Experienced major gift officers will tell you they listen their way to major gifts.
Unfortunately, many development directors think the opposite — that they need to talk their way into a major gift. What’s important to remember is that fundraising is NOT about convincing, cajoling or guilting your donors to make a gift.
When Fundraising is Done Well, Your Donor Feels Great About Giving
Think about it…
If you guilt a donor or “twist their arm,” they won’t feel good about giving. That means no more gifts. They won’t answer the phone the next time you call. And they won’t be singing your praises to their friends and family.
On the other hand, if a donor gives because they want to give — not because you wanted them to — then they will feel great! And when fundraising is done right, donors feel great about giving. They excitedly tell their friends and family what amazing things they, and you, are doing.
Donor’s priorities come first
Although at first it may seem counter-productive, your first priority is the donor’s priority. In order to learn what the donor’s priorities are, you need to listen.
At first, it’s not about your organization’s needs, and certainly not about your own. Major gift fundraising is about really listening to what your donor is passionate about and trying to determine whether or not there’s a match between your donor’s interests and your organization’s needs.
Unfortunately, this often means that a donor might not be right for your organization or your specific fundraising campaign. This can be disappointing and difficult for many nonprofit professionals to admit.
Ask Donors Open-Ended Questions
Your job is to ask open-ended questions. These are questions that allow insight into your donor’s psyche.
Sample questions include things like:
- What causes are most important to you and why?
- What type of legacy would you like to leave / how would you like to be remembered?
- What problem or problems would you most like to see solved in the world?
- If money was no object, how would you help the clients we serve?
- What motivated you to give (to us) in the first place, and what would motivate you to continue to give (or give more)?
The answers to these questions should help spur discussion about the donor’s interests, passions, and what they might support financially.
Learn How to Listen Better
Listening is a skill and you can get better with practice. Be sure to avoid as many distractions as possible. Put your phone away and turn your ringer to silent.
Focus your attention on the person in front of you, and feel free to “repeat” back what they’ve said to make sure you’ve heard it correctly. You can say something like, “What I believe you said was…” or, “Let me see if I’ve got this right…”
Try practicing with a friend or colleague
You can also practice with a friend or colleague. Have them tell you a story with a lot of details. It should be a true story about a crazy aunt or their college roommate… something they will remember. Listen carefully to the story and repeat it back to them, trying to include as many details as possible.
Have them keep track of what you got right and what you misheard (or mis-remembered). Did you mention their aunt was wearing a purple polka-dotted dress, or was it black and white striped? Did you remember what she was wearing at all?
More importantly, what were the relevant parts of the story? Were you able to listen and respond appropriately? Were you able to ask follow-up questions?
Fundraising is About Listening
Fundraising is about good listening. It takes practice, patience and persistence. Have you ever listened your way to a gift? Let me know about it in the comments.
For more tips on better listening, check out this article in the NY Times.
Leave a Comment