One of the great axioms in the fundraising world is that “people give to people.” People tend to give more and more often to people they connect with and trust, to people they believe are acting in their best interests.
The conversation you hope to have with a suspected donor is not a private conversation. It’s not read more a confidential conversation. This is an intimate conversation, and your Suspect will participate only once he trusts you.
As you’re successful you will be participating in conversations about wealth, family relationships, deeply held personal convictions, all of which you hope to tie into meaningful charitable gift planning.
You will be inviting reflections and feelings and memories. You will discuss values. You will ask for, or be offered, details of financial information and plans, wishes for and concerns about children.
Invest in each relationship so your Suspect will believe in you, will know you can be counted on to be competent, dependable, and discrete as appropriate.
You are a matchmaker in this work, seeking to connect the Suspect’s interests and gift potential with your organization’s vision and needs.