Last time I wrote about getting outside the box. I want to describe my favorite out-of-the-box moment, the one that changed how I approach my work. Four years ago I was preparing a presentation on major gift planning, describing some of the more memorable gifts I had worked on. I quite suddenly noticed a consistent element in those stories; every gift I described focused on assets, not income. It was so obvious I nearly smacked myself upside the head — Duh!
If your prospect calls to ask about a direct distribution of $25,000 from an IRA, don’t you want to know about the size of an IRA that produces that amount of giftable income? Do you suppose you should learn about the various ways through which your donor might give from that asset, and how you might initiate a gift conversation with her?
My eureka moment has changed my entire approach to discovery and assessment of prospective donors. That happened because I added the realization to my way of doing things – I brought it into my box.