Fundraising expert Chany Reon Ockert recently shared an amazing post on LinkedIn that will help you grow your major gift fundraising.
You see, when I got started in major gift fundraising, I thought I needed a pitch.
I needed a presentation that would be so great, the donor would immediately pull out their checkbook to joyfully make a gift!
And based on the years of sales training I’d had, I tried to have all the answers to any possible objection.
The result? I did a lot of talking.
Talking is what I thought major gift fundraising was!
In the LinkedIn post, fundraising strategist Amanda Smith shares that a development director more than tripled major gift fundraising results with only one change.
The change? Amanda writes that instead of pitching her organization’s needs, she began with:
“Before we talk about our work, I’d love to understand what matters most to you about our mission.”
Listening was the secret!
Listening – seems scary but makes the work easier
In my experience, it’s listening that makes major gift fundraising so hard. Listening is vulnerable. When we talk, we feel we’re in control. When we listen, we feel out of control. At the whim of the other person.
The good news? We’re not out of control. We’re treating the other person with respect.
Asking questions actually helps us steer the conversation. In fact, one of the best trainings I’ve ever seen is Andrea Kihlstedt’s “The Asking Conversation.”
In the training, she shows that 4-5 questions can move the conversation forward. And shows that most of the time, we are actually listening to the donor. Not talking.
Listening actually gives you the courage to make the ask. As you hear how they connect with your work, you’ll feel your confidence growing. And you’ll be able to ask them in a way that matters to them.
Take a breath. Listen.
As you go through your upcoming major gift asks, take a breath. And ask a question that allows you to actually hear the donor.
No promise that this will triple your fundraising. But I can promise that this will help your donor retention. Because they will see that you are interested in them in addition to their wallet. Truly interested in them.
This will make your nonprofit stand out in the crowd of nonprofits approaching them.
What questions will you ask your donor? Let us know in the comments!
