Could charities be losing out because of a reluctance to ask?
Howard Lake | 5 December 2008 | News
De-bunking the ‘Just one ask’ myth
A common belief among charity fundraisers is: “You can have only one ‘ask'”, but where is the evidence to support this? Charity marketing experts would love to be able to ask supporters for more support, more frequently, but they could be unnecessarily constrained by this ‘accepted wisdom’. Is it valid? Recent research suggests ‘not very’.
A series of surveys carried out by the www.EachOneCounts.co.uk recycling campaign among charity supporters provides interesting statistical evidence of supporter attitudes. Questioned on their willingness to support a range of ‘Affinity’ fundraising opportunities that cost them nothing, respondents overwhelmingly were in favour of getting involved. The majority (69%*) were ‘happy to consider’ all or most affinity scheme examples, such as recycling, charity credit cards or search engines.
Confirming the public’s willingness to get involved with charities on multiple levels, a YouGov research study, commissioned by Each One Counts, found that 81%** of the public who do not already recycle mobiles and printer cartridges to help a charity said they would do so if a charity were to benefit. Less than 10%1 who donated money indicated that they did not want to be bothered with affinity schemes.
Amy Horn, manager of the Each One Counts recycling campaign, said: “We have firm evidence from our extensive research programme over the last few months that charities are missing out on free fundraising income. Not only have we established that about £130 million extra is just waiting to be collected by charities through improved recycling, but we seem to have blown the myth that asking supporters to recycle at the same time as asking for cash donations could cause offence. Supporters seem keen to do both”.
For more information and to recycle your unwanted mobile phones and used inkjet cartridges, please visit www.eachonecounts.co.uk
Notes:
* Figures taken from online research carried out by Environmental Business Products Ltd between August and November 2008. The surveys were carried out online to include several UK charity supporter bases, totalling approximately 1500 responses.
** Survey conducted by YouGov Plc with a total sample of 2,491 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 22nd – 24th July 2008. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.