It’s time for charities to re-think the hard sell

Recently, I had an experience with a charity organisation that really got me thinking about their business model. While working from home, head-down on a task, a stranger turned up at my door.

He led with the always-appropriate conversation starter: “Do you know anyone with cancer?”

When I said yes, he looked excited and told me I should help that person out by donating. Twenty minutes later (he told me it would only take five) I had been emotionally manipulated into signing up for an ongoing monthly payment for more than I wanted to give.
Disturbed by the experience, I put together two reasons why:

• Customers want to feel in control of their decisions. Charity reps are being trained to ignore soft refusals, which is directly opposing the developing culture of consent.

• Customers don't have control over the time, place or channel that the interaction happens in. In almost every other service, customers are given the option to interact with the organisation online, by phone or in person. They can do this at a time and place that suits them and retain the privacy of where they live.

While traditional charity organisations probably believe this is the only way to get the funding they need, organisations like Friends with Dignity show that less domineering methods can be effective. Their model is built on community engagement and allows the public to assist in ways that suit their circumstances, whether that be providing items of need like sheets, cutlery or toiletries; a financial contribution; or volunteering their time.