Ever since year 7, I have been a volunteer for many national
charity campaigns. This includes volunteering at the Variety Children’s Christmas
Party, running stores and games as well as charity fundraising days where I got up at crazy hours in the morning and
carried a tray of goodies or empty money tin outside Town Hall Station to catch
the peak hour rush of commuters going to work.
Over the years, I have been involved in Starlight Day,
Daffodil Day, Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal and Legacy Day. We all know it
is hard asking people for money, but over the years I have developed and became shameless when it came to fundraising. To me, apart
from asking people for donations, fundraising also involved singing at the top
of my voice to try catching the attention of busy people.
Here are 6 tips for
you on how to be successful at being a volunteer:
1. Smile
Never underestimate
what a smile can do for others and yourself. You may or may not realise this,
but by smiling at the people passing by, you will appear approachable and
friendly, meaning there is a higher chance of being successful in asking for
donations.
2. Be energetic
If you want someone to take out their wallet and buy your merchandise or
donate, then you need to be active in your fundraising activities. If you’re
not energetic in your job, it is highly unlikely you will be able to convince
others. Start putting some energy into your fundraising activities and actively
go up to people to start a conversation, you will soon see positive results.
3. Greet the person
Greetings are a great way to start conversations and shows good manners.
A simple “Hello” or “Good Morning” can catch the attention of someone passing
by, making the interaction personalised. We all like to speak to someone who’s
polite, especially if they are asking for money!
4. Always say thank
you – even if they choose not to donate or buy
This is a trick from my high school teacher that I found highly useful.
Of course we all know to say “thank you” after someone has donated, but how
about saying “thank you” to someone who has just said “no” or plainly ignored
you? My teacher told me that by saying “thank you” to those who had just rejected
you would leave them feeling guilty seeing as you have just been polite and
nice to them. I have seen people walk back to me and purchase some merchandise
or donate after walking past me. Try it! It really works.
5. Stay positive
It is given that not all people will respond to your donation calls;
however it is very important to stay positive and believe there will be someone
out there. Usually when I get discouraged from rejections, I’d like to remind
myself the purpose of why I am standing there and the people who are in need of
the donations.
6. Be passionate
This is the most important tip for being successful. If you are not
passionate about the things you are doing, you will never be able to achieve
high. If you want to volunteer, why not choose charity you are passionate
about? You will find yourself doing better and being happier.
Being brought up in a typical Chinese family in Australia,
Vivian takes pride as an ABC (Australia-born Chinese) where she happily
embraces both the Chinese and Australian cultures. In high school, Vivian wanted to become a fashion designer,
however she has developed a passion for running events after working backstage
for multiple live shows. Prior to starting at Akolade, Vivian worked 4 years in
the wine industry and she misses the wine tasting sessions and openly drinking
on the job. As the Marketing Coordinator, Vivian enjoys using her creativity to
design unique and fun campaigns for each event. In her spare time, Vivian loves to spend time with her two
adorable cat and dog.
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