Whether you’re running a charity shop, a hospice or even just a one off fundraiser, spreading information about what you do is one of the best ways to ensure that you can actually start helping people – after all, if the community doesn’t know that you’re there (or why you’re there!) then the donations and support aren’t going to appear by magic.

Here are a few ideas for spreading awareness once you’ve set up your operation and want to ensure that it’s attracting as many people as possible.

Be Business Minded

If you’re running a charity for the public good then you might not naturally think like a marketer, however a lot of the techniques which businesses use to plug themselves can also be employed by those in the charity sector. So, think about how any organisation might try to promote itself and act accordingly! Here are a couple of ideas:

• – Be active on social media. This allows you to interact with people who might be interested in popping buy the shop, share facts and trivia about your charity and keep local people updated with events that are going on, so it’s an opportunity not to be missed.
• – Ensure that you have a strong online presence. Aside from social media, you should also have a powerful website which is simple, easy to use, and full of the most important information about your stores and all of the crucial details which will show why your charity matters.
• – Keep people engaged with emails and newsletters. A lot of people are already interested in supporting the work of charities, so make sure that you don’t let them slip through the net! Sending out news and goodies to your current fans will ensure that they don’t forget to stop by next time they get the chance.

Hand out Information

When people do turn up at your charity shop, make sure that you give out plenty of information about why you’re there. They may have only entered because of the attractive window display, but if you can give out an eye-catching and moving information leaflet then they’ll be more likely to return.

This is also a good way to attract volunteers or donations – just make sure that you’re not giving out generic details, but rather specific information about how your charity is already working to make the world better and what else it would like to achieve.

While you put these tips into practice, you may also be able to benefit from our charity shop or hospice EPoS systems, which will allow you to make operations at your   shop more efficient, and maximise the proceeds which you get from git aid donations. Call us today at 01204 706 000, or get in touch online, for more information or even a demo! We’d also love to connect with you over on Facebook and Twitter, so why not pop by and check out our pages?