Is this a phenomenal idea or a crazy one?

I have several high-profile prospects that I've been working on getting a meeting with now for sometimes years. Thinking about spending my Comish on a 50$ donation to a charity of their choice to take a meeting with me.


A simple facebook search revealed that one VP loves dogs and dog rescues. Thinking about emailing her and offering to trade a 50$ donation to her favorite rescue for a 30 minute discovery call.


Let me know your thoughts savages, am I crazy? Or could this be a solid technique?


Regards,

TRPD

🔎 Prospecting
👑 Sales Strategy
13
1nbatopshotfan
Politicker
8
Sales
Even though it’s charity it feels like pay to play and people can be very off put by this.
TheRealPezDog
Notable Contributor
1
Account Manager
I thought about that for sure... It's kind of a cheeky way to get around an "actual" pay to play... 
MediocreSalesGuy
Valued Contributor
2
AE (Account Executive)
In this case, I think pay to play make actually be better vs. playing with someone’s heart through a charity
mitts2
Politicker
5
Account Executive
My company sends gifts to prospects quite a bit and oftentimes they are pretty legit (kindle, theragun, speaker, etc) and they often get meetings, but you have to be very conscious of the email that goes with it and the relationship you have with the person. The wrong tone here will destroy any chance you might have at a meeting.
DungeonsNDemos
Big Shot
0
Rolling 20's all day
In what context are gifts sent? I have not worked for any companies that have done this so I would love to hear.
Seems like it would be difficult to do without going over the bribery line.
mitts2
Politicker
0
Account Executive
For the most part we send them to partially warm leads or leads who have taken meetings in the past and have fallen off. Our CS team sends gifts for newly onboarded partners. Sending to purely cold leads is difficult and without any prior context, I usually advise my SDR to stay away from those types of people. 
UrAssIsSaaS
Arsonist
4
SaaS Eater
So I like where you're heads at. BUT you have to be really careful about delivery here since the way its laid out sounds like straight up bribery. 
justatopproducer
Politicker
2
VP OF SALES -US
Don’t ever pay your own money to win a deal, unless it is for the company you own.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
My previous employer had us use Alyce to help us book meetings.  One option was to enable prospects to decline the Alyce gift and select a charitable donation.   It was a nice touch, but the top hit rate overall remained 10% for getting a meeting.   I mean, if you approached the prospect and laid it flat out that usually you would send a gift card or something in return for her valuable time, but you noticed she was very much into her dog rescue and you'd be happy to exchange the $20 Starbucks card for a $20 donation...maybe it would work?
MediocreSalesGuy
Valued Contributor
1
AE (Account Executive)
Yeah, great thought but my guess is that most prospects will be put off by it and feel that you’re using someone’s (or dog) misfortune as an opportunity to make a profit (via a meeting). Agree that you would be better off offering coffee or something else with charity donation as an alternative option. My opinion on gifts for meetings in general has always been that it only is effective with a mid-level manager or maybe director. Most VP or C-Levels aren’t going to take a meeting because they’re getting coffee. They will take the meeting because you’re potentially solving for a problem they have.
Diablo
Politicker
1
Sr. AE
No idea is bad but you have to be cautious. A few might like and many might take it in the other way round tarnishing your relationship with them. 
cw95
Politicker
1
Sales Development Lead
Well, I mean it depends on the persons personality but without sounding mean they’d probably see it as a desperate outreach. Or even worse, they’d do it and then not follow up with you. Why not just start a convo / email about dogs and dog charities?
dwightyouignorantsale
Politicker
1
Account Executive
Although a good idea, I’m afraid for you using your own money for this. There is a decent chance that a prospect would take a meeting, but SO often the meetings that are “paid for” don’t end up going anywhere. Not only do you have to absolutely nail your pitch, but they have to be the exact right person and in the right time for it to fully land. If getting meetings matters more to you, then go for it. But if you’re in an AE role and care more about closing, then I wouldn’t.
hh456
Celebrated Contributor
0
sales
your heart is in the right place and you may even get a meeting out of it but you're gonna misqualify your target. they may ask all the right questions and be interested but its bc you are putting them in a position to owe you something. when they fulfill that, they're done. 

the heart is deceitful above of all things, don't listen to it. use your brain, open a convo w your target the right way.
TheRealPezDog
Notable Contributor
0
Account Manager
Thanks for chiming in savages.  Ya'll made some great points about this and I've decided this approach is not worth it.  You guys are right about it screaming desperation and might-could potentially backfire... might-could, yeah, I fuckin; said it... anyway, thanks again you sons and daughters of bitches. 
ChrisSellsHisSoul
Fire Starter
0
Owner
Find a more subtle way to show that you support their cause. 

Post about it on LinkedIn, comment on the charity's page, or find a way to bring up the issue in a conversation.
7

I just quit my job after 3+ years of buying the dream "tHiS rOle WiLl bE gReaT foR yOur dEveLopMenT"... Feels good so just thought I'd share

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