5 Ways to Get a Meeting With Your Major Donors
How do I get a meeting with my major gift prospects – particularly the ones who are wealthy donors?
That’s a question everyone always wants to know- how to connect with the most wealthy donors on your prospect list.
And it’s a difficult thing – to approach someone you don’t know every well for a personal visit.
It’s sort of like the moment of truth – what happens when you pick up the phone or shoot off an email?
How do you come across as friendly and authentic — someone that your donor wants to spend time with?
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This is one of the things about major gift fundraising can be scary and frustrating.
You just don’t know how your prospect will respond to your request to a meeting. It’s even more difficult when you don’t really know them well at all.
In our Major Gifts Coaching program, Kathryn Gamble and I are helping people through this roadblock all the time.
What will make your wealthy donors willing to meet with you?
There aren’t really any “magic words” that are guaranteed to make any donor sit up and take notice, and agree to a visit.
But there are ways that can pique their interest, and incline them to say “yes.”
Here are my favorite ways for you to get a meeting with your wealthy donors.
1. Advice Visits
If you’ve followed me a bit, you may know that my all-time, favorite way to get in the door is to ask for an Advice Visit.
I’ve written extensively about Advice Visits– you’ll find more details here, here, and here.
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I think asking a donor for input on fundraising strategy or some idea you are working on is the best way of all.
Why? Because you are asking your donor for something more than just money.
You are honoring them because you want their input, their good thinking, their advice.
The bigger the VIP, the more they expect to be doing the talking. They expect to be advising you and telling you what they think.
They don’t want to sit there and listen to YOU.
Try these questions:
- “Can I run something by you?”
This is one of my favorites, particularly because it has a casual, personal feel.
You are teasing your prospect about the topic – it sounds intriguing.
- “I have a project up my sleeve and I’d love to get your input.”
Your donor will probably say yes because he loves offering his opinion.
And YOU want to hear what your donor thinks!
- “Can I brainstorm with you about . . .”
People love to brainstorm. It’s almost always fun to do.
Your donor just might will say to himself “this sounds like fun!”
- “I’d like to get your advice on . . . and would love your help with it.”
You have a specific issue.
Your prospect has the expertise to help you solve it. Everyone wins!.
- “Could I get your ideas on a new initiative we are thinking of launching?”
This is intriguing to your prospect.
She just might be really curious about what you are up to.
2. Try sending a personal letter via mail.
Write your donor a formal note – either handwritten or typed.
If she is already a donor, introduce yourself as her assigned contact at your organization.
Tell her it’s your job to be in touch and that you’d like to meet her and see how you help her.
You can’t go wrong with a polite, gracious personal note. This approach, with its beautiful manners, should impress most donors.
3. Ask your donor to tell you their story.
This strategy comes from one of the smartest major gift fundraisers I know, Eli Jordfald, of the Lineberger Cancer Center at UNC-Chapel Hill.
She will call her wealthy donors and say,
“I’d love to hear why you chose to give.”
Now, who would say no to this?
“Would you be willing to have coffee with me, I’d love to understand your story.”
She is asking with exquisite politeness and charm. Hard to say no!
“Mr. Jones, you’ve been a donor all these years. My job is to know our patrons.”
I think this is a lovely, gracious approach.
4. Meet your donor at an event.
Often you can’t reach wealthy donors on the phone. Or they won’t respond to you via email.
If your donor doesn’t know you well, it’s very hard to just approach them out of the blue.
What about an event that they are likely to attend – because of who is hosting it, who will be there or who is being honored?
If you can manage to meet them at the event and introduce yourself, then it’s much easier to ask for coffee or a quick visit.
If your donor sees you as a polite, gracious and interesting person, then they might be willing to spend some time with you.
5. Thank You Gift.
Many times a busy donor doesn’t think they have time for you.
But if you are dropping off a little thank you gift, the donor might be willing to receive you personally.
The terrific fundraisers at the Baptist Home for Children in North Carolina always visit their most wealthy donors during the holidays at year end.
They just drop off a little gift created by the kids at the home. It’s enough to touch anyone’s heart.
The gift opens the door to a substantial year-end contribution.
Remember my motto: “Find Seven Ways to Thank Your Donor and She’ll Give Again!”
BOTTOM LINE – Getting in the door to see your wealthy donors.
Give these one-liners a try. And let me know how you do!
Love this post, Gail! I think we need to be mindful, always, that donors are people, not robots! Asking for advice, gaining insight into their needs, wants, and personal stories, enhances the relationship tenfold in addition to getting the initial visit. I love hearing the perspective of our donors–the good, bad, and ugly! Happy Friday and congrats on your exciting news!
Hi Brittany! Thx! And your insight is perfect. Yes we need to be listening to our donors’ perspective al the time!
Thanks for the great tips! I have been practicing using many of them lately as part of my strategy for the new year. Do you ever run into donors that seem to be willing to give and just never seem to want to meet? I have run into this some – any way to overcome this?
Sure there are donors who never want to meet. Here’s what to do – call them to find out what they are most interested in, and then invite them to an event or for an experience that is based on their interest. That’s a perfect way to start the relationship.
Wonderful article Gail.
Amen. I remember the adage – Ask for advice, get a gift. Ask for a gift, get advice.
Wonderful article Gail. The issue I see more often than not, however, is that the pressure from “above” to turn these discovery, advice, get to know you visits into “asks” is intense. I’ve watched brilliant, less experienced fundraisers get the visit – ask for the advice, or say thank you or get to know the donor and close with…”and if you are interested in funding this project here is a package of information I’ll leave for your consideration…” To me, this is akin to the thank you letter that has an ask at the end…
Key is to be genuine and authentic with people whether they are suspects, prospects, or donors…the next step will fall naturally out of the last one if we are true to the belief that it is the relationship that matters – not the gift.
Thanks for an article that is practical and useful and will make a difference for many fundraisers struggling with the next step!
Thanks let me know if it helps you! :)
Thanks Maryann! Soooo how do we educate the well-meaning but ignorant people at the top that asking major donors on the first “date” will probably end the relationship?
In all of my board retreat work, that’s a lot of what I focus on and everyone is relieved!
oooooh yes!
Hi Gail, I agree that education is key. However, Boards and senior administrators have to be open to that learning. I think this is one of the main reasons we see so much turnover in our sector of senior level fundraising professionals. If you’ve got that scenario where the Board and/or Senior Administrator are open to learning and therefore don’t think they know better — perfect!! If you’ve got those folks around the table who think that because they understand sales and marketing they understand fundraising and relationship building…it becomes a bit more of a challenge. Success is a key motivator, and success takes time…thus the chicken and egg issue of the revolving door many organizations face with fundraising staff.
Great post Gail. Asking donors for advice is such a powerful way to engage with them. Although of course, the challenge is in not overly raising expectations, and ensuring that their advice is something that can actually be acted upon – or at least visited and discounted without offending them in any way. I know that is an area that concerns a few of the people I work with when it comes to seeking advice from donors – managing their expectations. Thanks for the tips…
Many people have asked me about this. Here’s what you say when you ask a donor for “advice” and you get strange ideas that will never fly. You say “wow how interesting. I will have to run that by my board (or boss) – and you know I can’t promise they will run with it.” You are still being authentic.
I do find, tho, that sophisticated donors really enjoy helping you think thru strategy re how to get to someone important or how to gain the community’s attention. And if you don’t ask them about that – you’ve miss an opportunity that will cultivate them AND help you out!
Hi! I’m a little late to this post, but hoping you’re still reading comments! Would love your perspective on how to transition from an advice conversation to a financial ask. It seems disingenuous and like it might leave them feeling tricked to show up on the pretense of asking for advice, and then asking for a gift at the end.
Hi Alison, asking for advice is one of the steps in developing a trusted and happy relationship with your donor. You are trying to find out their passions and interests!
In order to move to an ask, you ask for permission and you inquire.
Like this: “Is this something that you might be interested in yourself?”
Thank you! I hate to get so super specific, but I’m in my first year as a development officer (in a department of one!) and hoping to set up a meeting with someone who has made generous gifts in the past, to confirm that he will do so this year. Is it as awkward to transition from an “I’d like to update you on what the programs have been doing” conversation to “We hope you will consider continuing your support at x level” as I feel it is?
Say this: I am so honored to meet you! Your gifts have done so much! I’d love to know why you believe in us . . . (let him talk). This year we are focusing on xxx or yyyy initiatives -and we are hoping you’ll want to support them. Then engage him in a conversation about what his money will achieve. OK? :)
Beyond OK! Thank you!!
Hi! Great article! Love, love, love it. Want to send a link to it via email and can’t see how to do that. The website just shows gailperry.com Thanks for any help.