Making Visits PREPARED FOR (ORGANIZATION’S NAME HERE) Month Year ENDOWMENT BUILDING

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Objectives  Discuss the work done to date  Revisit the constituent wheel  Understand the solicitation process  Role-play practice sessions  Create a calendar for visits 2

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS In your workbook Leadership team material Resources for donor engagement Sample “leave behind” material Tracking tools 3

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS What we’ve done so far Learned about endowments Established a campaign goal Developed our story Prepared a campaign timeline Sources of gifts Legal requirements - Permanent - Prudent investment - Investment maintenance Endow Iowa Planned giving (and legacy societies) 4

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS What we’ve done so far Learned about endowments Established a campaign goal Developed our story Prepared a campaign timeline We identified the need for your endowment… And you set a goal of: $XXX,000 5

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS What we’ve done so far Learned about endowments Established a campaign goal Developed our story Prepared a campaign timeline We identified: What you do Your impact Your funding story An invitation to join 6

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Identifying your donors Who are your constituents? What connects them to your organization? Who are the best prospects? Who makes contact? 7

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Connecting with your donors Common values Linkage to mission Board connections 8

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS One important question Have you given or pledged? 100 percent giving on the part of the board of directors is critical to the success of this campaign. 9

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Making contact Step one: write a letter Step two: follow up with a phone call Step three: make a visit date 10

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Making contact: letter Reconnect Introduce your organization Alert recipient that you will be calling to schedule a visit 11

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Making contact: phone call Call the donor prospect a few days after sending the letter Preparation and practice are key 12

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Making contact: visits 1.Look at your organization from the donor’s point of view 2.Discuss the four-step solicitation process 3.Preview the materials that you will have for your meeting 4.Role play a visit/solicitation with each other What we will focus on: 13

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Framing the visit 1.What do people need to know and believe in order to get involved with our nonprofit organization? 2.What are the barriers to people getting involved with our organization? 3.Once people decide to get involved, what action do we want them to take? 4.What will be different as a result of people getting involved? Pre-visit questions 14

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Donor solicitation sequence 1. Opening remarks 2. Share your organization’s story 3. Introduce and discuss endowments 4. Ask for support Four steps 15

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Solicitation: step one Thank person for meeting Staff introductions Find commonalities Opening remarks (5 minutes) find commonalities that you or your organization share with the prospective donor PURPOSE 16

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Solicitation: step two What you do Your impact Funding story Specifics about your endowment Share your organization’s story (10 minutes) 17

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Solicitation: step three Bring subject of endowment into conversation Ask questions; learn about the prospect’s interest in endowments Introduce and discuss endowments (15 minutes) 18

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Solicitation: step four Ask: “What questions do you have?” Ask for support of the endowment campaign Response will be yes, no or maybe Thank the person for his or her time Ask for support (10 minutes) 19 If the answer is maybe, don’t leave without scheduling a date to follow up. TIP

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Supporting materials Donor Flyer Pledge Form Donor Tracking Tool Donor FAQs 20

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Donor flyer, pledge form and FAQs Donor flyer: a one-page overview of your campaign Pledge form: help donors put their commitment in writing Donor FAQs: brush up on the answers to commonly asked questions 21

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Assigning calls Workbook: Donor Tracking Tool 22

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Making visits: role play 23 DonorsAskersObservers Review the four framing questions or objections you might raise during the visit Review the solicitation sequenceWatch and listen to the solicitation call. Observe: What worked well What did not work well How the Askers handled questions (if any) Use of the story Decide whether you will say yes/no/maybe Write down your talking points Brainstorm what questions and objections the donor might have Write down what materials you would bring to a visit After role play, provide feedback to the rest of your group.

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Fishbowl exercise 1. What worked well 2. What did not work well 3. How the askers handled objections 4. Use of the story 24

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Practice, practice, practice Make sure you are well prepared to make donor visits. 25

ENDOWMENT BUILDING: MAKING VISITS Session recap What we’ve done so far Steps of making contact Solicitation sequence Supporting materials Role play, exercises, practice Assign calls 26

Making Visits Thank you. ENDOWMENT BUILDING