Fun with Fundraising

We do a lot of fundraising, and while it's always for a good cause, it can get monotonous (and not only for the people who are constantly being hit up for money!).

This year, we explored branding, advertising, and the effectiveness of persuasion strategies, and
incorporated all that into some of our fundraising efforts.

Here's a meeting plan that blends fundraising, social action, and some social psychology. You can raise money for a cause, and have an interesting discussion about it afterwards.

Before you send small teams of youth out to collect money (use cans or whatever you like) go over the persuasion strategies below and make sure everyone understands them. Once they do, give each small team a collection can, a time limit, and a piece of paper.

Instruct them that for every individual or group of individuals they approach, they should record on their paper the strategy employed and whether or not a donation was made.

When their time limit is up, gather all teams back to review how the activity went, and make sure to save time at the end to count the money and send off the donation!

Persuasion Strategies

"Foot-in-the-Door": the common two-step sequential persuasion technique. Begin by asking for a small request that is unlikely to be denied. Once the person complies, follow with a larger request. "Hi! Can you please contribute 10 cents to the Red Cross's disaster relief efforts in Japan? [The person will likely say yes.]. Actually, would you be able to give $1.00?"

"Door in the Face": another two-step process. Ask for an unrealistically large
donation, then, after the person refuses, follow with a much smaller request. "Hi! Can you please contribute $20 to the Red Cross's disaster relief efforts in Japan? [The person will likely say no.]
Well then, would you be able to give $1.00?"

"Reciprocity": people often feel indebted to strangers who give them even small
tokens (this is why charities often send "gifts" when they solicit your contributions). "Hi there! Here's a piece of candy for you to enjoy. And would you like to contribute to the Red Cross's disaster relief efforts in Japan?"

"Direct Order": a direct request for assistance. "Hi there! Please contribute to the Red Cross's disaster relief efforts in Japan."

"Wild Card": create your own strategy but make sure it is respectful of others.