The Seven Secrets of Successful Solicitations Anne T. Melvin Deputy Director of Gift Planning, Harvard University Program Manager of Fundraiser Training and Education

Outline Aimed at the intermediate audience (some basics) Role of fear and hope Solicitation 101: setting the base and building your solicitation Urgency How to avoid planned giving-ese Solicitation 301: more advanced techniques: walking the gift up, upping the ante, turning a bequest into a LIG Leverage Responding effectively to resistance Bonus tips! Role-playing solicitations Audience suggestion cards You will be a ‘Solicitation Whisperer!’ ONE CLICK PER LINE

Secret # 1: Hope Confidence is the enemy of fear FIRST GREAT SECRET of soliciting lies in having Hope, confidence and enthusiasm. It shines through when you do. People want to say “yes” to people who are upbeat, confident, self-assured. If you hesitate, they will hesitate to make a gift. Confidence is the enemy of fear

Secret # 2: Set a Solid Base for Your Solicitation and Build From There SECOND GREAT SECRET: Set a Solid Base for your solicitation and build from there. Cultivate the donor correctly: a whole other talk! ASSUMING you’ve done that…..!

Secret # 3: Urgency THIRD SECRET: URGENCY. Not critical, but extremely helpful Maybe there is a limited time opportunity for gift Maybe you can’t realize the prospect’s vision without this gift (CLICK) what WILL happen if they DON’T ACT NOW?

Secret # 4: Ask in English, Not Planned Giving-ese Such a canard in our profession Not talking about “don’t use jargon” like “undivided fractional interest” . I mean use an ANALOGY

Secret # 5: Get Out the Toolbox (There’s more than one way to skin the cat) SECRET # 5: Get out the Toolbox: PG 301. Lots of different tips and techniques here. Physical piece of paper is comforting as a prop….and useful (CLICK) Give ‘em a sense of scale. Set the bar high. Show how big the gifts CAN get. Show them where their peers are. Shows them where their gift NEEDS TO BE to make an impact. Wake up call. Here’s a great way to use it: “As you can see from this chart, gifts at the $25,000+ level really drive the campaign and make you a leadership donor.” The Soft Ask (gift scale)

Secret # 6: Leverage (What is it with your prospect?) Sixth SECRET: LEVERAGE What do you have that will (CLICK) tip the scales? All our prospect review meetings; essential question is “what is our leverage with this prospect” Lots of elements that will tip the scales in your favor.

Secret # 7: Respond Effectively to Resistance Don’t give into resistance; respond to it Ask questions Identify the prospect’s concerns: address them Draw the donor out to talk more about the concerns. Is it something about your organization or the project? Is the resistance more about the donor’s situation? FINAL SECRET: Don’t give into resistance when you encounter it after an ask; respond to it (CLICK) Ask questions (CLICK) Identify the prospect’s concerns: address them (CLICK) Draw the donor out to talk more about the concerns. Is it something about your organization or the project? (That’s more in your control and you can gather more information or alter the project design). (CLICK) Is the resistance more about the donor’s situation? (With this, you have less control, but with a planned gift, you can change the type of life income gift proposed to alter the benefits).