Charity Collectors calling to shop

gills2

Hi, looking for any advice on how to deal with charity collectors calling to my shop.

I've only been trading for 3 weeks and have had about 36/37 people calling asking for donations to charities, contributions to fundraising events and raffles and wanting to sign me up to DD payments. It's honestly become overwhelming.
Some of them are from local schools and good causes and I've felt obliged to give donations. Others claim to be from larger national and international organisations but have either swiftly displayed 'authorisation' or none at all. If I had given donations to all of these people I would have been out of business before I've even started.

Is there any way to politely prevent these collectors from calling at all? Some of them have been quite intimidating especially when they realise that I won't be handing over any cash.

thanks

mikemac

Sign on the door "no canvassers or collections"
Just print off an A4 page or so

Loads of traders do it

For me anyway, I'd be inclined to support the local ones above the national groups.
Depending on your business and budget, you might even sponsor a local team and get your name on the shirts.
So look at sponsorship before considering charity

gills2

Thanks for that. I noticed this morning that a few other businesses have small notices like this displayed and I've asked some other shopkeepers what their policy is. I'm not an ungenerous person and I agree totally with supporting local causes. I always support and donate to our local hospice and schools and help to arrange fundraising events for other good causes. I won't participate in cold calling or shaking tins in streets though.

The business is only just paying its' way at the moment and it's going to take quite some time before I can even afford to pay myself. At that time I'd be happy to consider sponsorship

Tangled

I would say choose one charity / cause / local team or whatever and support them, then your stock answer becomes that you have your charity budget spent for the year.

Once you start donating to things in general you will be targetted the whole time. (Especially in local communities).

You can't support everything, people will try to guilt you into supporting their cause but if you are already contributing to someone your conscience will be fine.

Would also put up the sign on the door, and be firm.

gills2

Tangled wrote: »

I would say choose one charity / cause / local team or whatever and support them, then your stock answer becomes that you have your charity budget spent for the year.

Once you start donating to things in general you will be targetted the whole time. (Especially in local communities).

You can't support everything, people will try to guilt you into supporting their cause but if you are already contributing to someone your conscience will be fine.

Would also put up the sign on the door, and be firm.

Thanks, Tangled.

great advice which has really helped to focus my thoughts on the issue. I'll set the wheels in motion this week re. supporting a local cause and display a notice on my door.

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

About the notice on the door, personally I wouldnt do this. It won't stop them and remember for every person soliciting, you have two days worth of customers passing that sign and getting a negative impression. Would you not be better off using that space / attention span to entice them into buying more product?

My approach would be to select one cause you support each year and explain nicely that all your funds are already committed to X cause and to wish them well.

Compare the impact to a customer of a sign saying proud supporters of our charity partner for the year - the Simon Community; with a sign saying we don't tolerate charity solicitations.

tombull82

Totally Agree with Ronans post above...

gills2

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan wrote: »

About the notice on the door, personally I wouldnt do this. It won't stop them and remember for every person soliciting, you have two days worth of customers passing that sign and getting a negative impression. Would you not be better off using that space / attention span to entice them into buying more product?

My approach would be to select one cause you support each year and explain nicely that all your funds are already committed to X cause and to wish them well.

Compare the impact to a customer of a sign saying proud supporters of our charity partner for the year - the Simon Community; with a sign saying we don't tolerate charity solicitations.

Thanks, Ronan. I hadn't considered that such a sign might have a negative effect on customers so your opinion is appreciated. Just back from attending a charity do this evening which has given me some ideas of how I might usefully support a local cause without breaking the bank. I'll be talking to one of their committee in a week or so about ways in which I can help and I'm feeling much happier about finding a positive way to deal with this issue.

gills2

gills2 wrote: »

Hi, looking for any advice on how to deal with charity collectors calling to my shop.

I've only been trading for 3 weeks and have had about 36/37 people calling asking for donations to charities, contributions to fundraising events and raffles and wanting to sign me up to DD payments. It's honestly become overwhelming.
Some of them are from local schools and good causes and I've felt obliged to give donations. Others claim to be from larger national and international organisations but have either swiftly displayed 'authorisation' or none at all. If I had given donations to all of these people I would have been out of business before I've even started.

Is there any way to politely prevent these collectors from calling at all? Some of them have been quite intimidating especially when they realise that I won't be handing over any cash.

thanks

I had a lot of this a few years ago for a business I had in Dublin. As I know how tough the door to door job is I would entertain the people always - but when they came up and start talking I would say "Ok stop. You have 30 secs to give me your pitch and if I dont like it then we are done'. A bit rude but usually effective. More often then not the pitches are pretty bad and unconvincing, but every so often theres a gem of a salesperson who is just starting out and instead of buying the product, I hit them with a job offer .

DubTony

Deleted User wrote: »

More often then not the pitches are pretty bad and unconvincing, but every so often theres a gem of a salesperson who is just starting out and instead of buying the product, I hit them with a job offer .

LOL ... I had a feeling that was coming. Just like a Wall Street banker. (Take that whatever way you like. )

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW-PHukzdgM

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW-PHukzdgM

Hahaha nice Ronan.

I'm very much anti Wall Street Tony, but those boys sure know how to sell