https://bloomerang.co/resources/webinars/ Victoria Dietz will show you the proven steps to have meaningful conversations and build stronger relationships with your donors by keeping them engaged and properly setting expectations.

1. The Curtis Group 4/14/2020
Not for Distribution 1
REAL Conversations
with Major Donors
Bloomerang Webinar
April 2020
Session Goals
 Who are your donors?
 How do you build meaningful relationships?
 What do I say?
 How do I follow up?
 Practical suggestions!
Giving reached $427 billion
amid a complex year
$298.5
$332.52
$357.6
$424.74

2. The Curtis Group 4/14/2020
Not for Distribution 2
2018 Giving by Source
 Individuals  1.1%
 Foundations  7.3%
 Bequest = 0%
 Corporations  5.4%
Individual Donors
Focusing on
fewer
nonprofits
Giving as
investment
Need
individual
cultivation &
relationships
Must see
impact
Five I’s of Fundraising
IDENTIFY INFORM INTEREST INVOLVE INVITE

3. The Curtis Group 4/14/2020
Not for Distribution 3
Where Do We Go Wrong?
DESK WORK
EMAIL/MAIL
ASKS
EASY TO
ASSUME
LITTLE
PERSONAL
KNOWLEDGE
NEVER
ACTUALLY
ASK
Who Should I Be Talking To?
 Reports to pull regularly:
Top 100 donors of all time
Top 50 AF donors from last three fiscal years
Top 15 corporate supporters (last five years)
Top 15 foundation supporters (last ten years)
Longevity member/donors (10+ years)
Wealth screening results
 Set these reports up in Bloomerang and run frequently!
Rules for Success
 In person meetings are a must
Set a monthly goal and have someone to hold you
accountable
 Do your research – but don’t assume
 Be in regular contact
Look for reasons to follow up/build relationships
 Show meaningful impact
 Use volunteers (to get meetings and to attend meetings)
 Be unapologetic

4. The Curtis Group 4/14/2020
Not for Distribution 4
Appointment Setting
 Train support staff to assist
 Alternate phone/email
 Be persistent
 Two touches per week
 Schedule 10-20 minutes per day: Treat it like a meeting!
Sample Language
“Good morning, Mrs. Smith. This is Mary from the
Foodbank. I would love an opportunity to get together to
update you on your investment in our summer meals
program. I know how busy you are, so I will also follow up
with an email with date options.”
Discovery Questions
 How did you first become connected to X organization?
 In your opinion, what is our most important role in the
community?
 Why do you invest in us?
 What program do you find the most interesting and why?
 Of all we have shared with you today, what is most exciting
to you?
 What would you like to see us focus on moving forward?
 What questions do you have about our work?

5. The Curtis Group 4/14/2020
Not for Distribution 5
Discovery Questions
 How does your family make your giving decisions?
 What are your top three charitable priorities?
 Of your spouse?
 Of your children?
 When you give to a new group, what are the things you
look for to make you feel good about your investment?
 Who else should I be talk to about our work?
Cultivation Meetings
 Three clear goals:
1. Get to know the prospect – LISTEN!!
2. Share a clear, concise vision
 What are the 2-3 most important things you are
working to accomplish and how will charitable
investment facilitate these? Be specific.
3. Set expectation for follow up
 May we come back to you in the coming
weeks/months to ask for your support?
 Use their question(s) as an “excuse” to circle back
and build relationship
Preparing for the Ask
 Be upfront about the next step
 Invite the spouse/children
 Prep with volunteers 24-48 hours in advance, covering:
 Goals of meeting
 Flow of meeting
 Who will make ask and for how much
 Gather appropriate materials – but don’t over-paper!

6. The Curtis Group 4/14/2020
Not for Distribution 6
Making the Ask
 Sample Meeting Flow:
1. Recap of why your relationship is meaningful
2. Overview of high-level vision
3. Make ask (in first 15-20 minutes of meeting)
 Specific number/range
 Stop talking after ask is made
4. Set expectations for follow up
Making the Ask
 Annual fund:
 “When we met last time, you shared that XYZ was
important to you. This is all made possible by support
of our annual fund. Would you consider supporting
our annual fund with a gift of X?”
 Campaign stretch gift:
 “We know our goal is ambitious, but our mission
requires us to think big. We are asking everyone we
talk to for stretch gifts to this campaign, and would
like to ask you to consider a gift of X.”
If a Donor Preempts
 Sample responses:
 “Thank you so much for your generosity. I admit we
had a different level in mind when setting this
meeting. Tell me, is there anything we could do to help
you to consider a gift of $X?” (i.e. longer pledge period,
ballooning pledge payments, naming opportunities)
 If volunteer is close with prospect and planned to ask for
similar amount: “Thank you. When X and I were
approached about this effort, we chose to step up our
giving for XYZ reasons. I know you share my passion,
so I planned to ask you to consider joining me at the
$X level. What do you think?”

7. The Curtis Group 4/14/2020
Not for Distribution 7
Follow Up
 Set specific timeline, stick to it
 Call!
 Use deadlines to check in:
 Committee meetings
 Board meetings
 Donor listings
 Annual report
 Executive committee meetings
Donor Communication
 Simple but effective!
 Impact reports every other month
One story, one side of a sheet of paper
 Eliminate bulky/time consuming annual reports
 Board and programmatic staff calls
Donor Communication
 Look for “excuses”
Success to report
Benchmarks hit
New staff
Sector issues/thought leadership
Get their advice
 Segment how you communicate

8. The Curtis Group 4/14/2020
Not for Distribution 8
Stewardship Matters
 Big gifts rarely come from new donors
 Donor acquisition is expensive
 Relationships take time to build
 Donors must see impact
“I haven’t heard from them since their last major campaign.”
“I only hear from them when they are asking for money.”
What Donors Want
 Be updated on last gift before being asked again
 Feel appreciated—receive thank you calls and one-on-one
communication
 Have a relationship with organization
 Know what you intend to do with their gift
 Know their gift makes a difference
757.496.2224
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