Harness the Power of In-Person Asks

Did you know that asking six people in-person to do something is as effective as sending out the same request to an email list of 200 people? While an email blast is a quick way to reach out, there is no guarantee that your ask will be fulfilled. Not when non-profit emails only have a 34% open rate. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of the speed and reach of emails. But imagine the success you’d unlock if you utilized both the gifts of technology along with the power of a real social setting and your own personal network.

Here are three successful in-person tactics that are sure to increase your total donors.

1. Asking at an event

That doesn’t mean passing out flyers, or standing next to a pretty poster board waiting to catch someone’s eye. Approach a stranger and ask them to take action. You’ll get some “no’s” but there is no way you won’t walk away with a “yes.”

Fundraising Life Hack:

Make your asks while people stand in line! They’re going nowhere fast and if you have the right technology on hand, you won’t be more than a minute anyway!

2. Asking your mom

Tapping into your personal network is a hidden strength that many people in the non-profit field do not utilize. If your network is as small as your mom, she believes in your cause and she has friends who believe in what she believes in. The potential that flowers from just a few people in your own network is limitless. As a champion of your org, you are leading by example for staff and board members to do the same.

3. Making a call

Technically calling is still in-person. Our clients have seen more success calling at least 25 people a week to make their asks than asking through email or social media.

If you’re struggling with unresponsive donors, you have nothing to lose from putting some of these networking tips to action! Let us know in the comment section your favorite way to do an in-person ask.

Originally published at https://blog.harnessgiving.com on July 30, 2018.