card Article
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