Three face-to-face fundraising tips
As a result of two years of COVID restrictions and lockdowns, charitable giving has officially gone digital.
In a recent report, the Charities Aid Foundation revealed that, since March 2020, there’s been a large and sustained increase in contactless giving (from 13% to 24%).
The question is, does it signal the end of face-to-face fundraising?
No. Because face-to-face fundraising provides something that no digital platform can: Human connection.
What is face-to-face fundraising?
Face-to-face (F2F) fundraising is where professional fundraisers approach members of the public to sign them up for regular donations.
The practice has been around for 25 years. And, while it faded out during the pandemic, charities are starting to ramp up their F2F activity.
There are various types of face-to-face fundraising:
Door-to-door fundraising: We’ve all encountered them. Those insanely enthusiastic folk in high-vis jackets who knock on your door.
Street fundraising: This one is self-explanatory. They’re usually found in city centres.
Private site fundraising: Takes place in indoor venues such as train stations and shopping centres.
Does F2F fundraising work?
We may live in a digital-first world, but the value of face-to-face interaction shouldn’t be underestimated.
If in doubt, check out these stats from Ascenta Group:
Face-to-face donors give 10 x more than donors acquired from other channels.
Non-profits see up to an 80% conversion rate for personal interactions.
With data like that, it’s hard to dispute the value.
So, we know f2f is effective, but what can you do to boost your success rate?
Here are four top tips.
1. Give a ‘face’ to your F2F fundraisers
One of the reasons why f2f fails? It’s hard to tell a legitimate fundraiser from a phony. Thanks to design programmes like Canva, you don’t need to be a design wizard to knock up a convincing flyer and ID badge.
The onus is on you to ensure donors feel confident enough to sign up.
The best way to do it? Take a leaf out of Unicef’s book. On their website, they provide a summary of their face-to-face fundraising programme, including:
The geographic areas where people might run into one of their fundraisers
A description of what their fundraisers wear (both clothing and ID)
A rundown of what they talk about
Images of the team in full gear.
2. Talk less, listen more
In their haste to get all the information across, F2F fundraisers often make the mistake of talking too much and forgetting to listen.
Once you deliver your pitch, ask a couple of key questions and shush.
Allow the person to respond without interruption. And listen out for keywords or phrases that align with your mission, so you can draw a connection between their story and your cause.
3. Don’t dwell on the negatives
Sure, you’re going to need to highlight the gravity of the situation faced by the people the charity serves, but don’t dwell on the negatives.
Move the conversation on to what the charity is doing to help. Share success stories, facts, and a few statistics that demonstrate the difference the charity is making
What next?
The key to face-to-face fundraising success is having the right people on board. This is where we come in. If you’re looking to build a solid f2f team, give us a call on 0203 750 3111 for an informal chat.