In the best of economic climates, it's difficult to ask for and then actually acquire, business donations for charities.  But as we wade through a recession, wincing as some of the largest corporations themselves beg for money, it makes that solicitation even harder to place.

            There are now so many bona fide, honest and imperative charities within our shrinking world, each depending on the goodness and the now nonexistent, extra money of the world community, that an actual statistic speaking to that number, is unavailable.   There are people and animals around the world that are dying from hunger, thirst and preventable diseases, or have lost their homes to natural disasters.  With this being the case, how does one find the courage to ask beleaguered people and corporations to donate to less critical but nonetheless important, causes?

            If you are the person in charge of your club's donation gathering, your job is going to be tremendously difficult in today's environment.  But, just as with all things, there are some common sense courtesies and a few tricks to execute that could well place your organization in the receiving line.

            We each believe strongly in our organizations; we have put in time and energy developing relationships with others and with the very concept that drives the group.

            Always remember, unless your association's activities fly in the face of the businesses' ethics (e.g. a calf roping club and an animal rights business), for the most part, goodwill abounds amongst them and it becomes very difficult for the givers to choose from a very long line of receivers want-to-be.  Your job therefore, becomes one of cutting yourself from the pack, similar to one trying for a new position.

            First, as in all manners of human endeavors, place yourself in the other's shoes, understanding that the person in charge of handing out donations is him/herself in a very difficult position.  Especially now, with funds so hard to come by, this person must make some choices that they'd rather not and also needs to justify every penny.  So help him/her out by elevating yourself and your organization.  Begin by deciding if you are going to contact them by telephone, in person, or by the mails; email or post.

The great majority of communications now come in the form of email.  It's free, quick, handy and often gets results within a day.  Although theoretically, it is no different than a letter, in actuality, things can go very wrong, very quickly with email.  None of us has avoided hitting that send button too quickly, or replying accidentally to the wrong person.  Those aside, because voice nuances are lacking and few people check over an email in the way they would a letter, misunderstandings abound.

Because we are all so inundated with spam and sometimes the delete button is used automatically, letters are more likely to be read and taken seriously.  The addressee also knows that his/her address the business looked up and looked into before the donation seeker spent the money on a stamp and stationary.  It somehow means more, especially if it is hand addressed and signed.  A throwback to the days of old perhaps, but there is something about the tactile sensation of holding a letter in one's hands.  One realizes that the writer is serious enough about his/her cause as to actually put in some effort.

Nonetheless, most businesses do now accept all correspondences by email and as long as the following points are utilized and one carefully checks the piece before hitting send, it can be an effective tool.

• It is essential that you discover the name of the person in charge of donations and then use it appropriately.  When beginning a relationship, formality is best observed.  That means using the correct title: Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.  If the person is female and you are not certain that she is married and prefers the title Mrs., (or that she is a Dr.) always use Ms.

Once you have established a relationship, and s/he has signed with his/her first name, then it is proper for you to follow suit.

When asking a business person who ranks high in a corporation or the owner of a one-person company, it is important that you treat them with respect for the position in which they work.  Do not use flowery email stationary with smiling faces winking.  Cuteness is in the eye of the beholder and whether or not the person you are asking to donate shares your level on the "endearing" barometer, the fact is that this is a business proposition and it's best to think of it in that sense.  If you wouldn't send baby monkeys whooping in the background of a resume, don’t send them in this case.  It's likely that the delete button will find a well placed finger, even before the possibly important text, is read.

• Make certain that you give the company a lot of time.  A member of a horse club contacted me last year, asking for a donation to their silent auction.  I agreed to send two of my posters, and was then told that, “Oh, by the way, we need them by the end of the week!”   This meant that not only did I have to rush, but I also had the added expense of a courier.

• It is extremely important to send a thank you note as quickly as possible.  Everyone likes to have his or her efforts appreciated, and a simple thank you goes a long way towards receiving a donation next year.  Ask the donator also if they would like a receipt for tax purposes.  And then follow up on it quickly.

• When calling a business to solicit anything, from ads to donations, do not use the company’s toll-free number.  These numbers are often paid by usage, and taking advantage of them to ask for gifts will not place you in a favorable light.

• If using donations as prizes, encourage the winner to contact the contributor.  It is an added bonus that allows the latter to feel good about giving.

• Do not take for granted that it is no problem for a business to offer prizes or money, as they will simply use them for a tax write-off.  Many are operating on the edge, even large companies, and every penny needs to be well spent and justified.  Some small enterprises, such as original artists, are unable to write off their real costs so their gift actually costs them considerably more.

• When running a trade-show, make sure that the participants are treated with respect, and made to feel very welcome.  Often trades people arrive only to find that what they were told was an indoor show, had suddenly and without warning, been changed to outside.  Or, those in charge didn’t know where to park the large trailers that had paid dearly for the space, and had even told them to get their rig away from the area.  Be aware that there is considerable investment in both cash and time away from work for a businessperson to set up a proper booth at a trade show.  The organizers have a responsibility to publicize the event as well as to work with the tradespeople to make it a successful show.  Simply putting out some tables during an event does nothing but saturate the market for the serious efforts.

Remember that businesses are run by human beings, and everyone likes to be treated as something special.  Bringing the booth-holders a cup of coffee during the event,  phoning or sending cards of appreciation, doing all possible to make people feel valued and welcome; these and many other simple acts, can assure your place at the front of that long line-up for donations.