When money is valued over relationships, it is a dark and depressing time for us. We know that some very good MGOs and some very good donors will be forced to live in superficiality and shallowness. That is not good for anyone. And it certainly is not good for the economic well-being of the non-profit.
Major Gift Officers are coming up against an avalanche of non-profit leaders who are putting extreme pressure on their staff to seek out transactional gifts and forego building relationships with donors. I know you feel the pressure, but do not allow non-profit leaders who don’t understand what major gifts is all about to change how you are doing your good work.
Major gift officers should be evaluated based on the number of meaningful connections they create with donors. A meaningful connection moves the relationship forward toward a gift.
Multi-year pledges from major donors often lead to the donors being neglected by fundraising staff. Here are some tips for you to keep the donor engaged…
Here are some ideas on how you can show the impact of a donor’s gift and create incredible joy for your donors:
You need to find ways – sometimes surprising or unusual ways – to break through the daily clutter and noise of a donor’s life. When they notice you, it can be a pleasant surprise.
You probably would never think of saying “no” to a donor. But in a healthy relationship, sometimes a major gift officer has to set boundaries.
How are you doing with listening and giving donors what they want?
Respect is a critical behavior a MGO must practice in all of his or her donor relationships. If you don’t respect donors, they will read it, and your relationships will not progress.
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