Asking Strangers To Donate

In this continuing series, we explore the results of a survey conducted among over fifty state and local new leaders asking for any voluntary advice they might give to new or inexperienced new leaders seeking elected office.  Part 3 can be found here.

Raising funds for a campaign is crucial to your campaign’s success and, unless you are Bill Gates and don’t need to fundraise, you will quickly run out of friends who can contribute to your campaign and especially people who can contribute larger amounts of funds. Sooner or later you will have to start asking complete strangers for money. This is no easy task: people are loathe to give money to people they don’t know, let alone people who want large amounts of it.

Thus, asking for money is also one of the hardest mental blocks you might be facing in your campaign, at least initially. Like all things, the first time is the hardest. Unlike all things, so is the second, third, fourth, and 297th time you ask. There is hope, though—with perseverance your request for a donation will succeed and you will add more of the lifeblood of your campaign to the war chest.

If you haven’t already had someone come to your door asking for money at some point in your life, imagine this: a total stranger in nice clothes (you remembered to dress up, right?) is walking to your door. What’s the first thing you think of—a snake oil salesman? In any case, you are suspicious. After he rings the doorbell and introduces himself as Mr. Smith, informing you that he is running for office, he briefly goes over what he stands for (flowers, bunnies, and candy) and then asks if he can count on your support. You think “Sure, I like all those things,” and quickly say yes. But then Mr. Smith goes one step further and asks if you would be willing to support him financially? What is the pivotal factor in making you say yes or no? Your own wallet? The manner in which he carries himself?

More often than not in the above situation, a smile, some manners, and respect for the person you are talking to will usually garner at least a possible donation from someone of the same party. As with all donations, if they decide to support you, send a thank you letter. Almost nothing irks people more than an ungrateful politician.

Be persistent! You might not receive the donations you need right away, but if you persist in asking, someone will eventually contribute. Be sure to stay plugged into state or party organizations that track donations: wealthy donors often give to multiple candidates multiple times over the course of an election.