Donation Requests:A Tough Issue for Small Biz

How do you handle this one in your small business?

What to say when you want to say yes but need to say no.

Tell us in the comment box at the bottom of this article. 

It is a question that many small business grapple with on an almost daily basis: An adult or a student, or  someone promoting a worthy cause comes into your shop, restaurant, office, or approaches you by phone or email asking for a donation for their school, church, non-profit or other worthy cause.

During a local business persons meet & greet with TE Patch last week it was one of the hot topics of discussion.

Nobody likes to say "no" to any of the myriad of great causes, but the constant stream of requests can become a real financial burden in small businesses that often operate on razor-thin profit margins.

One business owner tells TE Patch it is one of the biggest challenges she and her business partners grapple with almost every day. Nobody likes to say no to a good cause, but the bottom line for business is that the goodwill merchandise or monetary donations can generate often does not result in any new business.

That business owner tells Patch she heard a great response from another small business person who often offers to give businesses a matching amount gift certificate when board members or leaders of an organization make purchases in her shop.

In other words, when people from a donation-seeking organization spend $50 or $100 in her shop, she will give them a matching amount gift certificate to use in their fundraiser. It's a polite way of getting at least a partial return on the donation investment.

How would you handle this question in your business?

Scroll down and share your ideas in the comments section below. Your answer could be a real help to others in the TE business community who grapple with the dilemma all the time.