Three Important Goals for Every Major Donor Visit

When you finally have the meeting with Mr. or Ms. Big Donor. What to do? How to handle? What do you really want to accomplish with them?

So many people are confused about what they want out of the very important major donor visit. They don’t know how to have what we call “meaningful contact” with donors.

They think their job is to make a fabulous pitch to “sell” them on your organization..

But, that’s the last thing you want to do!

Instead, you need to take it easy and go slowly!

Here are three important objectives for every single major donor visit you will ever make:

1. You want to establish a long-term, productive relationship with your prospect.

You want to build the kind of relationship where you can ask her for advice. Or ask her about other potential donors.

For example, you want her opinion of new events or initiatives. You want her to tell you what other people in town are saying about your organization.

Or, you might want to find out why she likes your cause and your organization so much. What’s her story? What are the areas she’s most interested in at your organization? 

And  – ultimately – you hope that you can eventually develop her interest enough to secure a generous gift from her.

In other words, you hope to grow her interest over the long run.

This kind of long-term, productive relationship is worth a lot to any nonprofit.

Why, because you are not about selling something. You are not about the money.

And you certainly don’t want to bore her by doing all the talking, do you? 

2. You are looking to find out where your prospect stands.

Another important goal for your major donor visit is to find out your prospect’s disposition toward you and your cause.

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That’s why we always say: “Listen your way to the gift.” 

Is he still interested? Is he losing interest? What are the questions he’s asking today? What’s on his mind? What are his hot buttons?

• Perhaps he is a former donor — does he still feel close to your organization?

If a couple are potential donors, then you try to gauge their level of interest. You want to try to figure out how you can bring them even closer.

This is why you should never, ever do too much talking in a major donor visit!

You really really want to know what’s going on in your prospect’s mind.

If you do all the talking, then you’ll never find out all the information that you really need to grow the relationship.

Actually – talking too much can be the kiss of death to a major donor visit! Why? Because you are more liable to be boring when you go on and on.

Many people think their job is to make a presentation to the prospect.

But be careful. If you do more than 50 percent of the talking, you’re shooting yourself in the foot!

3. You are looking for the next step with your donor.