I witnessed an amazing bit of asking this week that I want to share here as it seems to have a connection to the art of fundraising.

I was in a baker’s shop when a well-dressed man came in and put a teabag on the counter.

Man: Hello. My friend outside told me that if I give you a teabag you might be able to give me a bit of hot water to make a cup of tea?

Server (smiling): Oh…yes, no problem.

Man: Actually, could you put it in two cups please?

Server: Of course.

Man: Could you pop in a couple of sugars in each.

Server: Sure. Milk?

Man: Of course!

So, in a few seconds from that first, unusual but seemingly perfectly reasonable, request, this guy got 2 free cups of tea! He gradually increased his ask over a series of seemingly small but significant steps and then got exactly what he set out for.

Perhaps should all be seeking to have our own ‘teabags’ as fundraisers – ways we can create a supporter journey from recruitment onwards that feels perfectly natural to donors but that significantly increases their value at the same time?