Getting to No You: How “no” supports a better relationship with your donorWhether you’re a nonprofit fundraiser or selling timeshares in Hawaii, you’ve been trained to “overcome objections.” “Getting to yes” is often considered the goal of any solicitation. I’m here to suggest that a yes, too quickly delivered, robs you of opportunities to learn a wealth of information that can drive future gifts and a lifetime relationship. Know your No’sThe trick is to recognize the difference between your donors’ need to craft the perfect gifts for them and their inability to say, “I’m not interested.” It’s a tough call. We’re a polite society and outright “I’ll-never-love-you” rejection is tough for some people to articulate. The good news is this. The way you discover which “no” you’re getting is exactly how you get to know your donor.
When you hear a no, ask your donor to talk about their experiences with your organization and in their own lives. In this way, you can learn if an objection is nothing more than a request for more information. Assuming their experiences point to a continued interest in your mission, consider how you might deal with their reluctance. Step one: Don’t debate. Listen.After all, when was the last time you changed your mind about anything? Staying neutral allows your donor to further explain his experience. It’s a relationship building experience, at the deepest level. If your donor has had a negative experience with your organization and that’s where his “no” is stemming from, hold off on any conversation that suggests that you’re defending your organization. Don’t debate. Step two: TrustThat said, it’s fair to say you are sorry that they’ve had a bad experience, without attempting to change their minds. Instead, ask for clarification about what the “wronged” donor would want from the institutional relationship. Step three: Listen some more. Assuming if the relationship is good, (or salvageable) the next step is to re-build trust or continue on your strong road to maintaining trust. From here, your donor’s “no” generally stems from one of these categories:
By concentrating on these three issues, you can learn more about donors’ hopes, dreams, and preferred style than you can from a mountain of “closing techniques” or prospect research. Step four: Close that gift. Listen some more.Ultimately, as a fundraiser, you’ll solicit the gift. If the answer is still no, repeat step one. If the answer is yes, recognize that, ideally, this is only the beginning of your donor’s lifetime relationship with your organization. We’ve had donor clients say that they’re reluctant to close gifts because they don’t want the relationship with their charities to end. Save your generous supporters from that fate. By showing them that you’re still there the morning after is precisely the reason to be patient when you hear a donor say no. The staff at John Brown Limited is experienced in helping clients work through their no’s. If you’d like us to help you, please call 603-924-3834.
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June 2008:Archived Newsletters |
