Major Gifts

How much effort and time do you really put into making a major gift ask to a donor? Here are some things to think about in preparation for the ask that you might find helpful as you review your strategic plan and get ready to talk to your donors.

You finally have the appointment with your major donor. Don't strike out when you finally get in the door. Here are my top six ways to get the most out of a major donor visit.

Some donors make gift decisions themselves and some make them involving their family. Some involve advisors and friends. So know who those advisors are—attorneys, accountants and others who are in a position to influence the gift.

Often, the reason a MGO fails is not because of the organization or because he or she does not have the talent or ability. It is simply that he or she is not doing the job properly. It basically is summed up in one or more of the following six reasons.

The most common reason MGOs fail at their jobs is that they do not listen to their donor, who is not only telling them all types of ways they prefer to be "managed" but also giving regular clues on what they do not like. Here are some practical ways to listen better.

The work of a major gifts officer (MGO) is filled with "no's." That's the nature of the job. And I find that hundreds of good MGOs are debilitated by the word, and it renders them ineffective and deflated.

While it is rare, Richard and I have found some of the best MGOs and managers are ones who collaborate, who go out of their way to seek counsel and have real confidants at work.

Being responsive and accountable to the donors who invest in your organization is fast becoming the single most important factor in fundraising success. Neglect it at your peril.

Without a close and cooperative relationship with your nonprofit organization's program person you, as a major gifts officer, cannot succeed. Program holds the key to information that is critical to the offers you construct for your donor.

So you've identified your big kahuna potential prospect, your mega-capacity donor. What next? How do you get in the door? Here are five quick tips to help you get that very first visit.