Asking for Contributions Tom Holland

The Basics Individuals are key to success Individual gifts comprise 90% of contributions to nonprofits 85% of Americans make charitable gifts You must have a case, a plan, and leadership You must ask in person You must ask for a specific amount Board must lead by 100% giving Have you sent in your check?

Why People Give They want to make good things happen or stop bad things from happening They believe in the cause To leave a legacy in the community They have the money They have given to this organization in the past They are part of a team Tax reduction But the TOP reason: BECAUSE THEY ARE ASKED

Preparing to Ask Asking is easier for some people than others It gets much easier with a little practice You have made a stretch gift yourself You are inviting others to join you in this great opportunity to make a difference in our community Giving is a cooperative relationship, fulfilling, making things better for children in need. You are not a beggar, so don’t apologize for taking time or asking for help.

Getting yourself ready Know your case and basic facts about the organization, for example It costs our organization $950 to serve one child It served 325 children last year, but 108 in need could not be served Know your prospects, their values, and specific amounts to ask for Know yourself, your own values and commitments Relax, be yourself, sincere, enthusiastic about the cause and organization

Our first round of Asks We will review our roster of past donors to our organization. Each of us will be asked to identify 5 donors to contact (best known/ largest gifts) Identify your choices with the director to avoid duplication. We will ask each one for at least double the size of their largest gift, with a minimum ask of $100. These visits should be completed by Oct. 27th. After completing this round, we will proceed to select 5 more each for the next round of asks. Just six yeses at $500 gets each of us our goal of $3,000, but don’t stop there. We will celebrate our successes at the meeting on Nov. 17th.

Logistics Get background information on your prospect Call to set up appointment time and place Be honest: tell them why you are coming Work cooperatively with gatekeepers Be prepared to deal with resistances I just gave. You don’t need to talk with me. What do you want? How much do you have me down for? I’m really busy.

Getting the conversation started Look them in the eye Briefly state the case for giving to this organization Show your enthusiasm for the cause Ask questions about their interests LISTEN to them Respond to their questions or concerns

When to close You have established good rapport with the person You have told the story You have listened to them and responded to any questions Then ask the person for the specific amount you planned “Jim, as you know I’m here on behalf of Children First. We want to serve more of the children needing help. Your gift of $950 will enable us to serve another child on our waiting list. May we count on you for that?” Then SHUT UP, do not fill the silence with chatter. Maintain good eye contact, and wait for the person to respond.

Handling objections Listen for expressions of hesitancy, concern, or resistance to the request. Use them as opportunities to better understand the person’s motivations and needs. Respectful responses bring you closer to securing a gift.

Why objections surface You rarely know all the issues until you ask for a gift Personal circumstances Other outstanding commitments Relative priority of the organization The ask may not be at the best time for them You are asking people to stretch In amount of gift In timing of gift

When they say YES Thank them Confirm the details (“Shall I take your check now?”) Ask how they would prefer the gift to be recognized. Leave Follow up immediately with a note of thanks Widen the circle of appreciation Record the gift with the leader for future use

If they say No Listen actively to the reasons. Ask open ended questions to clarify their concerns. Listen for misinformation, misunderstandings, doubts, resentments from past. Respond respectfully. Restate the positives that led you to ask Probe to determine the nature of no No to project No to amount No to timing No never Respectful probing may lead to objections surfacing and negotiations beginning. If they say “I’ll think about it,” seek to understand what may help such reflections.

Thank them often Regardless of the outcome, seek to maintain a good relationship and thank them for their consideration. Remember that you are building good will for the organization and its future.

Celebrate our successes You will feel terrific each time you hear a yes. Energy will grow quickly. Let’s send one another e-mail notes about our experiences. Share the happiness. We will plan for good ways to recognize and thank our donors, in addition to your individual thank you notes.