Premiums and Paid Products Spotlight: Primed for Premiums?

PB: When I started in fundraising 34 years ago, premiums were incentives to get a gift, and they may or may not be related to the mission. I found in one organization we were essentially operating as a tax-deductible book-of-the-month club. With the tightening of budgets, premiums have become persona non grata in many nonprofits. Also, studies have shown that premium donors are not always as “sticky” as non-premium donors. That’s why I advocate for mission-focused premiums, not simply trinkets. Premiums can play an important role if they are built into the strategy, not just tacked on in a desperate attempt to breathe life into a dying program or mailing list.