1. Establish eye contact during the handshake. Doing so credentials the urgency and sincerity of the contact while validating human capital in the organization.
2. Employ a firm handshake and designate a member of the group to use a double handshake (left hand placed lightly over the donor’s hand).
3. Dress professionally and conservatively, using the 90% rule. The “90% rule” suggests that your clothing should cover at least 90% of your body. A donor should simply recall that the board member or development officer ‘looked nice’ without recalling exact clothing details. For women, closed toed shoes are a must. Donors look at your eyes, your hand and your shoes – in that order.
4. Selection a meeting location that is quiet, private and minimizes distractions. Avoid restaurants. There is nothing worse than a waiter who wants to announce the specials at a critical moment in the solicitation. Most donors do not feel comfortable discussing money in a public setting.
5. Thank the prospective donor for his or her time. No matter what else happens in the course of the conversation, even if the potential donor commits to a major gift, the only memorable ‘thank you’ is the first. Thanking the donor for his or her time places more emphasis on the relationship than the money.
…the beginning of a donor-focused, relationship-based fundraising approach.
No comments:
Post a Comment