Been asked to comment on the great debate: Street Canvassers - chuggers or champions?
It's a midnight session so grumpy old men and women may not be able to stay up for it but I am very interested in what people currently think about canvassing. On a personal basis is it an intrusive assault or an informed conversation. From a fundraising view is it a vital part of the fundraising mix - targeted at the hard to reach generation Y, or is it an increasingly expensive, hard to manage, frustrating technique that will go the way of other short lived phenomena? Incidentally the PFRA seems curiously silent on the debate and unresponsive to requests for information yet aren't they are the ones out there canvassing for support?
I'd really like to know so please let me have your comments and come back tomorrow to hear how it went.
The degree of dislike of fundraising is proportional to the proximity of the asker. Mail is impersonal and can't answer back as you chuck it on the fire. Telephones can be slammed down.... but the street confrontation brings into play emotions that are stronger - house to house fundraising intrusions too. Nationally we hates it. So no surprise that chuggers are disliked. BUT history records that causes desperately needing help, where askers will NOT be put off becuase the need is so huge, get what they need by demanding our attention. Such asking takes balls, a thick skin, determination, brass neck, guts. Such people are rare and rather wonderful.
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