Guest Post: What I Learned From Begging, by Luke Gedeon
[Note from the Proprietor: Today's post is (as you can plainly tell by the title) a guest post submitted by my friend Luke Gedeon, who blogs at Luke Gedeon. Although this week we're focusing on Mountaintop Experiences, this one is a mite time-sensitive (and marginally related to the topic anyway) so I'm posting it today.]
Thank you Robert for this guest post opportunity.
The theme of this month is What I Learned from the Mountaintop, and I will post on that soon. For today, I have something closer to a valley, but don’t worry. It has a happy ending.
Have you ever needed help really bad, and had nothing to give in return? No money. No girl scout cookies. Nothing!
Well… I did offer one person a bag of M&M’s. The gift was accepted but the results were well… a little less than I had hoped for. 
I recently entered Caring for China, the non-profit I work for, in a group-writing project. Not the ordinary, just for fun project, either. The company sponsoring the project, Zemanta, is giving away several thousand dollars to the cause(s) that can get the most bloggers to participate. (Click here for more info.) It is still open until Saturday the 6th, if you are willing to help.
So of course I jumped at the opportunity! I sent out a mass email to friends and family, I posted about it on my blog and twitter, and even set up a twitter account for Caring for China and followed anybody who said anything about China in hopes that they would help.
Then I went back to work on two huge projects, and let the mini-mass-media do its work.
Silence.
So I tried again, this time individually contacting a few of the people I thought most likely to help.
That worked!
At least half of the people I contacted directly followed through. I am still hoping a few more will soon.
This guest-post opportunity also came about through direct communication.
So my big lesson for the month, what I learned from begging, is that personal contact is still essential, and that blog posts and tweets without the “at” sign do not count as personal contact. You still have to use people’s names and address them individually.
So how about you? Have you ever experienced the thrill of begging? Did you learn anything in the process?
[This blog post is part of Zemanta's Blogging For a Cause campaign to raise awareness and funds for worthy causes that bloggers care about.]
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[Further note from the proprietor: As mentioned above, this post is also part of this month's What I Learned From... groupwrite project. If you'd like to join us (and you're more than welcome!), just click on that cute little link and read all about it. You have until Sunday at midnight, June 7 to enter!]
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8 responses so far
Middle Zone Musings is a comfortable place to stop, have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. I don't ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Have a seat, take a load off, and relax...
Hi Luke, I feel your pain. Sales is somewhat like begging in the respect that you get turned down far more often than you close deals. And, sales – much like begging – confirms the adage that the opposite of love is indifference. There’s nothing quite as depressing as talking into the void. But, when you realize it’s just the way things work, that it’s not to be taken personally, it’s not quite so bad. Good sales people, and I suppose good fundraisers, derive so much pleasure from the occasional “yes” that they forget all about the 100 “no’s”.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Are You a Social Media Doer or Dabbler?
Wow, that is very interesting. Great point, I think the personal touch in social media is what makes a difference.
[...] China (CFC). Luke Gedeon is the executive director of the CFC center and it was his post over at Middlezone Musings that got my attention. Luke has entered CFC in a group writing project; the nonprofit that gets the [...]
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Luke,
‘The thrill of begging,’ – I love your contradiction in terms!
Certainly, as a general statement, people do sit up and take notice when they are addressed on an individual basis – they are being addressed as a real person, not just because they are a name on the list.
Andrews last blog post..Climbing to the top
Hi Luke,
Both of my children have had to beg for funds in order for them to manage a need for funds for either camp or a school trip to europe, we created campaigns but addressed all the requests for help individually. BOTh campaigns were very successful, even if,as my son stated, “we begged”
Luke: By reading through your article, it reminds me of my life lowest point, where I have to beg and being scolded by other, when I became a salesperson…
It wasn’t a nice experience at all, but I’m able to get through with it…
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