Effects of donor recruitment methods on population responses

It is important to know the preferences of blood donors and nondonors as to 1) the method of contact of the prospective donor by the recruiter, 2) the character of the relationship between the recruiter and the recruit, 3) the recruitment message used by the recruiter, and 4) the logistics of the collection. Interviews with almost 2,000 blood donors and nondonors in the Buffalo region were done to provide information on these preferences. Results of the studies include evidence that face-to-face recruiting is over three times as effective as is recruiting by the telephone. the relationship between recruiter and recruit is important primarily to first-time donors. The recruitment message should include all of the reasons for donating. Replacement donors are a good source of future volunteers, and the logistics of blood collection, particularly selection of donor sites and overall time required to donate, are crucial in determining donor responses.