1. The Wrong Way to Do Everything an unconventional look at Major Gift Solicitation in 2016
Katy Prebble President, Academy of the Holy Cross Kensington, MD & Bill Acton Senior Partner, Advancement Partners Columbus, OH + Chicago, IL October 2016

2. The Reality of Advancement in 2016
“People are working harder than ever, but because they lack clarity and vision, they aren’t getting very far. They, in essence, are pushing a rope … with all of their might.”
Stephen R. Covey

3. Three Key Realities:
1. People are giving more money to charities than ever before.
2. On average, people are giving to fewer charities.
3. The average gift to charity is larger than it has ever been.
Major Gifts (annual gifts of $5,000+, pledged gifts of $25,000+) are more critically important than ever.

4. From the Bingo Director:
“Every time a hearse goes by, there goes another loyal customer.”
- director of a Catholic organization’s bingo operations… as stated to Bill Acton in 2009

5. The Future of Our Catholic Organizations Depends on Our Success with…
Major Gifts
Philanthropy
Investments
Ingrid Bergman
understood this in 1945

6. One Commitment Can Transform Your Mission
Two Case Studies: Lead Donors & Their Impact
The Bells of St. Mary’s:
Mr. Bogardus as a one-man campaign
The Time is Now
A Campaign for Bishop O’Connell High School:
The transformative power of a $3 million gift

7. The cost to raise $1
Events (auctions, walks, raffles, etc.) $.50 to $.60
Direct mail/phone/ combo efforts $.20 to $.33
Go Fund Me $.09 to $.11
Major Gifts/Campaign $.03 to $.08

8. How to Go About Major Gifts
There are multiple wrong ways… And we have done most of them

9. Wrong Way #1: Prep
“Don’t start a major gift program/campaign/initiative until you have a robust annual fund or special event activities in place.”

10. Wrong Way #2: Prep
“Don’t invest in electronic prospect research – all you get back is bad data, and it’s so invasive.”

11. Wrong Way #3: Prep Cards, premiums Invitations to events, coffees
“Spend lots of time cultivating prospects before soliciting them. Take your time!”
Cards, premiums
Invitations to events, coffees
More cards and flowers
Old Paradigm: cultivation
New Paradigm: ENGAGEMENT

12. Wrong Way #4: Prep
“Be sure to have every “i” dotted and “t” crossed on each prospect before you schedule an appointment with him or her. It is important that you know every detail you can about your prospects before you solicit them.”

13. Wrong Way #5: Prep
“You can’t solicit someone for a capital gift until you have budgets finalized, construction timelines nailed down and drawings complete.”

14. Get Organized Excel/Access File for tracking Hard copy files
Investor Solicitation
Get Organized
Excel/Access File for tracking
Hard copy files
Prospect Pool – by hierarchy
Gameplan:
Steering committee
In-town/ out-of town

15. Wrong Way #6: Appointment Setting
“In this day and age, face-to-face meetings are over-rated.”

16. Wrong Way #7: Appointment Setting
“In scheduling appointments, be careful not to call or more than once or twice – you don’t want to be a pest, and if they don’t call back, they don’t want to give – or maybe they are just rude.

17. Wrong Way #8: Appointment Setting
“Do not try to schedule someone by…
Texting them
Calling them at work
Asking them at another event

19. Face to Face Visit Do not cold call prospects.
Investor Solicitation
Face to Face Visit
Do not cold call prospects.
“Push” prospects into a solicitation “pipeline” in a controlled manner
Schedule after a pre-call activity
Consider:
Pre-call event
Pre-call mailing

21. Investor Event “Out of the box” approach Set the tone and the stage
Investor Solicitation
Investor Event
“Out of the box” approach
Set the tone and the stage
Make people feel they are “in the right room.”
Let them now exactly what will happen next.

22. Sample Agenda Reception, wine and cheese, etc. (30 min)
Investor Solicitation
Sample Agenda
Reception, wine and cheese, etc. (30 min)
Welcome/purpose of the evening (2 min)
Video presentation (8 min)
Case for support by CEO (5 min)
Testimonial by key stakeholder (5 min)
Call to action by stakeholder (5 min)
Next steps – CEO (5 min)
Reception continues – private Q&A

23. Professional, but persistent! Bring a sense of urgency
Investor Solicitation
The Next Day…
Call each attendee
Reference the event
Ask for minutes
Be flexible re: location
Call back every other day.
Use to offset calling.
Send handwritten note if calls aren’t connecting!
Professional, but persistent!
Bring a sense of urgency

24. Wrong Way #9: On the visit
“Be sure to use volunteers as your primary solicitors.”

25. Wrong Way #10: On the visit
“Be sure to spend lots of time breaking the ice with small talk.”
The weather
Last night’s game
Traffic
The paintings in the lobby.

26. Wrong Way #11: On the Visit
“Spend lots of time talking and telling them every detail of your plan, priorities, mission, etc. After all, they need to know!”

27. Wrong Way #12: On the Visit
“Don’t ask for a specific amount. It’s not appropriate – and what if you ask too low/high?”

28. Wrong Way #13 Better still… “After they say ‘Yes!” keep talking.”
“After you ask…KEEP TALKING.”
Better still…
“After they say ‘Yes!” keep talking.”

29. Investor Solicitation
Open
“What did you think of the event?” “How did you like the video?” “What do you think of our plans?” ASK…LISTEN…OBSERVE…

30. Engage Use a one-minute case for support.
Investor Solicitation
Engage
Use a one-minute case for support.
Show plans, timeline, pyramid & progress.
Use the sales materials.
ASK for reactions, input, etc.
Handle challenges or concerns.
Two ears, one mouth!!

31. STOP…LISTEN…Then respond.
Investor Solicitation
Ask
“We have a proposal we’d like to share with you.”
“Would you consider…
…naming one of the new labs?”
…stretching to the “leadership level” over a five-year pledge period?”
A commitment in the range of $25,000 to $50,000
STOP…LISTEN…Then respond.

33. Close “I’m not sure what we can do.”
Investor Solicitation
Close
“I’m not sure what we can do.”
“We already have two big pledges going.”
“Science doesn’t interest me.”
“That was more than I was thinking.”
“You really should be talking to the older (or younger) alums; they have the money.”
Bring urgency – request LOI and why it is critical

34. What Works Patience… Dual-team approach… Clear and concise request…
Investor Solicitation
What Works
Patience…
Dual-team approach…
Clear and concise request…
Listening…
Responding…
Leading…challenging

35. Follow-up Complete a call report
Investor Solicitation
Follow-up
Complete a call report
Send written follow-up (proposal?) and a hand-written thank you card
DO what you said you would do…
Call to close as scheduled
Send quarterly updates
Provide ongoing stewardship opportunities
Visit annually in person to update

36. Stop me if you’ve heard (or said!) this before…
“We need more events/activities in order to get more giving participation.”
“That person isn’t ready to be solicited. She needs more cultivation.”
“Cultivation activities are critical to advancement!”
“Our board should be out asking for money.”
“Prospect research is too expensive – it’s not in the budget.”
“We have to hire an events person before we hire a major gifts person.”

37. Wrong!

38. Best Practices
Stay Focused – major gifts, revenue, building the “right” relationships and connections.
Stewardship!
Execute! Don’t wait for perfection; it never arrives.

39. Prep and Solicitation: The Five “I’s” of Major Gifts
Identify
Inform
Involve
Inspire
Ask for the Investment