What is a Wine Pull in Fundraising Software?

Has your organization ever considered fundraising with a wine pull? If the answer is no, wine not?

Below, we’ll dive into the details regarding how you can hold a fundraiser with wine both in person and virtually. This fundraiser is a fun, unique way to entertain guests and raise money.

How To Do a Wine Pull

Also known as a wine grab or cork pull, a wine pull is typically set up so a guest pays from $15 to $25 to bring home a mystery bottle of wine. The actual value of the bottle could range from $5 to more than $100.

The bottles are often pre-wrapped so the label doesn’t show, and all bottles are displayed together on a table or in an attractive wine wall display. To ensure everyone has a fair chance to win big, guests can choose their own pre-wrapped bottles, or you can create a basket of numbers for guests to draw from that correlate to bottle numbers. Either way, a wine pull or wine wall is sure to bring fun to your event and add fundraising dollars to your pocket. Before you start any of this planning, make sure to check the rules and regulations regarding wine pull raffles and alcohol sales in your state.

If you are feeling extra creative, consider making your wine pull a ring toss game. We have seen organizations create this exciting game by setting out bottles on a table, placing a piece of tape about four feet back, and charging guests $10 for one toss and $25 for three tosses. If any of their rings land around a bottleneck, they get to take that bottle home.

Can You Hold a Virtual Fundraiser with Wine?

Now, is it possible to create a virtual wine pull? Virtual fundraising events have become increasingly popular these days and you may be surprised to learn that many in-person fundraiser ideas work just as well online. A wine pull is one of those compelling ideas.

Here are three ways to host a wine pull for virtual fundraiser attendees:

1. The instant-buy item

For each wine bottle you have collected, create an instant buy item with a number on it. An example of an item title could be “Wine Pull, Bottle #1”. When creating the item in your online giving platform, limit the number of purchases available to one. Then, when a donor buys that item, it will become “sold out” and that donor is now attached to that bottle number.

2. The random wine pull

No matter how many wine bottles you have available, create one instant buy item and title it “Random Wine Pull” or something creative. Ensure the quantity available is set to the number of wine bottles you have so you do not oversell.

Throughout your chosen timeframe, encourage donors to purchase this instant item until sold out. Then, when you are ready, export the data from your giving platform and randomly assign each purchaser a bottle of wine through a tool like a random number generator. Everyone who bought the instant item will receive the corresponding bottle of wine in the mail.

3. The livestreaming technique

If you are livestreaming a virtual fundraiser, consider incorporating a wine pull in more of an interactive way. Set up your instant buy items like either option above and have donors purchase the wine bottles during your event.

At the end of the event, or when determined, reveal the type of wine each purchaser has won. This can be done over the broadcast or through text or email. You can also add the results to the homepage of your event platform and direct guests to look there for who won what.

Tips for Making Your Wine Pull Fundraiser a Success

No matter how you decide to run your virtual wine wall fundraiser, it’s crucial to ensure it goes off without a hitch. Check out these helpful tips to ensure your organization reaches its fundraising goal, and your guests go home happy:

• Select a range of wines: The idea behind a wine pull is that donors will purchase a bottle of wine at a fixed price, generally around $25, taking a chance that the bottle they receive is worth more than that. Therefore, you should choose several bottles at different prices and varieties. Browse the selection at your local spirits store or winery for ideas — some businesses may even be willing to offer wine donations for your cause.
• Figure out how many bottles you need: A wine pull is often a very popular event. However, you still want to ensure you don’t purchase so much wine that you end up with leftover bottles when the event is over. Take a look at how many people have confirmed their attendance, then obtain the wine — three bottles for every five guests will typically be best.
• Communicate with donors: Whichever you decide to go, make sure your communication is clear to donors. We have found that adding an FAQ section on the homepage of your giving platform is helpful for everyone. Include information about how a donor can purchase a bottle, how to know which bottle you have won and how to collect the bottle of wine post-sale.
• Decide how to deliver the bottles: There are a few ways you can deliver the bottles of wine to your virtual guests. If your attendees are local, you can designate a time and location for guests to pick up all silent auction items, wine pull bottles, and raffle winnings. Alternatively, you could have staff members drop off items at each winner’s house. If your event included attendees farther away, you can package and mail winnings to the appropriate guests.

To see examples of how other organizations have marketed their virtual wine pulls, click here! Or if you are not yet sold on the idea of a wine pull, check out these other creative fundraising ideas.

Request a Demo from GiveSmart Today

GiveSmart helps customers raise more money with less stress. Whether you’re fundraising with wine, hosting an online raffle, or doing something in between, our fully-featured fundraising platform is capable of making any fundraiser a success. Are you interested in getting started? Request a demo from us today.

To see examples of how other organizations have marketed their virtual wine pull, click here! Or if you are not yet sold on the idea of a wine pull, check out these other creative fundraising ideas.