Tips for a Successful Cupcake Day

1. Plan your location wisely

Do you come here oven? Host your Cupcake Day somewhere near a crowd of hungry sweet-tooths with plenty of change (Note: private school playgrounds are out of bounds). This may be at home, work, or in the community. Make sure that you let people know in advance that you’ll be participating in Cupcake Day so that they’ve got plenty of cash on-hand – put up posters, post it on social media, or send around an all-staff email with a calendar reminder. Remember, people can also donate through the RSPCA website if they don’t have cash on the day, so have the web page open and ready to go for that one person who always forgets.  

2. Exploit people's weaknesses

When it hits 10.30am, it’s time to pounce! It’s too early for lunch, but a long, long way from breakfast and your colleagues are definitely craving a sugar fix. The. Time. Is. Now.  

“Hey Tom, you know what would go great with that cuppa? A cupcake.”  

“Hi Mary, you look a little pale, perhaps a brownie will pick you up?” 

If you’re feeling generous, you could even find out what your colleagues’ favourite snacks are beforehand and bake a batch of those: “Hey Dolores, I baked your favourite – rocky road!” Maybe it’s a little cruel to take advantage of your hungry colleagues, but remember – you’re doing it for the animals!

3. Get creative

If you’re hosting a Cupcake Day at home, you can really go all-out when it comes to decorations and games. Don’t forget that your host kit comes with decorative bunting, balloons and posters.

The possibilities are endless! How about a themed event? Or costumes and some old-school party games? The longer that you can keep people entertained, the more baked goods they’ll eat – it’s simple maths. Consider a MasterChef-style bake-off – there’s nothing like building up some good ol’ family rivalry – or a cupcake decorating competition with a raffle at the end of the day for the best decorated cupcake. 

Once you’ve decided what kind of event you’ll host, invite as many people as possible. Ask your friends and family to bring a +1 (even if you can’t stand Dave…) to boost numbers and donations. No matter how you decorate, make sure that your donation box is front and centre so that people don’t forget what it’s all about!

4. Be strategic, be, be strategic! 

If you’re going to fundraise in the community, there are plenty of places to target. Do your kids play in a sports team? Take along some cupcakes for other supporters to munch on while they watch the on-field action (trust me, those #netballmums work up an appetite after yelling at the coach all game). Remind people that all donations are tax-deductible and watch the dollars roll in. It’s a win-win for everyone!

5. Call in back-up

Everyone loves supporting a good cause, so don’t be afraid to ask a local business to team up with you. Their support could be something as simple as putting up a poster in-store, or donating a raffle prize. Even better, they might be able to match what you raise dollar-for-dollar. You never know if you don’t ask!

6. The more, the merrier

Most importantly, make sure that you have plenty of baked goods for sale! There’s nothing worse than running out of cupcakes when they’re in demand. Plus, if you’ve got plenty of variety, people will want to try a little bit of everything and those gold coins will add up faster than you can count them! 

7. Shout it from the rooftops 
When it comes to getting your message out there, social media is your new #bestie. Cupcake Day is the perfect time to post all your #selfies with your pets (we know you have them…) or share your story about why Cupcake Day is important to you. It doesn’t count as over-sharing on social media if it’s for a good cause, right? 

• Facebook = I like cupcakes
• Twitter = I’m eating #cupcakes
• Instagram = Here is a Polaroid-esque photo of cupcakes
• YouTube = Here I am eating cupcakes
• LinkedIn = My skills include cupcake eating
• Pinterest = Here is a recipe for cupcakes

The official hashtag is #rspcacupcakeday, so get posting!

8. All or muffin!

The big day has finally arrived, so here’s a handy checklist to make sure that you’re ready to roll: 

1. Set up your online fundraising page and have it open
2. Arrive at the venue early to start laying out your baked goods
3. Don’t forget to decorate – there’s no such thing as ‘going overboard’ on Cupcake Day
4. Welcome your guests and motivate them by explaining why they should donate and where their money goes
5. Have fun and dig in!
6. Don’t forget to say thank you and let your guests know how much they helped you raise.