Pacesetters: Cause Champions that Increase Participation and impact

People are influenced by perceptions of what their peers – family, friends, co-workers, mentors – are doing everyday. Whether it’s a new food to try or where to invest money, individuals look to social norms, behaviors that are perceived as acceptable or expected, to inform their choices and decisions.   

The psychology behind this behavior is a valuable tool for implementing a giving campaign – simply put, people want to know that their peers are giving too.  

Pacesetters are individuals recruited to make early donations to a cause they are passionate about. Their gifts prime the donation ticker so when other employees see who and how much has already been given to a cause they are interested in, they are more likely to give.  

Recruiting pacesetters to launch a giving campaign helps increase participation and raises more money, delivering greater impact. When trying to identify pacesetters, consider these potential profiles:

Team Leader

This is an individual that is widely respected and admired by the workforce, it may be a senior executive, or it may be someone that has company wide interactions and relationships.

Passionate Champion

This is an individual that has a personal story to share or strong affinity for the cause.

Recurring Giver

This is an individual that has given to the same cause every year and is very likely to already be planning a gift.

Pacesetters are influential campaign champions that can rally their peers to join them in giving simply by being the first to donate to the cause that matters most to them.