How Do I Get Sponsors for the Polar Bear Plunge?
The Polar Bear Plunge is an event in which participants jump into freezing cold water in the winter in their bathing suits. A Polar Bear Plunge can technically be done for any cause, but the most common purpose is to raise money for the Special Olympics. New York, New Jersey and Boston are three places known for having large annual Polar Bear Plunges. If you are getting ready to participate in your first Polar Bear Plunge, you will need a strategy to help get sponsors to donate money to your charity.
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Instructions
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Register your team online. Once you do this, you and all of your teammates will have a link to personal donation pages.
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Promote your donation link on websites such as Twitter and Facebook to find sponsors. Make sure to mention the Special Olympics or any other worthy cause that you are raising money for. You can also email the link to family and friends.
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Ask for donations from co-workers at your job. You may need to double check with your supervisor to make sure this does not violate office policy. If you work for a large company, you can even see if the business can make a donation.
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Visit local businesses and see if you can get them to make a donation. Be sure to offer these businesses something in return. You can make T-shirts or a banner for the event which include the company name. If you are getting a donation from a restaurant, your plunge team can go out to eat after the plunge at the venue to bring them more customers.
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See if the event offers any special perks for sponsors making big donations. Some businesses may be enticed to donate more by a tax write off or by having their name on a banner across the largest food tent at the event.
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Tips & Warnings
Start fundraising early. Even if your plunge is not until February, start looking for donations as early as possible. If your team gets created in September, there is no reason to waste time.
If you personally know a child who benefits from the Special Olympics or another charity that you are raising money for, be sure to include that story when trying to get sponsors to donate money. Some people are more likely to donate when they can see how the money directly benefits the people who need it.
Don't let people who say no get you down. Not every friend or business that you contact will be able to afford to donate. If someone turns you down, graciously thank the person for his or her time and move on to someone else. Do not take it personally.
References
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