First off... you don't "beg for gold". It's not only against the rules across Gaia (as in, rules come down from the site owners), it's just plain rude and annoying to most people who get tapped by beggars.
Getting a message like "wow u have kewl stuff can i hav some g plz?" or "can i have ur halo?" in your PM box is just really frustrating.
Being a donator is nice, but you should never expect someone to donate in return right away. Frankly, the point of donating is that it's "donating". You're giving someone a gift to help them on their quest. Giving a gift means not expecting anything in return. Besides, if you donated 100g to their quest, and then they turn around and donate 100g to yours the next day before finishing their own... it sort of defeats the purpose.
The best way to attract attention is a signature banner or text link to a quest thread that you maintain and keep up to date. Or, even just a few words in your signature like:
Questing for:
Nightmare Headband
34% complete
Donations are heart
Some people see that kind of stuff when you chat in the forums and send you donations. However, people aren't going to donate to someone who they think might give up and keep their gold.
Rules of thumb:
1. Donators want results. They want to make sure their gold is going to a worth cause... such as a dedicated questor or a charity.
2. Donators will most likely not donate to someone who's been on Gaia four months and is questing for a really expensive item, like an Angelic Sash. Nine times out of ten, new members get discouraged with Gaia inflation on big ticket items and quit before they even get halfway.
3. Donators like to see past quests that are completed. If you have a quest thread, you can show past quests you've finished. For instance, on my quest thread, I have a post dedicated to finished quests. Individual items and themed groups are listed and shown as attained. I have a steady of history of going for my goal and achieving it. Donators like to see that.
4. If a Donator has a quest thread, a link back is always appreciated. Or, at least mention it in your sig or quest thread that something was given to you, what it was, and who gave it to you. If you show your appreciation for the help, people are more likely to (a) give again or (b) give in the first place when they see others have contributed.
5. Giving out donations is up to you. Personally, I will bump threads and chat, but donations are rare because I've seen people take my gold and give up on the quest without returning it. Sometimes, if I can afford a particular item on their list, I'll donate that, but I generally try not to give gold.
6. If you're on a quest, don't give out huge donations. You want to keep some of the gold and items for yourself so you can achieve your item. If people donate to you, they're certainly not going to be happy if you turn around and immediately donate it to someone else.
Hope that helps.
smile 
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