I try to donate to charity whenever possible. Liz and I are especially big supporters of The Leukemia Lymphoma Society, for which she completed a triathlon, and The Cure Starts Now, a non-profit organization started by a Cincinnati family after their daughter’s heartbreaking battle with brainstem glioma. What I’ve noticed, though, is that once you donate to one of them you’re on the mailing lists of all of them.
At least three times a week I get solicited by a story of a child battling an illness. And while I want to help each and every one of them, I simply can’t. It’s guilt-trip marketing, but with an emotional touch.
The one strategy that some organizations use which is 100% guilt trip (minus pulling on your heartstrings) is sending me my very own return address labels. Puppies. Kittens. Birds. Ziggy. Flowers. Patriotic flags. I get them all. And guess what–I use them. Without sending a donation in return.
I used to have a guilty conscience about using them. But then I reasoned with myself. I said, “Self, they’ve already printed these labels. And they’re custom-made with your name and mailing address on them. So, who else could make use of them?” The answer always came down to no one. So, if I didn’t make use of them, they’d go to waste.
I’ve had a complete change of heart. I can’t bring myself to use the majority of them on real mail, but I have no problem slapping a hydrangea label bearing “Mr. Logan Cummins” in the top left-hand corner of my student loan payments.
But you know what’s even better than free mailing labels? Some organizations actually include a nickel along with the labels. I think the reasoning is to illustrate that for as little as a nickel a day you can make a difference. So now, I’ve not only saved on mailing labels, but I’ve also gained 1/20th of a dollar for my own fortunes.
What a steal.
I’m guilty too.
Left by Jody on July 24th, 2008