Why I hate charity sign-up volunteers

I was walking through the streets of central Sydney last week when I spied a group of charity volunteers ahead.

You know the ones – lanyards around their necks, and tablets in their arms. Standing on the footpath trying to guilt people into stopping to hear their spiel and sign up for a regular donation.

When I see them, I either avoid them, or I stare straight ahead and don’t stop walking.

Which is kind of stupid, right? Why am I so afraid of stopping? Why is it we struggle so much to break away once we’ve made eye contact?

Okay, maybe you don’t have the same problem.

But I know I’m not the only one.

The worst part about it is, although I’ve given to many charities over the years – out of choice, not just guilt – I’ve never been impressed with the street signups.

They fell pushy. Inconvenient. In the way – often literally.

Manipulative.

In fact, I’d say that in their own way, they’re the epitome of what most people hate about selling.

Whenever I tell people that speaking is selling, I have to actively convince them that I’m not talking about the kind of selling that made me cross the street to avoid those volunteers last week.

(Yes, I have to sell them on the idea that speaking is selling. The irony is strong with this one.)

But here’s a thought experiment for you:

Contrast those charity sign-up volunteers with a completely different street sales experience I had a few years ago.

I was walking through Martin Place and this group of volunteers were handing out a new flavour of Red Bull.

And you know what?

People were flocking to them.

In fact, they ran out pretty quickly.

I saw a similar thing in a shopping mall once, where a local pole dancing studio had set up a portable pole and their students were taking turns in improvising pole dances (yes, their clothes were on). The others stood around with fliers for the school.

A lot of people stopped.

And I definitely saw fliers being taken.

What’s the difference between the charity volunteers on the one hand, and the Red Bull and the pole studio on the other?

It’s the same people walking down the street going about their business. It’s the same interruption… except it isn’t.

The second one feels exciting – fun. The second one gives me a reason to stop and hear more.

And this is the difference between bad salesmanship and good. Between bad marketing and good.

It’s also the difference between a bad speaker and a good one.

Most speakers – and, sadly, most of their writers – take the audience for granted.

Why?

Because most of the time the audience isn’t going anywhere. Which seems like you’ve got a captive audience.

But while they may be captives – they’re not captivated.

So making that switch from captive to captivated is your first and most important job as a speaker. It’s also my first job as a speechwriter.

The bad speakers just start talking. They don’t give you any reason to be interest. They don’t show you anything that’s ‘in it for you’.

You might listen out of guilt, but unless they interest you, you’re just being polite.

Which is a tragedy, because there’s nothing more interesting than a good speech or presentation.

A good one draws people in. It offers them something of interest. And it keeps that interest every minute until the proverbial ‘That’s all, folks!’

Food for thought.

If you want help making your next speech or presentation grab your audience like the Red Bull or pole studio grabbed theirs, hit reply or email me at [email protected] and let’s talk.

Or don’t.

The choice is yours.

Talk soon,

Alexander