AFP WebinarMay 26, 2016

How to Make a SUPER Successful Call on

a Major Donor Prospect

Presented by Gail Perry MBA CFRE Fired-Up Fundraising

@gailperrync

Gail Perry

• 30 years and counting!

• Blogger, coach, consultant

• Duke University and UNC-Chapel

Hill fundraising

• Author, “Fired-Up Fundraising: Turn

Board Passion into Action”

(Wiley/AFP)

• AFP Fundraiser of the Year (NC)

• International speaker and

workshop leader

• @gailperrync

Our Agenda

• Major gift strategy.

• Preparing for your visit.

• 10 tips for handling the visit.

• Power questions!

• My personal secrets and techniques that have

helped me raise hundreds of millions.

FREE WORKBOOK!

Skyrocket Your Fundraising with A

Systematic Major Gifts Program

Workbook and Discussion Guide (62 pages)

Gailperry.com/resources-afpwebinar

Let’s Take A Poll

How much major gift $$ do you think

is out there for your organization

BUT

You don’t have the time, resources or

organization to go out and get it?

It’s a Very Specific Strategy

5 Major Gift FundamentalsFive Major Gift Fundamentals

Major Gift Fundamentals

7

1. Focuses on the Long Run

Major Gift Fundamentals

2. It’s Not About Selling

(That means it’s not really about

money!)

Major Gift Fundamentals

3. It’s About the Relationship

The Relationship is More Important Than the

Ask

10

Major Gift Fundamentals

4. It Takes Lots and Lots of Time.

Major Gift Fundamentals

5. Focuses on the FEW at the TOP

You Can’t

Chase

Everybody!

Narrow, narrow down

your focus.

Steps in Major Gift Fundraising

THANK THANK THANK AGAIN

CULTIVATE ANDINVOLVE

ASK FOR SUPPORT

IDENTIFY PROSPECTS

Major Gift Fundraising TIME AND ENERGY INVOLVED

in each step of the cycle

1. Mindset

2. Research and Reconnaissance

3. Objectives

Preparing For Your Visit!Preparing for Your Visit!

Mindset:

Your

Energy

Contagious

Enthusiasm!

Mindset:

Don’t Be Scared

of Rejection

#1 Its a Numbers Game

18

Mindset: The Power of Abundance!

Not Scarcity

Positive Expectations!

Stand in the

place of vision

and possibility. .

.

That’s where the

power is.

Your Donor Actually May WANT to

See You!

• She really, urgently cares!

• She wants to change or save

LIVES.

• She wants to make a

difference in the world.

• She has family engaged with

your issue.

• She’s personally interested in

you and your issue.

Best Major Gift Fundraising Mindset:

Cheerfully Aggressive!

What’s holding you back?

• Are you leaving money on the table?

• Can’t get out of the office?

• Urgently need more funding?

• Not sure what to say or do?

• Don’t feel like you are prepared?

• Feel awkward?

• Feel unorganized?

• Nervous and maybe a tiny bit afraid?

5 Types of

5 Types of Prospect Research:

Reconnaissance!

1. Look in Your Internal Donor Files

Who’s been in touch with the donor recently?

Have they made a recent gift?

Attended anything lately?

Birthdays?

Kids?

Honors?

Vacations

?

2. What Can You Find Out

Online?

3. Local Networking

Be Out and About In Your

Community!

4. Read the Local News

Be Well Read on Current

Events

5. Hearsay: Local Word of Mouth

Comments from friends and associates

useful, relevant, timely!

Almost every visit with a prospect is a

“discovery” visit.

Set Objectives for Your Visit

3 Objectives for Every Single Visit

#1. A long term

FRIENDLY relationship.

Objectives

#2. Find out where your prospect

stands.Hot buttons?

Likes or dislikes your project?

How far is he away from making a gift?

Timing? Interests?

Competition?

Family or financial pressures?

Level of interest in YOUR project?

Objectives

3. Get a next step with your prospect.

Can you call her again?

Do you have a reason to follow-up?

So . . . You Are All Prepared:

1. Positive Mindset

2. Prepared with Background Research

and Recon

3. You Are Clear on Your Objectives

And you

walk in the

door. . .

10 Tips for Handling the Visit Itself

Tip #1: Charm

The Receptionist

• Be charming

• Make him a friend!

• Ask her for advice

• Ask her for info

Tip #2: Immediate

SMALL TALK

Right when Ms. Big

says “Hello There!”

Very first step of every

visit!

Tip #3: Show Up

As a Likeable Person

• The delicate dance.

• Watch for cues.

• They will tell you.

Tip #4 Use Your Radar

Their body language will

tell you more than any

words.

Tip #5: Get your

donor to do most

of the talking . . .

You are watching and

reacting to the donor.

Your Donor Expects to Do the

Talking

41

I love being

listened to!

42

• You are probing

• Find out where the

prospect stands

• “Tell me more about . . . “

What are your impressions?

Use Your Advice Visit Skills

• If you want money,

ask for advice.

• If you want advice,

ask for money.

Listen Your Way to the Gift

Gail’s major gift fundraising

motto:

“When in doubt, shut up!”

44

“We’d like to ask your input our

business plan.”

We had a call scheduled with our top major

donor the very next day after your webinar.

Thanks to you, we changed our plan with him.

We threw out our presentation and instead

asked for his advice.

He committed to match $1.5 million over five

years, starting with 200k now!!

Remember! You are Seeking

Emotional Impact

Power Questions:

1. Asking for Advice

• Tell me what you think about. . .

• Please give me your guidance on . . .

• Can we brainstorm this idea?

• What should I do?

• How could I pull this off?

Power Questions: 2. Probing Their Interest

• I’d love to hear about your philanthropy. . .

• What drives your philanthropy?

• What causes are you most passionate about?

• I’d love to know why you are interested in our cause?

• What are your top three philanthropic priorities?

• What would it take for our organization to become one of your priorities?

Power Questions: 3. About Our Organization

• What is your opinion of our organization?

• What do you think about this big project we are considering?

• Do you support our initiative? Why or why not?

• Tell me what you think about our strategy . . .

• How do you think we can accomplish this goal?

• Do you think we can raise the money?

• Who might be interested in supporting this?

• Who else should be involved?

Tip #6: Follow social customs and

rules of business etiquette.

Be nice to everyone.

Be engaging.

Be cordial.

Be kind.

Business Etiquette: Caters to Who Has The Most Power and

Influence

Tip #8: Drop by Drop Presentation

Share a little and

stop….

Share more and

stop.. …

Only proceed where

he is interested.

Tip #9 Never Use PowerPoint

Guaranteed to put them to sleep!

Unless . . .they are actively engaged and asking questions.

Tip #10 Get Out On Time

• Ask for a short

appointment

• Get out on time

• Then they will be willing to

see you again!

More Resources at

FiredupFundraising.com

• 3 Important Goals for Every Major Donor Visit

• The Fundraiser’s Kiss of Death: Talking too Much!

• Top 10 Trends: How Major Donors are Changing & What to Do About It

• 5 Insanely Successful Ideas for Getting the Appointment With Your Major

Gift Prospect

• My #1 Secret to Raising Major Gifts

• Mastering the Soft Skills of Fundraising: 5 Important Tips

• The Advice Visit: Easy Way to Open The Door To Your Major Gift Prospect

• Show Me the Money: How To Move From Friendraising to Fundraising

• How Major Donors are Changing and What To Do About It

• Board Members’ #1 Job: How to Be a Personal Advocate for the Cause

FREE WORKBOOK!

Skyrocket Your Fundraising with A

Systematic Major Gifts Program

Workbook and Discussion Guide (62 pages)

Gailperry.com/resources-afpwebinar

Questions?

I’d love to hear from you!

Gail Perry

gp@gailperry.com