Weather happens, and we all know those blood drives get cancelled.  Especially high schools and when will we be able to reschedule them again?  Perhaps it will take some extra motivation….

One terrific idea is to schedule quick media sponsored events and blood drives to replace those that have been cancelled due to weather or other unforeseen happenings.  When you offer a gift to donors, especially a nice one like a long sleeve tee, it will make your jobs easier to reschedule those high school drives in early January to catch up.  Also, the media and sponsors will be more likely to help with recruiting and promotion if there is an exciting donor gift to share.

We all know that the holidays themselves create a decrease in blood donor availability and then perhaps an inadequate blood supply in mid-January.  Usually we do a good job in planning up and to the holidays, then things tend to slow down.  Get ahead of the blood needs and use a great promotional gift to secure that your January calendar is booked up.

I am the mother of 3 and I absolutely love the holiday season. I love the lights, the music, the parties, the food… and watching the faces of my little ones as they take it all in! But the thing that I love most about the holidays is the spirit of giving that seems more apparent around this time of the year than at any other. There are just so many opportunities to give back and help one another.

I recently read an article about teaching kids the spirit of giving and was intrigued by the author’s suggestions… simple things that I had just not thought of as a way to pass along the spirit of giving to my children.

As I looked through the suggestions a second time I realized that they are also ideal for instilling the spirit of giving into your blood donors, not just at the holidays, but all year long! So I have revised her suggestions slightly to give you some reminders for encouraging that giving spirit in your donors.

#1: Acknowledge what they already do – Just remind donors that their previous donations are evidence of the spirit of giving they already have. Their tendency to give in response to your requests for donors at specific times of the year is an example of that spirit in action. Spotlighting previous donations and specific opportunities they have responded to allows donors to see their giving spirit in a new light. In fact, donors will likely be so happy to discover they already make such a big difference; the motivation to give more often will quickly surface.

#2: Give them a choice – Donors will be more likely to adopt even more of a giving spirit, when they are able to choose when they would like to give. I know at least one blood center that is specifically encouraging donors to select 4 holidays throughout the year around which to donate. Donors who donate during a specified holiday period will receive a Holiday Hero lapel pin to acknowledge their spirit of giving. At the end of the year, all donors who have received at least 4 of these holiday lapel pins will be recognized as a Holiday Hero. What a great way to encourage holiday spirit all year long and the donors have multiple opportunities that allow them to choose when they want to donate!

#3: Make giving a family affair – Making information about your high school program and/or details about the minimum donation age in your state available to all donors is a great way to remind parents to encourage children to follow in their footsteps and donate when they are old enough. Another way to make it a family affair is to host family and friend days at your blood center encouraging regular donors to bring family members in to donate as well. And many donor centers have educational coloring books and or color-your-own-tumblers available for younger children to introduce them to the importance of giving blood too.

#4: Incorporate giving into their regular schedule – When it comes to giving donors an opportunity to give on a regular basis, the options are unlimited. The Holiday Hero program mentioned above, a Four Seasons program, quarterly Hero Trax for platelet donors or giving whole blood donors one of our 56 day countdown timers so they know exactly when they are eligible to give again are all good ideas. Design all of your “frequent donor” programs so that donors can participate whether they give at mobile drive or in center have the opportunity to participate. Whatever you do to encourage frequent donations, weave a lot of fun into so that donors what to keep coming back.

#5: Give and receive – Often, donors go through the motions of giving blood without fully understanding why they are doing it. Take the time to spotlight how the giving process was received. Share the stories of families and individuals who benefited from donated blood. Show photos of the smiles from those who have been given another birthday because someone donated the blood they needed to live. Find specific examples to show them how their donation positively impacts others.

As you enjoy the holiday season, consider how you might incorporate these ideas to create that spirit of giving in your donors all year long.

Just a few weekends ago, it was time to FALL BACK to Standard Time. As we enjoy the long winter days full of snow, the holidays and the smell of hot chocolate & chili, it’s not to early to start thinking about Spring. Winter never seems too long when you can actually start planning for the warmer weather. Depending on the region where you live, with the Spring usually comes rain. But that’s OK; because Spring showers bring beautiful flowers. So be ready for your donors this spring with colorful fun umbrellas. What a perfect way to display and show off your blood centers logo. Not only are they nice to look at but the are functional and everybody can use an umbrella.

We offer a variety of styles and colors. If you would like to get more information umbrellas or any other Spring donor gifts, please contact Roz @ 317-575-3358 or roz@donorgifts.com

The Holiday season is a great time of year to remember and recognize those volunteers who are actively involved in the scheduling of blood drives, recruiting blood donors and working as volunteers during the blood collection hours either in the fixed sites or on mobile drives.

Even though we are diligent in offering verbal appreciation to these folks, a gift and written note will be more effective.

A few ideas may include:

• A Blood Center coffee mug filled with packets of tea, hot chocolate or cappuccino mix with a personal thank you note.
• One of the Blood Center’s t-shirts or caps tied with a ribbon and personal note.
• A nice writing pen with the Blood Center logo inscribed on it.
• A custom designed Holiday ornament.

Each of these gifts  are small tokens of your gratitude and appreciation, but will serve you well in the future.  Your volunteers will remember your thoughtfulness and kindness and be willing to help out more than ever.

When you are setting up blood drives, have you ever hung your banner to only find 3 minutes later that it has fallen to the ground?  Check out our 6’ tall banner stands that are easy to set up and they make your blood drive look good in less than one minute to set up.  These are a great investment for repeat use at blood drives, high schools and for in center promotions.  Completely custom graphics make this piece stand out.  United Blood Services chose to add a personal touch to their banners with a photo of a family that people can relate to.

It’s easy to store, it weighs less than 30lbs all together and you can use it over and over again.  Call me to ask how we can get your custom banners in your centers soon!

Plush is popular this time of year (and all year ‘round for that matter)!

Several blood centers use plush bears, puppies and even blood drops as part of holiday campaigns during which they deliver the plush animals to patients in local children’s hospitals. Donors are often encouraged to sign a card to accompany the stuffed animals and thus are able to make a real connection to how important their donation really is!

Embroidered with BLOOD HOUND across their bellies, plush dogs are a great way to thank sponsors and coordinators for their unique role in the blood program. Simply pair this plush blood hound with a thank you card as a gift for these special volunteers at the holidays or at your annual recognition event.

Several of our clients also use the plush blood hounds to target blood drive sponsors for increased drive frequency in a high-energy direct mail campaign. The Blood Hound Campaign sends a plush blood hound, an awareness card and a blood center CEO letter to key donor groups asking a lifesaving question in a fun way… “Will you host one additional blood drive this year?” Our blood hounds are available with an awareness card which can be customized with your logo and campaign message. All you’ll need to add is your CEO’s letter and postage. It’s a great campaign to launch at the beginning of a new year and sets your recruiters up for success!

Plush blood drops are always a hit in elementary schools as part of educational programs. The students get an introduction to the importance of blood and then participate in recruiting adults to donate. Taking home one of these blood drops in a great reminder to them and their parents long after that blood drive is over.

Call us for more ways to strategically position plush to increase awareness, collect more blood and show your gratitude!

10. Standing on street corners in all kinds of weather and traffic putting up “blood drive” signs.

9. Driving  all over the area to meet with “blood drive chairpeople”

8. Eating at all the fast food restaurants on the way to blood drives.

7. Coming up with the “right convincing words” to enlist adequate numbers of blood donors to assure an adequate blood supply.

6. Always having a full trunk of goodies for advertising and thank-you gifts.

5. Holding teenagers hands through their first blood donation.

4. Having the opportunity to educate people about the need for blood and how to overcome their “fear”.

3. Choosing recognition gifts for blood drive chairpeople.

2. Meeting some of the nicest, most generous people in the world.

And the #1……

Going to work everyday knowing that you are in a job to “save lives”

If your donors are the type that still love to receive t-shirts, then why not add a bit of umph to the traditional donor gift by offering long sleeve tee’s?
The cost of a long sleeve t-shirt isn’t much more than a classic tee, making it an affordable way to draw in donors during more critical collection times. Imprinting on long sleeve tee’s offers the ultimate in versatility. Unique printing options, like art down one sleeve or a Jumbo print, on a long sleeve tee are sure to see some serious wear.

It’s that time of year to start getting out the crock pot and getting your favorite chili recipes out. A great way to get your donors excited about incentives, is to get them something they will actually use. I found a really cool soup mug and pitched them to a customer for a winter gift and the concept was taken even a step further than just the actual mug. We created a “recipe card” insert that was the Recipe of Lifesaving to add just another twist on how you can relay to your donors just how important they are. I myself, wouldn’t normally go out and buy a soup mug, but the one I have in my office is from a tradeshow I went to last year and no doubt I will put it into use – and always think of my trip to Chicago when I got it. So when your donors see the soup mug in their cabinet it will more than likely remind them of not only where they got it, but it will also make them think about the last time they donated and hopefully trigger them to call and set their next appointment.

You can add a simple insert into any gift with a short message that puts a neat twist on the gift. As we all know, most people don’t donate for the gift they receive but more for the feeling of knowing they helped someone that day.

For many blood centers, more than half of first-time donors never give again. If you find yourself in that category, why not consider using a First Time Donor Kit to convert your new acquaintances into lifelong friends?

What does a kit do?

• Thanks the donors profusely.
• Welcomes them to an elite club.
• Includes a token of your appreciation.
• Tells them why this donation is important and how it will help patients in need.
• Asks them for their feedback by sending them to a website to answer a few questions. New people like to be polled. This adds to their sense of participation. By asking for their advice, you’re expressing interest in them.
• Educates them about the need for regular blood donations.
• Includes next steps to get them integrated into a donation cycle that is practical for them.
• Works as an on-site thank you at the time of donation OR as an additional touchpoint that the new donor receives in the mail about a week after their first donation. Test both ways to see what works best for you.

First Time Donor Kits are key to getting donors to return again and again. By educating donors about the real need for their blood donation and integrating them into a donation schedule that is ideal for them, First Time Donor Kits set you up for success when it comes to building and sustaining relationships with these donors. Donor Kits can also help you to advance donors to frequent, altruistic donation while preparing them for conversion to collection technologies that optimize their gift to the community.