Two board members of a youth program were planning a Halloween-themed
party intended to introduce their organization to would-be donors and
volunteers. They were going to deliver invitations on a weekday afternoon. I mentioned that their neighbors probably
would be at work, not at home (which would mean they’d have to deliver their correspondence the
way purveyors of lawn-care, painting, and eternal salvation do – leaving them
sticking out from beneath the welcome mat). I suggested waiting until the next Saturday so
they could deliver the invites face-to-face.
They waited until Saturday, and here’s what happened: The people who weren’t home when they delivered
invitations? None of them showed. The people to whom they gave invites
in-person? One-hundred percent attended the party.
There you have it - more evidence that face-to-face is usually a faster, more
effective donor cultivation method than the alternatives.
