Part I: Recruiting Donors and Volunteers: What We Can Learn from Politics
Part I: Getting the Meeting
This post will not comment on our current political climate or focus on any one politician or political party so you can safely keep reading!
Yesterday, as I sat working in a coffee shop – as I often do – a group of three young ladies sat at the table next to me – as often happens in a coffee shop. Soon a young gentleman joined them. Turns out, he volunteers as an organizer for a presidential candidate. In Iowa, we get lots of these types of folks at this time of year! One of the young ladies in the group currently volunteers for this campaign, and they talked to two of her friends about their interest in joining the campaign.
As they talked, I learned that the young man graduated from high school last May, came from out east, and decided to take a gap year to work on this candidate’s political campaign. I believe the young lady who volunteers for the campaign attends a local college and the other two young ladies attend local high schools. (I didn’t eavesdrop, I swear. It’s hard not to overhear in a coffee shop. You know how closely they put the tables!)
I share their backgrounds to note that these are not professional fundraisers or professional anythings. These 18 and 19-year olds intuitively get it on how to get others engaged as volunteers for an organization. (Or the political campaign did a great job training its local volunteers!) I think sometimes we get too far into our heads and forgot our natural tendency to invite people to join activities that excite us.
But I digress. What I witnessed as the young man talked to these young ladies offer good tips and advice on how you can engage volunteers and donors to your organization.
This post – Part I – will talk about getting the meeting and encouraging prospects to sit down with you. Part II will talk actual strategies to secure their commitments.
I observed six things through their conversation that led me to conclude that the following strategies helped him land to this meeting.
1. Use people your prospect knows to introduce them to the organization.
The two recruitees obviously had a relationship with the young lady who introduced them to the recruiter. I could tell from their conversation that they liked and respected her. I doubt he would have gotten the meeting otherwise.
2. Meet in a neutral location.
They met in a coffee shop. Somewhere public. If the meeting had not gone as planned – or worse, the person turned out to have nefarious intent, any of them could have left at any time without incident. Once you get to know the prospect and you have a relationship, it may become more comfortable to meet at their home. An office location can work as well. The prospects can always excuse himself or herself with the excuse of another meeting. (I had a boss once who asked his assistant to page him 10 minutes into a meeting to give him an excuse to leave.)
3. Clearly outline your intent when asking for the meeting.
These two young women knew that at this meeting, the organizer would ask them to (1) commit to caucus for this candidate and (2) volunteer further. They came with that frame of mind which meant that when he asked them for these commitments, it did not take them by surprise. They came predisposed to hear more and likely to agree. When you ambush your prospects with an ask – of time or treasure, it can knock them off guard, making them less likely to agree to help you. And, if they agree to a meeting at which they know you will ask them for something, you have already won half the battle.
4. To find prospects, talk about your organization – everywhere and often.
Repeatedly, both volunteers suggested to the recruits that they talk about this particular candidate in as many conversations as they could to find people with an interest in joining them. When you keep your organization, its mission and your involvement a secret, you miss an opportunity to find likeminded individuals who you can invite to help move your mission forward.
5. To the extent you can, find a “peer” to lead the meeting.
In this case, the young man had recently graduated from high school as did one of the girls. The other two are seniors in high school. They could relate to him and him to them. He did not come in as an “all knowing adult,” but as someone with similar experiences to them. While you may not always have the luxury of finding a peer – and this may have happened by coincidence – to the extent that you can pair similar people, you will find more success.
6. Have passion for your mission.
The “recruiters” clearly had a great passion for this candidate which came through in everything they said. When you have that passion and share that passion with others, it becomes contagious, making it easier to ask for help and harder to say no when asked.
Building on this idea, Part II will talk about conversational techniques to secure a commitment from your prospects, whether as a volunteer, donor, or both.
What ways do you engage prospective donors to meet with you to talk more about your organization and where they may fit?
