Dogs are cute when they beg – you’re not

Posted May 13, 2009

I received an email the other day from a non-profit asking me to vote for them so that they can win cash from a major corporation. They didn’t say much about how winning would impact their community.

They also asked me to spread the word – even though this was their first time reaching out to me.

An Australian Shepherd dog photographed in studioTo the person who sent me the email:

  • You’re bigger than begging. Your non-profit kicks ass and deserves to win – because of the great work you’re doing. Lead with that confidence.
  • Don’t be desperate. Times are hard, I know. No one invests in “desperate” – not even in this economy.
  • Don’t be reactive. If you’ve scrambled to jump on this opportunity because you only found out about it last week, then stop. Scrambling is a symptom of a bigger problem – not having a powerful business strategy.
  • You could scorch your seeds. Asking your future cultist to vote when “they’re not there yet”, could ruin the possibility of them becoming a core supporter.
  • You look like everyone else. Rare is the non-profit who doesn’t beg for votes on Twitter. Be remarkable.
  • Votes should be truly deserved. This is just my personal philosophy. The extent to which you’ll beg others to vote for your non-profit should never be a factor in be selected. Kick ass and then let the people decide!

I’m done bitching. But you do get my point. Right?

Here’s what will work

  • Focus on getting your cultists to vote – No. Go one step further. Create platforms for them to campaign on your behalf (Facebook Groups, Twitter campaign pages, Blogs).
  • Create a compelling video – A well done video with music, images and text will inspire actions than just using text.
  • Give them a reason. Be very clear about what the winning non-profit gets.
  • Vote the issue – not your non-profit – People want to take action to end hunger or child abuse, but yawn if they’re voting to help your non-profit pay bills.
  • Trade “always” for “never” – “Vote For Us” events has the majority of non-profits doing the spam thing. People start to say, “Whenever there’s a vote-to-win opportunity, non-profits always [fill in the blank].” When this happens, doing the opposite of what everyone else does will get you more attention.
  • Be sustainable – This is the most important point! How are you cultivating donors so that even 10% of them become cultist fundraisers?

Remember that you’re doing good work that will get the attention it deserves. Have confidence in that.

Please share – what works for your non-profit?

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  • Thanks for sharing this John, it was a very interesting read. Scott I`m with you on that on aswell.
  • Nice dog in your avatar! ;-)
  • John - I agree with you...there has to be a better way for non-profits and corporations to work together. Glad Beth and you could flesh out the key points of this. And, glad Joe brings in the concept of coming from a position of strength.

    We can expect to see more of this as existing organizations learn how to use social media and cause marketing together. While we'll have many glorious failures, we'll have some great innovations, too.

    @scottyhendo

    <abbr>Scott Henderson’s last blog post..The Back Story of the Pledge to End Hunger (Video)</abbr>
  • I totally agree with you here Scott, no doubts whatsoever in my mind! BTW, thank you for sharing this John!

    Dave
  • You're welcome, Dave!
  • "A man who stands on his feet is stronger than a man who stands on his head." - Emerson

    John, you're absolutely right on nonprofits acting like a bunch of beggars most of the time. Instead of approaching a donor from a position of strength on the power of their mission and what they have to offer a donor, they crawl in on their knees looking for a handout!

    This is one of the reasons I enjoy cause marketing because I can approach a company as an equal. Not only do I represent a fabulous nonprofit, but I have some valuable "assets" to share with the right partner. In short, I don't beg. I negotiate!

    But whatever you do for nonprofit work, you can do it from a position of strength, power and value. Beggars need not apply.

    <abbr>Joe Waters’s last blog post..Phantom Gourmet Cooks-Up Cause Marketing Success</abbr>
  • Beth - thanks for the valuable comments - seriously.

    Responsibility is a two way street - agreed. However, Non-profits can change how they use these programs - if they are creative and take 100% responsibility for the mission that they fight. Most small non-profits I know are like this.

    In the end, most non-profits have little bandwidth to change how these programs are designed - unless they 1) participate in program design or 2) take away the demand for them (meaning don't participate - which is highly unlikely).

    Board members might not know what "social media best practices" means. But I hope and pray that they know what "sustainability" means.
  • You're right, it isn't about blame - poor choice words. Responsibility is a two way street ... better practices from nonprofits and better designed contests might get at answer to your question: How can non-profits use “vote for me” opportunities to create awareness without cheapening the very issues they are working for?


    Begging happens when the contests designed to benefit a small number of organizations that are competing for a large chunk of cash. That is if you go back look at the history of these efforts over the last three years, organizations will go all out, especially with a big cash incentive. Yes it does fly in the face of social media best practices, but I suspect with the economic pressures that many institutions are facing -- it isn't surprising.

    And, the directives for strategy might be coming from the c-suite that is looking more at the dollar prize, not at social media best practices.

    Contests could be designed to encourage best practices and the reward would not be for begging, but for using social media in a responsible way.
    That's a win-win.

    <abbr>Beth Kanter’s last blog post..So you want a Facebook Fan Page for Your Nonprofit? Here's the Scoop!</abbr>
  • @Beth - This isn't about blame (the word "blame" isn't in this post). It's about non-profits taking responsibility for using these opportunities in more effective ways. If non-profits just blame corporations for the way programs are designed, then they're putting themselves in a very weak position.

    "Off base" implies that there is a game. Games need rules. There are no rules.
  • I think you're offbase here putting the blame on the nonprofits. Isn't the problem the design of the corporate giving program? As I wrote in my post about these contests,
    http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/2009/05/targ...

    they remind of a KOI feeding freezy.

    <abbr>Beth Kanter’s last blog post..Can Nonprofit Organizations Work More Like Clouds? How?</abbr>
  • Thank you for writing this. It applies to so many situations. I get DMs from followers and NON-followers on Twitter who write: "RT this:...." and give a link. Not even a lousy hello. I usually take the time to write back and say, "What have you done for me lately?" or something fresh like that. But bottom line, do something to make it worthy of my time...like get to know me a little before spamming me with requests just because I have kick ass followers who are great retweeters....

    As usual, your post is A++++++++

    <abbr>The Daily Blonde’s last blog post..Elizabeth Fournier: All Men are Cremated Equal</abbr>
  • Yes, begging is not huge on the dignity. Working for a non-profit org in the UK though, I can assure you that times are indeed *very* tough - many charities get funding from other charitable grant making bodies, who get their income stream from the stock market. Which means that most of the Trusts and Foundation have very little to give away just now. It's soul destroying.

    I absolutely hear you about getting your supporters to campaign on your behalf - a very useful platform to add to your list is the online fundraising site, JustGiving (or its US counterpart, FirstGiving.)

    <abbr>Charlotte’s last blog post..Wooden Spoon Sports Pitch nears completion</abbr>
  • @Hildy - You're welcome. I've been racking my brain on this one: How can non-profits use "vote for me" opportunities to create awareness without cheapening the very issues they are working for?
  • Oh John, thank you for this, especially for focusing on the "so what?" of the impact the organization will have in its community.

    And BTW, I find my own dog decidedly UNcute when she begs.
    :-)
    Hildy

    <abbr>Hildy Gottlieb’s last blog post..Monday Morning Rock Out!</abbr>
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