Jason's Blog

What do donors expect as a result of their giving?

To answer this question, advancement professionals typically respond with a duality.  The first duality is the donor-focused aspect.  This response is focused on what the donor expects for themselves in response to their giving. Responses like: gratitude, recognition, special invitations, small gifts, etc.

Before each visit with a donor or a prospective donor, we should ask, “what do I really want to know?”

. . . about their financial capacity?

. . . about their interest in our mission or cause?

. . . about their willingness to be generous?

. . . about why they give?

. . . about their business or family?

We should identify the primary t...

“What will our donor get when they make their gift?”

In some advancement shops, the response to this question is something specific – a pair of socks, tickets to a football game, a naming right, a tchotchke.

In other advancement shops, the response to this question is nothing specific.  A thank-you letter or a handwritten note will suffice.

But in the mos...

It is common for some in advancement to hear the word, “persuasive,” and think, “manipulative.”  But, the two are very different.

When we aim to be persuasive, we:

are ethical, transparent, factual, and logical; seek fair, win-win outcomes with others; respect people’s rights and responsibilities to choose for themselves, based on what they believe, feel, and thin...

Advancement leaders can create 3 professional development environments for those in their care.  These professional development environments can encourage team members to:

Learn More Skills – develop the technical skills related to their work; Receive More Instruction – learn from others about how they have enhanced their work; Think More – reflect on what our work means...