

Sorry to ramble, but this is a big hot button for me. If a core value is respect and dignity and compassion, that should mean to everyone, shouldn’t it? If we treat everyone we encounter as an organization (not just donors) with grace, imagine what that would make possible! The question becomes one of walking the talk of core values of the organization. We need this, you have it – so what’ll it be? As with any hard-sell, the more direct approach leaves no room for the donor to step into the conversation with anything but a “yes or no” answer. I love the humanity and grace in the words you have chosen, Marc. And the seminar on “ The Asking Conversation” shows you exactly what to say in a meeting when asking for money and exactly when to say it!įor more ways for board members to get involved in their nonprofit’s fundraising, go to

#Use another word for quit instead in letter how to
With over 80 tools, templates, and trainings, you’ll learn how to make your fundraising the most effective possible. Looking for more tips on asking for money?Īre you looking for even more tips on asking for money? Check out the The Nonprofit Academy. What phrases and questions do you like? Tell us in the comments at the bottom of this post! Those are my favorite phrases for asking for money. You seemed like a great fit.” What do you say when you’re asking for money? To reach that, we need three leaders at the $200,000 level. “You see, Bob, the entire project is $4 million. Saying, “Well, we were looking at your stock holdings and the sale of your last business so $200,000 seemed reasonable” is an awful explanation. What to say if they ask you how you came up with the specific gift amountįrom time to time, prospects will ask how you determined that number for them. And if you’re too high, they’ll tell you too! This is basically a request for help: Could you help me know how much I might ask you for? If you’re in the ballpark they’ll tell you. So let them know! This is especially powerful for volunteers who’ve been coached by excellent counsel to ask at a higher level then they feel comfortable asking at.Most people respond well to requests for help. And despite our best research, peer reviews, and calculated guessing, there are times we really don’t know how much to ask someone for.

One person’s idea of “support” may be $250 when you’d rated her as a $25,000 prospect. “Will you support our cause?” is a vapid cop-out for truly asking for money. Second, this phrase encourages askers to use a specific dollar amount. This feels like something they can naturally say.

People visibly relax when they hear that this is a good fundraising phrase. First, it takes the pressure off the asker. A question like “would you consider a gift of _?” accomplishes two things. Here are the two phrases that are helping people the most:Īsking is challenging enough. If it were that simple, asking for money wouldn’t even be necessary. Donors aren’t picking an item off the shelf and going to the cash register. One of the most common questions I am getting from nonprofit employees and board members alike is, “Ok, the ‘Get R.E.A.L.’ formula is nice, but when it comes tom making the ask, what do I say?”įundraising isn’t a business transaction. I normally speak to large groups at conferences or to smaller groups of board members, but I’ve been privileged to do a lot of one-on-one major gift fundraising training this year.
