post by Stephanie Nelson
Pretty much every day, I get at least one request for a donation, either for SBN Marketing or one of my clients. Whether or not it gets considered goes well beyond the cause that’s being represented. If you’re requesting donations for your event or cause, here are a few things you may want to consider:
- The wording of your ask.
I wish this could go without saying, but based on the requests I receive, it can’t. This is often the first impression of your cause or event for the person receiving your request. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation matter. Personalization also matters. It’s often painfully obvious that I’ve gotten the EXACT same request as numerous other businesses, down to “your business” instead of the company’s name. - Copying and pasting from other requests.
Along those same lines, if you’re going to copy and paste from an email you’ve already sent, at least commit to the two seconds it takes to edit out the carets and spacing that comes with your copy and paste. If my donation isn’t worth that extra two seconds, please don’t even reach out. - The fit for the business.
Please take a little time to get to know about a business before just hitting them up. Does their clientele match your audience? If not, you’re going to have to pitch and sell even harder (going back to that personalization element that’s so important). Make sure you’re hitting the low-hanging fruits – the businesses that would also benefit from being in front of your audience – before treating a business like some sort of money machine that should just hand over their dollars or services or time.
