Ring.Ring.Click.
Last night, Erin and I volunteered to help raise money for Shults-Lewis Children's Home during their annual telephone fund raising campaign. Neither of us has superb telemarketing skills, so we didn't go in with real high expectations that we'd set any fundraising records, but I thought we'd do at least $500. I believe our combined total for the evening was about $150...a far cry from what I had hoped.
We were calling people who had either donated before, or had some affiliation with Shults-Lewis that landed them on a "prospect" list. We worked from a script, which we modified to suit our own style, and asked people if they could pledge a specific amount that they could contribute sometime during 2005. Our goal was to get a $20/month committment, though Erin and I were only able to get one-time gifts. If someone offers a pledge, then Schults Lewis will send them a self-addressed stampled envelope to return their check, or they can pay online at their website.
Here are a few things I learned about the 100 or so people on my list:
- Approximately 90% of the people are either out on Friday night, or simply do not answer their phones
- Of the 10% who answer, 5% rudely hang up while you're talking
- 1% need better hearing aids
- About 6% of the people "support other charities" so are not interested in supporting this one
- Approximately 2% give through their church to support Shults-Lewis, though only 11% of Schults Lewis's operating budget comes from church donations
- Roughly 2% of the people I was able to reach were happy to donate
- The last, most important tidbit of information I learned -- you can always count on your mother. I put Erin up to calling my Mom and she came through with our biggest donation of the night. Thanks, Mom! :)
- For all those other relatives of mine who weren't home (or just weren't answering my call), I've still got your number, and you cannot escape from all of my calls ;)