A better way to sell sympathy
As if you need more evidence that focusing on the needs of your donor is more important than focusing on your own needs… Here’s a guy who enjoyed a rather advertising agency interesting internship experience.
Matthew Zimmerman, an undergrad at Cornell, spent his summer internship helping street beggars increase their daily revenue with creative new signs.
The concept behind the experiment: Marketing products through pricing or product features alone results in only one-time purchases. However, if a customer feels an emotional attachment to the product, there is a greater chance for repeat buying and loyalty.
…Speaking with a depth of knowledge he didn’t have before hitting the streets, Zimmerman explained that a typical panhandling sign describes the person’s situation or status—Vietnam vet, runaway, unemployed, unlucky one, or drug addict. After interviewing several New Yorkers, however, Zimmerman found that type of sign to be usually ineffective, because it fails to create an emotional tie with the potential giver or make the giver feel good about himself or herself for donating—key elements in getting people to dig into their pockets.
To strike a chord, Zimmerman created a simple poster out of a ripped box that read, “If you give once a month, please consider me next time.” He notes: “Part of the process was learning that it’s all about the consumers and how they benefit from the transaction. Instead of saying, ‘I’m homeless’ or ‘I need this,’ we basically said, ‘I know you feel good when you give, so can you give to me next time?’”
The results were dramatic: One individual he worked with earned her usual daily take of $30 in just three hours. You can read the whole story in Business Week Online.
Related Posts:
- Privacy
- Compelling video: CMHA and The Cleaning Solution
- Next big thing: “American Idol for Nonprofits”
- Fundraising is a sales job
- Corporate philanthopy moves towards sponsorship
