Permission-Based Asking: Dealing with Fear, Developing Conversation
When you’re with a donor asking for a gift, you fear may make you talk too much, or just want to give up and get out of there. What should you do?
When you’re with a donor asking for a gift, you fear may make you talk too much, or just want to give up and get out of there. What should you do?
Working with donors, your goal is to keep going round and round, answering and dealing with the donor’s questions and concerns until you feel it’s natural to move on to your ask.
The final step in Asking with a donor should be celebration – whether a gift is made or not.
In the Asking process, there’s an essential cycle of getting aligned with your donor through curious exploring and questioning.
As you prepare to Ask, first connect with your donor in a manner that shows the donor you know her, and you’re present to her and her passions and interests.
A donor who hasn’t given in three years is likely telling you they’re not interested in engaging with you. It’s probably time to move on.