Selling Goodwill and Grapefruits
"Being a charity seeker is much harder than you might think."
Listen to this commentary!
By Mac Lingo
 When was
the last time you knocked on a stranger's door and asked him or her to buy 20
pounds of grapefruit in the spirit of charity? I just did it this morning, and
being a charity seeker is much harder than you might think.
This summer, I'm going to Latin America for eight weeks to live in a small community
and do humanitarian work with an organization called Amigos. The catch is, to
do this I must first sell 80 cases of grapefruit, 80 potted plants, and 25 bags
of pecans.
I began my campaign by calling family and friends to ask them to buy some of
my goods. They were the most willing customers, and when I had exhausted their
generosity, I had to look to farther corners.
My next tactic was to enlist the aid of local stores. I've found the best bet
is selling to women's clothing stores. They seem to have money to spare, and
the owner is often available. Plus, they can always use a few tastefully placed
potted plants.
While selling on a street corner to passersby, I learned a lot about judging
complete strangers.
1. men never buy anything for charity
2. tourists never buy anything for charity
3. women with young children are incredibly apt to buy something
4. some old women would never buy anything, others are ready to carry my cause
to their grave.
I've gotten the process of selecting buyers down to a science. From categorizing
strangers, to working up the courage to knock on a random person's door, it
takes time and patience to learn the art of sales. Next time I pick up the phone
to be greeted by an AT&T solicitor, I'll listen to his tactics, admire his
skill, and politely say, no. Just like many of my customers.
For Youth Radio, I'm Mac Lingo.
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