How to Land More Appointments

HOW TO LAND
APPOINTMENTS
with more
MAJOR GIFT &
LEGACY GIFT
DONOR PROSPECTS

Greg Warner
CEO & Founder

Author of
Engagement
Fundraising

Who is
this guy?

Who is
this guy?

Who is
this guy?

Ticked-off donor Changed my business Wrote a book

30,000

Major &
legacy gift FUNDRAISING CHALLENGES

EMPATHY
Lack of time
Not enough staff
Tight budgets
Travel is time-consuming and expensive
Qualifying prospects is very difficult
Getting an appointment is nearly impossible

“It’s harder to get an appointment than to secure a gift.”
“Getting an appointment is 85% of getting the gift.”

Major &
legacy gift FUNDRAISING CHALLENGES

EMPATHY
According to fundraisers:
52% Supporter doesn’t respond to outreach
18% Supporter says: “I’ll give, don’t need a visit”
16% I’m not sure what to say when I reach out
14% Supporter keeps delaying the visit

Major &
legacy gift FUNDRAISING CHALLENGES

EMPATHY
Leadership may pressure you to get results quickly
Lack of understanding of:
✔The donor’s consideration process
✔The fact that donors love the mission, but are afraid of fundraisers

YOUR MAJOR OR LEGACY GIFT DONOR PROSPECT’S
CONSIDERATION PROCESS

YOUR MAJOR OR LEGACY GIFT DONOR PROSPECT’S
CONSIDERATION PROCESS

YOUR MAJOR OR LEGACY GIFT DONOR PROSPECT’S
CONSIDERATION PROCESS

TACTICS

ADJUST YOUR MINDSET

YOU ARE NOT:

✔ A BEGGAR
✔ A MANIPULATOR
✔ AN ARM TWISTER

TACTICS

ADJUST YOUR MINDSET

YOU ARE A

✔ LOVING
✔ CARING
✔ HELPFUL
✔ GENEROUS
✔ JOYFUL…

A VALUE
CREATOR &
FACILITATOR

TACTICS

ADJUST YOUR MINDSET

HELP SUPPORT THEIR
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

✔ BUILD TRUST
✔ PROVIDE VALUE
✔ DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS
✔ UNCOVER NEEDS
✔ MATCH NEEDS TO PROGRAMS

A VALUE
CREATOR &
FACILITATOR

LAND MORE
APPPOINTMENTS =
& CLOSE MORE GIFTS

TACTICS

RECOGNIZE THE
EXISTENCE OF THE
VALLEY OF DISTRUST

TACTICS

BUY INTO AN
ENGAGEMENT CALLING
PROCESS

MANDATORY:

✔ AT LEAST TWO CONVERSATIONS
BEFORE ASKING FOR A MEETING

✔ DON’T ASK, OFFER TO PROVIDE VALUE

TACTICS

HOW TO PROVIDE
VALUE

How to land appointments with more major and legacy donor prospects

TACTICS

✔ AGE: 74

✔ NO CHILDREN

✔ TOP CHOICE FOR GIVING

✔ MISSION IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE

✔ LIKELY TO GIVE ASSETS

✔ MIGHT CONSIDER A LEGACY GIFT

RECENCY IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

TACTICS

HOW TO PROVIDE
VALUE

THINK

WHAT CAN I
OFFER OR DO
TO MAKE THEM
FEEL GOOD?

TACTICS

PRACTICE YOUR
DIALOGUE

TACTICS

PRACTICE YOUR
DIALOGUE

TACTICS

PRACTICE YOUR
DIALOGUE

TACTICS

PRACTICE YOUR
DIALOGUE

TACTICS

=
YOU’RE READY!

TACTICS

GIVE THEM
POWER

PUSHINESS BACKFIRES

“YOU CAN END THE CALL ANY TIME”

“IT’S COMPLETELY UP TO YOU”

“I REALLY DON’T WANT YOU TO FEEL PRESSURED”

“LET’S PENCIL-THIS-INTO YOUR CALENDAR”

TACTICS

GIVE THEM
POWER

ASK TONS OF QUESTIONS
AND LISTEN TO THE ANSWERS
SHOW THAT YOU CARE

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

MAKE THEM
FEEL GOOD

PRESENT THE VALUE
THEY’LL GAIN FROM
MEETING WITH YOU

ASK FOR THE
MEETING AND
SHUT UP!
COUNT TO 10

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

EXAMPLES

1. COLD ASK (FIRST CALL)
2. WARM ASK (AFTER ENGAGEMENT CALLS)

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

“[NAME], YOUR STORY IS FASCINATING. IT
WOULD BE GREAT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU
AND YOUR INTERESTS SO I CAN WORK ON YOUR
BEHALF TO HELP YOU GET MORE OUT OF YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR SHARED MISSION.
WHY DON’T WE GET TOGETHER NEXT WEEK,
PERHAPS ON TUESDAY? WHAT DO YOU SAY?”

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

“[NAME], YOUR SUPPORT HAS BEEN SO WONDERFUL.
IT REALLY MEANS A LOT. NOT EVERYONE ‘GETS IT’ LIKE
YOU DO. THAT’S WHY I WONDER IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER
GIVING US SOME FEEDBACK AND ADVICE ON XY&Z. IT
WOULD BE INVALUABLE. CAN WE GET TOGETHER EITHER
NEXT TUESDAY OR THURSDAY?”

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

[“[NAME], DURING OUR LAST CONVERSATION YOU
MENTIONED XY&Z. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT. HOW ABOUT WE GET
TOGETHER ON WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY, OK?”

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

“COULD WE GET TOGETHER ON TUESDAY AT 3
PM OR WOULD ANOTHER TIME WORK BETTER
FOR YOU?”

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

“COULD WE PENCIL IN A TIME TO MEET SO I CAN
LEARN HOW BEST TO SERVE YOUR NEEDS?”

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

“IF I COULD HELP YOU FIND MORE MEANING IN
YOUR LIFE THROUGH YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH
OUR SHARED CAUSE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS
ON GETTING TOGETHER IN PERSON?”

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

“IT WOULD BE GREAT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU.
IF WE WERE TO MEET I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU
GET EVEN MORE JOY OUT OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH OUR SHARED CAUSE. WHAT WOULD YOUR
THOUGHTS BE ABOUT GETTING TOGETHER TO HAVE
AN INITIAL MEETING? ”

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

“[NAME], WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO GET ON
YOUR CALENDAR?”

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

“WHY DON’T WE GET TOGETHER SO YOU CAN
LEARN MORE? WHAT DOES YOUR SCHEDULE LOOK
LIKE NEXT WEEK?”

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

“[NAME], DID YOU KNOW THAT I CAN MEET WITH
YOU TO HELP YOU? WOULD YOU MIND OPENING UP
YOUR CALENDAR SO WE CAN SET IT UP?”

TACTICS

BE CLEAR, THEN
SHUT UP!

“[NAME], I’M GOING TO BE IN YOUR AREA NEXT WEEK.
I’D HATE TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU. AND
IF WE WERE TO GET TOGETHER I COULD BRING YOU
AB&C. CAN WE SCHEDULE A BRIEF VISIT IN-PERSON?”