You may hate being asked to donate at the register, but most people don't. That's the finding of a 24-page report released by Good Scout, a social good consultancy that's headed by two cause superstars, Phil McCarty and Maureen Carlson.
The big news is that 55 percent of respondents like being asked to give at the register. Consumers also felt positively about the charity and the retailer after donating. Gasp!
Even those who disliked giving at the register gave because they felt guilty not donating.
I learned a few other things from Change at the Checkout: The Evolution of Charitable Donations at the Register.
Cashiers only have a few seconds to convince consumers to give. A recognizable charitable brand is a critical donation trigger. The imprint of brand is so strong that 47 percent of consumers can recall the last charity they supported at the register.
Even more consumers can recall the retailer that last asked them to give at the register. And 60 percent felt positively toward the retailer after being asked.
The second key donation trigger was a personal tie. I've always said: persuasion occurs through identification. When a cause resonates with a consumer - whether it's from recognition or experience - that's a powerful motivator to give.
I was a bit surprised by this one. I always knew that a human ask was behind some of the most successful checkout fundraisers. But I didn't think consumers liked it! I thought that given the choice, consumers would prefer a silent solicitation from a credit card keypad. It turns out they prefer an ask from the cashier.
As Phil and Maureen point out: "There is a certain power of influence when humans interact—whether deliberate or subconscious. We crave interaction and act on its behalf more frequently."
Still, the future of retail is fewer, not more human interactions. Retailers are upgrading technology to improve the customer experience and to save labor costs. Nonprofits and retailers need to prepare for tomorrow's checkout programs now!
How many Millennials have donated to a charity at the register.
How much they like being asked to give at the register.
How positively they felt about the charity and retailer.
More info on the important role Millennials will play in cause marketing and changing the world: Forget Zombies, Get Ready for the Goodpocalypse.
This new report from Good Scout will give charities and companies new confidence in using a program that is a fundraising workhorse and - yes! - popular with consumers.
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