Hello In Stitches Family,
Raffle baskets are everywhere this time of year. You’ll find them at fundraisers, school events, benefits, holiday parties, community events, and business giveaways.
But there’s a big difference between throwing a few items into a basket and creating a raffle prize that makes people say, “I want THAT one!”
At In Stitches Embroidery & Patch, we get a lot of requests for raffle and gift basket items, both for baskets we help create and for clients building their own. Along the way, we’ve learned a few tricks for putting together a great gift basket.
Start With a Gift Basket Theme
One of the easiest ways to make a gift basket feel intentional is to start with a theme.
Instead of choosing a handful of unrelated items, decide who your basket is for or what experience you want it to create.
Some easy raffle basket themes include:
- Local favorites
- Game day
- Coffee lover
- Outdoor adventure
- Employee appreciation
- New employee welcome
- Customer thank you
- School spirit
- Company or organization swag
Once you have a theme, choosing the individual items gets a whole lot easier.
Choose Gift Basket Items That Work for Almost Anyone
The tricky part about a raffle basket is that you usually don’t know who will win it.
That makes versatile items your friend!
Tumblers, coffee mugs, hats, tote bags, blankets, coolers, and other promotional products can work for a wide variety of people. They’re useful, easy to incorporate into a theme, and can be customized with a company, team, school, or organization logo.
What about clothing?
You can definitely include it, but we have one particular recommendation.
Choose a vest!
Vests tend to be more size-friendly than T-shirts, sweatshirts, polos, or jackets. Since the fit is a little more forgiving, they’re a great apparel option when you don’t know who will ultimately take the basket home.
Add a Variety of Items
Part of the fun of winning a gift basket is looking through everything inside.
Instead of filling your basket with several versions of the same thing, mix it up. Pair an embroidered hat with a tumbler, blanket, bag, mug, or piece of apparel.
You can also use your basket as an opportunity to support other local businesses. Add a gift card to a favorite restaurant, locally roasted coffee, snacks, handmade products, or other items from businesses in your community.
Now your basket has variety AND a little local flavor.
Your Gift Basket Doesn’t Need a Basket
Here’s another tip: skip the actual basket!
The container can be part of the prize.
A branded tote bag, cooler, bucket, or reusable bag can hold everything while giving the winner one more item they can actually use.
Add some tissue paper or filler, arrange your products so the best items and logos are visible, and you’re ready to go.
It’s an easy way to make your raffle basket look more polished without adding something that will simply get thrown away later.
Use Custom Promotional Products to Make Your Basket Stand Out
If you’re creating a raffle basket on behalf of your business, don’t miss the opportunity to include a few branded items.
The goal isn’t to turn your basket into one giant advertisement. Choose promotional products people will genuinely want to keep and use.
At In Stitches Embroidery & Patch, we can help with embroidered apparel and hats, drinkware, bags, blankets, promotional products, and plenty of other options. We can also help you decide which products make sense for your theme and budget.
Need Help Building Your Next Raffle Basket?
You don’t have to figure it all out yourself.
Tell us what the basket is for, who it’s for, and what you’d like to spend. We’ll help you find items that work well together and create a gift basket that represents your business while still being something people are excited to win.
Whether you need one standout item or help putting together the whole idea, In Stitches Embroidery & Patch is here to help.
Give us a call or contact us to start planning your next raffle, fundraiser, giveaway, or gift basket.
And we’d love to know: What’s the best thing you’ve ever found inside a gift basket?