Getting a Donor Meeting: “They didn’t respond to my email.”
This is one of the most demoralizing experiences in fundraising — and one of the most misread. Most fundraisers interpret silence as rejection. It almost never is. Silence usually means one of three things: the email got buried, the subject line wasn’t compelling enough to open, or they read it and got pulled away before they could respond.
What’s really going on
- “If they wanted to meet, they would have replied.”
- “Following up will make me seem desperate.”
- “Maybe they’re not interested and I should take the hint.”
- “I don’t know what to say in a follow-up that doesn’t sound like nagging.”
The silence is data, but it’s less specific data than most fundraisers assume. Before concluding they’re not interested, try again — differently.
What not to do
Don’t apologize for following up. “I’m sorry to bother you again” undermines the ask before you’ve made it. You’re not bothering them — you’re being pleasantly persistent in service of a relationship worth having.
Don’t send a long follow-up. The follow-up should be shorter than the original. Brevity signals confidence.
What to say
The follow-up formula: acknowledge it, make it easy, leave the door open.
One-week follow-up:
Subject: Re: [original subject line]
Hi [Name],
Just wanted to make sure my note didn’t get buried. Would love to find 20 minutes in [month] if you’re open to it — even a brief call would be great.
Happy to work around your schedule.
[Your name]
That’s it. Short. No guilt. No explanation of why you’re following up.
If there’s been no response after two emails:
Switch channels. Try a brief phone call or ask a mutual connection if there’s a better way to reach them. If you try a different channel once and still hear nothing, try another channel. After a while, you’ll likely find their preferred communication method. Also try a communication with something of genuine value — a report, an event invitation, a personal note about something you know they care about.
Most people are finding it takes six to twelve attempts to reach someone — Marc’s clients are often closer to eleven or twelve. So keep at it. The pleasant persistence is worth the effort.
For a complete multi-touch sequence — emails, calls, texts, LinkedIn, even a handwritten note — see the Pleasantly Persistent Follow Up Formula. And if you’re wondering how many times is too many, Marc answers that directly: How many times should you follow up a fundraising ask?
AI prompt
A donor prospect hasn’t responded to my initial outreach email. I want to follow up in a way that’s warm and brief, not pushy. Here’s the context:
- Prospect description (no real name): [e.g., “a former board member who left on good terms two years ago”]
- What the original email said: [brief summary — e.g., “I asked if they’d be open to a 20-minute call to reconnect”]
- Time since original email: [e.g., “About 8 days”]
- What I know about them: [any relevant context]
Write me a short follow-up email (under 80 words) that acknowledges the original email, keeps the request simple, and doesn’t apologize for following up. Include a subject line.
Privacy note: Describe your prospect generally rather than using their real name.