7 The Most Gripping Ways To Persuade Patron To Make A Contribution

We all know that feelings do rule the whole promotion and market. They increase or decrease sales, widen or reduce bank operations, generates sport events, provoke donations… So, they are everywhere, control any and every sphere of our life. We must draw your attention that donations, grants and fundraising work most of all with the emotional appeals. Straightly depends on you and your appeal whether people respond your call or not as philanthropy is based on voluntary lines. We suggest you to look through the most powerful emotional appeals. Here are 7 of them. You may agree, disagree and add some of your observations and thoughts as human being is such a creature provided with a rich palette of emotions, feelings and sensations.

1. Faith. You know that people are strongly driven by the social, political or religious beliefs. You are in charge to discover what the usual donors` beliefs are and if they are keeping tunes with your message. Thus you can sure that your appeal finds its comeback.
   
   
2. Sympathy. You can create sympathy in your benefactor by producing a picture of somebody who needs help and support. If you use some visual methods like graphics, pictures, banners you must be very careful. As you can get rather different result if the presentation is repulsive and it arises just negative emotions not compassion. In this case you can lose your potential donor. Here your task is to find the correlation between empathy and disgust.
   
   
3. Ego’s Reward. Satisfying their ego it does not really mean that people are egotistic. May be in some way, but you could play on this feeling. It is rather a sense of comfort and welfare. This sentiment gives to the owner good mood and understanding that his inner views can find their implementation into the real life on the outside. Thus they are in harmony and sync with their desires from the one side and opportunities from the other. Seeing as most people enjoy thinking honourably of themselves you better talk to them in an appropriate gratifying manner. People have a tendency to live on the top of their emotions and especially to be higher than others. It satisfies their ego. Go for it.
   
   
4. Terror. Terror is a kind of self-protection form. Imagine for instance, a person donating money to cancer disease research does unconsciously want to save his own life in future. Fear is a popular and strong motivator. It is a tricky technique that is why you ought to present it delicately not to offend by offering so self-seeking motivation.
   
   
5. Principles. If you have something to tell to this world say it like "Let us change our world for good"! And if you are confident in your idea, then people will hear your appeal and go after you. The only thing is as it should be very convincing.
   
   
6. Gratitude. Everybody needs just a simple "thank you" for something done. Someone would be pleased with a certificate or diploma. People differ, but they have something in common. This thing is gratitude. People like to receive a feedback, a sort of rewarding for their help and contribution. It is a natural feeling. Well if they wait- thank them, if they offer their help- express your recognition, if they donate - congratulate them.
   
   
7. Happiness. Besides negative coloured appeals you can create a positive charity call. As it gives people feeling of satisfaction from helping others, contributing or granting. Of course having joy from donations patrons will donate again and again. Good luck!

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Charity song in anti-knife campaign

A group of actors and sports stars will record a charity song against knife crime after a recent spate of fatal stabbings across the country. The collaboration, under the name UK Flow, includes world champion boxers Johnny Nelson and Junior Witter.

The project - which has the support of Richard Caborn MP, Girls Aloud and players from the England football and rugby squads - hopes to raise money for a number of knife crime charities across the country. The song was the idea of Stephen Nicholas, an actor who starred in the footballing drama Dream Team.

Nicholas wanted to raise awareness about knife crime and its consequences after a number of young people were stabbed to death across the country. He said: "We just want to raise awareness. We haven't got any ulterior motive, our only motive is to stop kids dying."

He continued: "We all live in different parts of the country and kids are dying in all of those areas, not just in London. "Every single community around the country is having the same problems with knife crime."

On Tuesday afternoon, the 30-year-old will join with Nelson and Witter, Casualty actors Luke Bailey and Elyes Gabel, former Hollyoaks star Lee Otway, DJ and presenter Marvyn Williams, singer Steve Edwards and singing teacher Ali Heath Cook, to record the song at the Yellow Arch Studios in Sheffield. Mr Caborn, Sheffield Central MP, will also be present for the recording of the song which has not yet been named.

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Your Next Cheerleading Fundraising Idea

There are a lot of creative cheerleading fundraising ideas out there for you to take advantage of next time your cheerleading squad is in need of a little financing. Some of these ideas are bake sales, car washes or garage sales.

Your cheerleading squad may require funds for any number of reasons - travel to sporting events, promotional items for the crowd at that big pep rally and new uniforms for the squad. Being low on cash can really put a lid on the team spirit you can give to the home crowd and of course, it also limits the fun of events.

• A bake sale can be a great way to raise money for your cheerleading squad - each member of the squad can sign up to make a different baked good and bring it to the sale. Cookies, pies and cakes are common favorites for these fundraising events. A bake sale is irresistible, especially to children; if you hold your sale at a sporting event, it is guaranteed to be a success. Everyone loves a fresh baked snack - so these are often the best times to have your bake sale.
  

• Another great idea for a fundraiser for your cheerleading squad is to hold a yard sale. This type of event needs to have support and assistance of adults to be successful. The squad can get their parents and other people to donate items for a yard sale that they have lying around their house. Many people have garages packed with things that they can donate. This helps people clean out their garage at the same time they are helping your cheerleading squad get the money you need. If you find yourself with a lot of donated items for your yard sale fundraiser, then you’ll probably need to find a large location to hold this event. Perhaps your school would be willing to let you make use of the gym or auditorium, or someone on your cheerleading squad may have a large yard or long driveway ideal for holding a large sale. After the sale, you’ll need to get rid of the unsold items; you can’t just leave them there after all. You can arrange for a pickup from a charity organization such as Goodwill, or find someone with a truck or van that is willing to drive the items to a donation center.
  

• A carwash can be a great fundraiser for your cheerleading squad too. Ask local gas stations; many will be happy to let you use their parking lot and hose hookups for a good cause. All you will need is plenty of soap, hoses and some willing volunteers to hold signs and wash cars for your fundraiser.

No matter what your cheerleading squad’s needs for funding are, there are plenty of creative cheerleading fundraising ideas which are perfect for your squad - if yours is a little short on funds, don’t be afraid to use a creative type of fundraiser.

About the Author:

The author, Terry Terhune, writes often on subjects like Cheerleading Fundraising. For more fine articles and videos, take a few seconds to visit Fundraising FYI

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Corporate Fund Raising In Transition

POSERS, PLAYERS, AND POWER PROPOSALS

In today's fast-paced, ever-changing corporate culture, you may have only minutes to make your nonprofits pitch for company donations of cash, equipment, or volunteer services.

Sure, you've done your homework. Made sure your programs meet the company's marketing mission and corporate goals. Not requested more than the company's "average" grant/donation based on research and experience. Maybe even kept the request below $5,000, just to keep it out of the jurisdiction of a lengthy review process.

Problem is, who do you approach for the final pitch?

Most firms have a "corporate contributions committee," although they rarely seem to convene to hear personal appeals from the heads of nonprofits. More often than not, you'll be directed to someone doubling
as either middle management or special projects director.

And herein lies the problem.

There are two kinds of corporate types who may be involved. Both seem to be successful and opinion leaders. The fact is, they aren't and you need to recognize quickly "Which is which."

Scenario #1: The "Up and Out" Executive

The "up and out" executive looks something like this: A male, late 50s or early 60s, this person has all the trappings of power -- corner office; lots of awards on the wall; newspaper clippings; clean desk. He fits the old-style profile of the traditional donor.

Yet, for reasons that are murky, he now is relegated to the position of special projects director. Responsibilities are vague; power is non-existent. Time for a reality check: At his age he should be vying for the executive suite -- CEO, CFO, etc. Instead, he's on the wrong side of the power curve. Much of his time, frankly, is spent on final preparations for his separation agreement -- benefits package, the gold watch-maybe early retirement, or the emergency "golden parachute."

The most you can expect from the "up and out executive" is a reasonably enlightened "listen" to your proposal. Don't be surprised if you get a "get-off-the-grass grant" -- which is jargon for a corporate donation that has more to do with saving time than serving your client base. You end up with small change and a deceptively dangerous short-term relationship. This executive is a "poser."

Scenario #2: The "Up and In" Executive

The "up and in" executive looks like this: A new-style executive, perhaps female, Hispanic, Asian, or African-American, this person is driven by corporate objectives.

Napoleon's dictum, "Take anything but my time," has real meaning in this office. Awards are replaced by profit-and-loss statements, ringing telephones, and an airline ticket to Timbuctoo.

In the first scenario, the executive sought praise and respect, while this executive seeks performance and results. She is looking for a big, bold, high-profile idea that shows off her company and what it can do in the community. She has never heard of a "get-off-the-grass grant" and wouldn't waste money on it if she had. Unlike the first executive, she is ready to take ownership of an idea and run with it. This executive is a "player."

Strategies for Nonprofits

Naturally, the two types of executives need to be approached differently. In scenario #1, ask the executive specifically whether others will play a role in the decision-making process. The answer is usually an unequivocal yes. This is really an opportunity to build consensus and a relationship with the "movers-and-shakers" who will soon replace this executive.

The goal here is to look long term, to become part of the team.

Your proposal then, should be streamlined, with a three-year "fuse." Your goal is to carry your project beyond the tenure of this interloper.

In scenario #2, carry two proposals in your briefcase. The first is the request at hand, namely a sustainable, easy-to-measure, short-term project (annual giving, etc.). The second is a one-page "blue-sky" summary of how her corporation can support community growth through a bold initiative.

Remember, she is being groomed for a corner office. Your success is her success. After you make your brief "pitch" (very brief, in her case) for the short-term project, test the water.

"We believe this meets your marketing goals (read: mission statement) today, but where do you see your company moving in the early 21st century?" If you have been shrewd, you have some inkling of what her answer might be. If so, part of her opportunity to participate is lurking in your briefcase. Thus, "I just happen to have a copy of our nonprofit's vision statement for the next decade. Its program(s) may interest you."

In each case, it is important to read between the lines. With corporate culture in transition, (and barbarians at the gates), you must do everything in your power to position your nonprofit's support for the long haul. Be on the look out for rising new-style executives in corporate America who take a much more focused view of traditional values and how these will play out in terms of corporate philanthropy.

True, corporate contributions are flat or dipping slightly in comparison with 1987 dollars and as a percentage of pre-tax income. This is not to imply, however, that executives are not prepared to offer volunteer services or in-kind donations of equipment as part of an interim strategy.

How you evaluate corporate cultures on a case-by-case basis will have a fundamental impact on the well-being of your nonprofit. Napoleon's dictum is timely in another sense: You have to move now to plan for the future, before it -- and your nonprofit -- become obsolete.

About the Author:

Bill Vartorella (Ph.D., C.B.C.) is executive vice-president of Craig and Vartorella, Inc., a U.S.-based global consulting firm which provides strategic planning, market & donor research, and fundraising assistance for nonprofits and NGOs. He is the author of 75 articles, book chapters, and professional papers ranging from archaeology to utopian experiments. His firm specializes in projects involving biodiversity, health care, archaeology/paleontology, sustainable futures for rural communities worldwide, museums, education, and nonprofit board development.

Vartorella has trained more than 6,000 (six thousand) executives from NGOs at seminars and world congresses held in Eastern and Western Europe, the U.K., and the U.S. His firm maintains special funding databases for heart research, archaeology, dance, scientific exploration, and biodiversity.

He can be reached by telephone/fax at 803.432.4353. Craig and Vartorella's web site address is http://www.scbell.com/Marketing_&_Fundraising

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Taking a closer look at donations

ETTING charities to admit how much they pay their staff is like squeezing blood from a stone.

Of course they are happy to tell you their annual turnover, the services they provide and the army of volunteers they have at their disposal.

But ask them 'how much their chief executive earns' and some charities are quite reluctant to part with such figures.

In fact, the voluntary sector has significantly grown in the last ten years with a staggering 169,387 registered charities now operating in the UK with an income exceeding s45b.

A study published by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations revealed a 26 per cent growth in employment rates - with jobs in the charity sector now outweighing jobs in science, retail and construction on a number of job sites.

Of course, this is all positive news for the sector and I would be a real killjoy to say that charity doesn't save lives and isn't worthy of our donations.

But with some charities pulling in such excessive amounts of money - I cannot help but feel a chunk, and a rather big chunk at that, is going on the job vacancies rather than the direct cause itself.

One charity, Save the Children - who aims to save the lives of 10m children who die needlessly each year - is pumping a massive s421,000 into its communications team.

Positions include head of media (s54,000), head of communications planning (s45,300), head of creative and publishing (s45,300) and a video producer (s30,100). Now I'm no mathematician but that's an awful lot of collecting tins.

A spokesman from Save the Children is happy to dispute this. She says 82p of every s1 goes straight to the cause although she is unable to elaborate on how they set their salary bands.

In fact, this charity is not alone. Some charities I spoke to wouldn't even disclose the amount they pay their staff.

A spokesman for Sue Ryder Care - a charity who helps people with serious illnesses said: "Sue Ryder Care provides a banding structure that is appropriate to our needs as a direct provider of specialised health and social care and support services. We do not disclose our employees salaries."

Tony Donovan, executive director of Age Concern Charnwood, added: "We wouldn't be paying top whack but we wouldn't be paying minimum wage either. We have to compete with the local market and that means finding the right calibre of candidate to do the job."

And isn't that one of the problems - with thousands of charities now operating in the UK, some more financially successful than others, getting the right person for the right amount of money is never going to be an easy task.

So, can't we regulate the wages charities give their staff?

A spokesman for the Charity Commission, who registers charities in the UK, said: "We don't tend to give guidance on what they should be paying their staff. It is the trustees job to think through wages and what sort of people they want to attract to the charity."

In conclusion, I feel sure that all charities, including those mentioned, are doing immeasurable good. However, the high wages being earned by some charity employees are questionable, perhaps food for thought the next time you see someone rattling a tin.

By Matt Jarram

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