Lifecycle of a Continuous Donor

 

If you really look at your prospects, you should be looking, not for the one-time gift, but a way to make all first-time donors givers for life.

The following steps will help you insure your donor will be a donor for life.

 

1. PRELIMINARY MEETING. This is a discovery meeting to determine the 4 rights; the right TIME, the right AMOUNT, the right PROJECT, the right PERSON.

 

2. SOLICITATION. This is a no- pressure meeting. You want to take pressure off your prospects; not try to pressure them into making a pledge or gift. Use the five steps in your solicitation.  (1) small talk, (2) tell the prospect why you are there and mention you have a proposal you want to leave with them, (3) tell the story about the project you want the prospect to consider supporting, (4) ask for a specific dollar amount, (5) ask if you can follow up in five to ten days.

 

3. FOLLOW-UP. Call back and ask if the prospect has any questions or concerns about the proposal you presented to them recently. Use IPAT if they say “NO”.

 

4. COMMITMENT. This is called the close. This is where you get the pledge card signed.

 

5. THANK YOU. Always send a hand written letter immediately after the visit.

 

6. STEWARDSHIP. It is so important in today’s fund-raising environment that you report back to the donor the impact his or her gift has made on the organization.

 

7. SOLICITATION. When the donor’s pledge is paid up, go back to step number one and start over. 

 

IF STEPS five AND six DO NOT HAPPEN, THEN seven WILL NOT HAPPEN!