My then ten year-old daughter asked to go to Barnes and Noble on a school night after we had gone out to eat. Her younger brother’s baseball game was the impetus for the dinner out so we were already behind schedule for homework, baths and bedtime. My answer was “no.” When I asked if she thought I’d say yes, she admitted she knew the answer would be “no” but asked anyway just to be sure.
Does that sound like something we may do with our donors sometimes? We are pretty sure it’s the wrong ask but we do it anyway. What makes it the wrong ask? It could be the wrong project, the wrong amount, the wrong time for the donor.
So why do we go ahead with the wrong ask? Often it is the pressing needs of our organizations. We are doing good work. There are people to help, animals to save, diseases to fight. While all of this is very important, we can’t put it ahead of the donor.
By spending time on cultivation and creating the right proposal – we move closer to a yes. When we go ahead with the wrong ask, it will be a bad experience for the donor, for us and ultimately for our nonprofit’s mission.
Cultivation – by getting to know the prospective donor, we learn more about when the time will be right for them to make a gift. We learn where their passions lie and can work together to find the best fit for them in our organizations.
Creating the proposal – by carefully crafting a proposal, whether it’s formal or informal, we paint a picture of how this prospect can join us in making the world a better place.
My daughter knows that some nights I will happily go to Barnes & Noble. It has coffee, books, we see friends. What’s not to love? That was the proposal and she knew it had a shot with me. But she also knows that on a school night, we have to get home and don’t have spare time for browsing through a bookstore sipping lattes. But she chose to ask when she knew the answer would be no because she put her needs as the top priority. Since she was only ten, we can’t fully blame her. As development professionals we know better.
Search for the place where the prospect’s values and passion intersect with the mission of the organization. When you find that intersection, ask. You will get the answer you want – YES!
Originally posted on the Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay blog.