Collecting Donations

[SmartAlecLights]

I know alot of us collect donations for different fund raising places.
what are the general rules people use?

do you chase car's or let them come to you?

So what sort of things/tips do you do?

as we all want to collect the most for our charity

 

[lithgowlights]

My tips are stuff learnt over the last 4 years of raising money and include:

1. Dress neatly, and if it's a family group collecting I'd suggest similar shirts.

2. Hi-Vis shirts or vests are a must if it's busy. Our shirts are black but orange arms and stripes down the side, all embroydered with the sponsor (Local cable company who gave us the shirts) logo and also LithgowLights on them all.

3. Be professional when talking. Greet the people, ask them have they tuned their radio in (and help them if they cant), offer them a lolly/glowstick etc and after a small chat, then mention you are collecting for charity and explain the charity.

4. Have the responces thought about, the name of the charity right, and expect the unexpected questions like do they help anyone in this area etc (often the charity will tell you a yes or no, but obviously not who).

5. Dont go out drinking, or smelling of drink. Ok this is a bit of a tricky one as I do drink, but I also greet cars till 10:30 11pm, and then come in to relax and maybe have a wine or beer, but not before then. If I go out after that I explain I was inside relaxing after the cars had gone so please excuse the wine or beer smell, have a laugh and then go into the normal chat.

6. The charity will often provide an authority to collect for them, so copy a few and have them handy should peiple ask. I had one folded up in my jeans last year and was asked 4 or 5 times to see it, and the people were amazed I actually had it handy.

7. In your website, any interviews to the papers, radio and TV (Yes I do all 3 lol) mention the charity, and why you chose them. Yes we do the lights for pleasure and the charity is only a secondary thing, but I plug my show, the location, the website and the charity in that order.

8. Dont worry if people wont give - I have been abused in the past, and I dont think I am pushy in mentioning the charity and I usually say "we are also collecting money for Redkite should you wish to make a small donation" and leave it at that. Not everyone has the $ to spare, and people are often embarrassed that they may only have 5c to donate - I mention that in previous years most of the total donations was in silver and gold coins and it all adds up, no matter how much, or even if they donate.

9. I sometimes wont even bother asking if an old beat up car with 4 snotty-nosed kids arrives and mum looks like she just got home from cleaning toilets at the local park with the kids toothbrushes. You have all see the type, so I am polite give the kids lollies and ensure they have the radio tuned and thats it.

Edit:

10. If you are handing out lollies make sure they are individually wrapped and you hand them out, dont get the kids to dive in and grab them

11. Again if you are handing out lollies have something else available should the child not be allowed or unable to eat lollies - we have 6 or 7 glowsticks in the bottom of each basket and only give them to the kids like that. Makes them feel special and the parents are often very appreciative.

 

[fasteddy]

I never force anyone to donate, donating is purely the persons decision.

But what i do is i divert traffic one way through our street to ensure traffic flows and people view the display from the best direction, this then has them coming back around to where i have blocked the road for 1 way traffic where they have to stop and give way before exiting the street, I have a well lit up area with a flashing red light for safety. I have a bucket placed where they stop with a sign saying dontations for the cancer council. I also have a voice over at the end of the sequence stating that if they would like to leave a donation that they can at the end of the street.
I find this method has been very succesful for us as the people have already seen the display and are more than willing to throw whatever change thay have in their car into the donation bucket.

The way i see it we are already there doing road diversions so not much more effort to collect donations and this way i dont have to approach anyone for any donations, the decision is left with them completely

 

[SmartAlecLights]

Lots of great info
Now to make sure i do all the correct things, an hopefully have a fun show with donations flowing.
i was also thinking if someone made a decent donation, say $2 or more, to turn on the snow machine i intend getting..
or should'nt i do that?

 

[aussiexmas]

I prefer a passive approach to donation collection. I have a secure but unattended donation box mounted at my gate and mention this location in my introduction together with the charities that I am collecting for, (for the past 2 years I have collected for 2 charities each year on a 50:50 split basis). This approach has worked well for me and leaves me free to wander and chat with viewers.

There was an earlier post on this topic which may be worth looking at - http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,1623.0.html
as well as a topic on donation boxes at - http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,1422.0.html

 

[DougieB]

Might throw my 2cents worth in. Every year I have lots of people volunteering to donate when we were not collecting and last year we decided to accept it. The money given to us last year went to the childrens cancer fund
So this year we are setting up a donation box to 2 charities. Red kite and one for a young boy that has been fighting bone cancer for the last 18 months with a single mum.
I have taken the approach of purchasing 150 3d glasses (Kel had them at the Brisbane mini) http://www.holidayspecs.com
I intend to give these out to anyone that makes a donation over $3 or 2 for $5 as well as the usual candy canes etc.
We (the whole end of our street) always dress up in christmas finery and have a great time, with the kids handing out the lollies and bubble bottles.

 

[angus40]

I prefer a passive approach to donation collection. I have a secure but unattended donation box mounted at my gate and mention this location in my introduction together with the charities that I am collecting for, (for the past 2 years I have collected for 2 charities each year on a 50:50 split basis). This approach has worked well for me and leaves me free to wander and chat with viewers.

There was an earlier post on this topic which may be worth looking at - http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,1623.0.html
as well as a topic on donation boxes at - http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,1422.0.html

I agree with the passive approach , here is a pic of my collectors . hope the uniforms are presentable enough .


lol.