7 TIPS ON ASKING FOR DONATIONS 1
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Read Their Minds
Practice, Practice Practice
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Never, Ever Surprise Them
Survey your donors and examine how they talk about your cause. Understand your donor base so well it’s like you’ve read their minds. Answer these questions: What are they passionate about? What are their common concerns?
By the time you are actually sitting in front of a prospect, you should have rehearsed the many paths the conversation could take. Plan on how to structure your meeting, transitions, and your talking points.
Make it clear in your first call that you’re interested in talking about your cause and how they can get involved. Your prospect should be able to prepare their response, objections, and most importantly, their questions.
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Stop Being Boring
Avoid reading your pitch off a PowerPoint, practice ahead of time. Engage your prospect by asking questions like, “What do you think is the biggest challenge we face in this area?” Provoke interesting reactions to make your pitch memorable.
Ask Them For Advice
“Ask for money, you’ll get advice. Ask for advice, you’ll get money.” Asking for advice means they will freely tell you the secret thing they are most passionate about, as well as their biggest fears about giving.
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Kill Em’ With Silence
Use strategic silence when pitching. Ask a question, let them answer, say a short reply, then let them continue their thoughts. You have much more material to work with and know the right program to talk about.
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When You Ask Be Specific
Always ask for a specific amount to contribute to the cause. Don’t make your donor do the work, they don’t know anything about your campaign goals. Take the burden off of them to figure out what size of a donation is necessary.