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Consultant’s
Corner
The
Art of Asking: How to Solicit for your Organization
During my many years in the fund-raising profession, I cannot tell you how many
times I have heard campaign volunteers say, “I’ll do anything for
this organization, but please don’t ask me to solicit.” Volunteers
are often hesitant to ask their peers for gifts, yet soliciting individuals is
one of the most important factors in the success of a campaign. Individuals alone
give over $100 billion annually to charities. Clearly, there’s a lot of
money out there for charitable purposes, but your organization won’t see
any of it unless you ask.
As a development consultant, I have conducted many workshops to teach volunteers
that asking for money need not be a dreaded experience. In fact, with careful
preparation and a few tricks of the trade, soliciting can be satisfying and even
fun. The following are some suggestions to make the solicitation process less
intimidating, even for the most reluctant volunteer.
Do your research. Before the solicitation visit, learn
all you can about the campaign and your prospect. Your goal as a solicitor is
to convince your prospect of the importance of the campaign and the urgent need
for funds. To do this effectively, you should know the dollar goal of the campaign,
familiarize yourself with the case statement, and be able to put it in your own
words. It is equally important to know all you can about your prospect, including
the suggested ask amount and any special interests. Remember, the more you know
about a prospect, the better your chances of receiving a large gift for your
organization.
Make your own gift. I cannot stress enough
the importance of pledging your own gift before you begin to solicit
others. Your gift solidifies your commitment to the campaign and
can serve as an excellent talking point during your solicitation
visit. Mentioning your own contribution can help you leverage a larger
gift from your prospect. You might say, “I have decided to
make this campaign my major giving priority because of its utmost
importance to the community. Perhaps you could do the same?
Plan to visit the prospect in person. A
personal visit is the most productive of all solicitation
methods. Fund-raising wisdom teaches that for every
dollar received from a direct-mail solicitation,
an organization could have received $12 had a phone
call been made and $50 from a personal visit. By
making an appointment to meet directly with your
prospect, you can share campaign materials and judge
his or her reaction to your request.
Tailor your solicitation to the prospect’s
interests. Educate yourself about the
many possible ways of giving which may appeal to
your prospect. Think about naming opportunities,
family gifts, planned giving, and multiple-year pledges.
For example, if a prominent alumnus of your University
wants to have his name associated with the school,
you should discuss with him the possibility of a
naming opportunity. If the relatives of a recent
patient in your hospital’s emergency room want
to express their gratitude for your services, ask
them to consider a family gift. Remember that gifts
can be structured in a number of different ways;
listen carefully to the prospect’s comments
in order to determine the most appropriate type of
gift.
Ask for a specific gift amount. Be
absolutely sure to ask for a specific gift amount.
It is always best to ask for more than you expect;
people are rarely offended by the suggestion that
they can make a large contribution. One of the most
effective methods for requesting a pledge is to say, “Could
you consider a gift of ____?” This approach
encourages the prospect to think for a moment and
invites a positive response without a definite commitment.
Another useful approach is to divide the amount sought ($150,000, for example)
by the pledge period and ask, “Could you consider making a commitment of
$30,000 each year for a period of five years?” This helps the prospect
determine how he or she will pay for the gift, and it will be easier for him
or her to hear the smaller dollar figure. If you find it difficult to ask, remind
yourself that you are not “begging.” The money is not for yourself,
but for the organization. You are seeking funds to help your organization carry
out its mission and to ensure its excellence in the future.
Soliciting can be a positive experience if you keep in mind the fruits of your
labor. You are contributing your time and energy to strengthen the organization
and help it fulfill its goals. Remember the more you solicit the better you will
become, so pick a name on your list, make the appointment, and go for it!
Mrs.
Goodale is chair of Goodale Associates, an international management
and fund-raising consulting firm specializing in capital and annual
campaigns and corporate solicitations. She can be reached at 509
Madison Avenue, Suite 1112, New York City, 10022; or phone 212-759-2999/fax
212-759-7490 or by visiting her firm’s web site: www.tkgoodale.com. |
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