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Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers: Talk Your Way to Success with Donors and Funders
Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers: Talk Your Way to Success with Donors and Funders gives professional and volunteer fundraisers the tools to really learn about their donors through personal interaction and conversation guides. This handy guidebook starts with a values-based approach in Chapter 1 then zooms in on the all important one-to-one conversations necessary to be a successful non-profit development officer or volunteer. The authors address the strategic shifts in conversations needed across the stages of fundraising: Acquiring New Donors, Renewing Donors, Re-Engaging Donors, and Upgrading Donors. It also covers meeting and conversation suggestions about planned gifts, endowments, bequests and foundation grants. Filled with conversation-based tips and examples, this essential text provides reminders of the need to sustains funders' interests and how to do it. Topics include: how to turn a social conversation to one about the mission of your group; how to refresh and deepen your conversations with donors; and, how to create a more positive fundraising experience for donors and fundraisers. Written in a confident and encouraging tone, Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers is an accessible and smart resource for those new to fundraising or seasoned professionals. The conversation guidance and helpful tips for the many types of donor interactions are essential whether the reader is working in a one-person development office or a large university advancement department. Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers will help make the connections that result in new and increasing contributions for all non-profits. Compelling Conversations for Fundraisers was written by two fundraising professionals with track records of success in development offices large and small. Janet Levine has worked in the nonprofit and educational sectors since 1988, beginning her career at the University of Southern California. Just prior to starting her company - Janet Levine Consulting (janetlevineconsulting.com) she was VP of University Advancement at California State University - Dominguez Hills. Laurie A. Selik is a nonprofit professional working with national and Los Angeles-based non-profits since 1999.
134 pages, Paperback
Published May 23, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 12, 2018
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Chimayo Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
Being somewhat familiar with the Compelling Conversations series [1], I was a bit surprised to see this book, but the more I read it the less surprised I was that one of the publishers of the book thought I would appreciate it. A considerable amount of my own time is spent in writing and in engaging in difficult conversations, and other aspects of my time deal with the non-profit sector and the needs for institutions in that sector to ask for time and money from others in order to keep their operations going. While I myself have not (yet) been involved in grantwriting efforts or being the sort of person whose donating is large enough to draw the attention of those looking for increased financial commitments, I am not unfamiliar with the world in which nonprofits operate and so this book was definitely an intriguing one and a thoughtful one that I think would be highly beneficial to anyone who works on development for a non-profit and wants to be better prepared on how to handle the delicate task of asking people for their money.
This book of a bit more than 100 pages is divided into eight chapters along with some additional materials. After an introduction the authors examine the need of nonprofits in engaging others based on their values and case statements (1) rather than relying on jargon that puts people to sleep. The authors then spend a bit of time providing some tips and advice on how to acquire new donors (2) as well as handle renewing donors (3). After this the authors progress in helping the reader gain some advice on how to re-engage with donors who have given in the past but who have not, and who tend to be ignored (4) as well as handling the task of upgrading people in the pyramid of donors by asking for more than they are already giving (5). Then the conversation turns to one about planned gifts, endowments, and bequests, where nonprofits gain a great deal of their money (6), and the integrated ask that helps donors avoid feeling continually nickled and dimed by the organizations they support (7). After this the authors discuss conversations with foundations that one would partner with or get grants from (8) before closing with a discussion of additional resources for nonprofits and some information about the writers and publishers.
In reading this book I was particularly struck by the way that compelling conversations often take place in an atmosphere of awkwardness. When we have a particular subject in mind that we want to talk about with someone, it adds a level of stress and anxiety to that interaction. Because we want or hope for more, we are often highly critical of our performance in these conversations where we are not when the stakes are lower. The authors do a good job at honestly recognizing the awkwardness of asking people for money while also helping the reader realize that the most compelling conversations are not ones that happen all at once but are rather conversations that are built out of existing relationships where there is an honest and open realization that the conversations involved are not social ones but have a specific purpose in mind to deal with awkward questions about money and resources. In encouraging honesty as well as finesse in communications, the authors do an excellent job here in making it easier for those involved in donor development for nonprofits limit attrition while making it easier for them to accomplish the goals of their organizations.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
Being somewhat familiar with the Compelling Conversations series [1], I was a bit surprised to see this book, but the more I read it the less surprised I was that one of the publishers of the book thought I would appreciate it. A considerable amount of my own time is spent in writing and in engaging in difficult conversations, and other aspects of my time deal with the non-profit sector and the needs for institutions in that sector to ask for time and money from others in order to keep their operations going. While I myself have not (yet) been involved in grantwriting efforts or being the sort of person whose donating is large enough to draw the attention of those looking for increased financial commitments, I am not unfamiliar with the world in which nonprofits operate and so this book was definitely an intriguing one and a thoughtful one that I think would be highly beneficial to anyone who works on development for a non-profit and wants to be better prepared on how to handle the delicate task of asking people for their money.
This book of a bit more than 100 pages is divided into eight chapters along with some additional materials. After an introduction the authors examine the need of nonprofits in engaging others based on their values and case statements (1) rather than relying on jargon that puts people to sleep. The authors then spend a bit of time providing some tips and advice on how to acquire new donors (2) as well as handle renewing donors (3). After this the authors progress in helping the reader gain some advice on how to re-engage with donors who have given in the past but who have not, and who tend to be ignored (4) as well as handling the task of upgrading people in the pyramid of donors by asking for more than they are already giving (5). Then the conversation turns to one about planned gifts, endowments, and bequests, where nonprofits gain a great deal of their money (6), and the integrated ask that helps donors avoid feeling continually nickled and dimed by the organizations they support (7). After this the authors discuss conversations with foundations that one would partner with or get grants from (8) before closing with a discussion of additional resources for nonprofits and some information about the writers and publishers.
In reading this book I was particularly struck by the way that compelling conversations often take place in an atmosphere of awkwardness. When we have a particular subject in mind that we want to talk about with someone, it adds a level of stress and anxiety to that interaction. Because we want or hope for more, we are often highly critical of our performance in these conversations where we are not when the stakes are lower. The authors do a good job at honestly recognizing the awkwardness of asking people for money while also helping the reader realize that the most compelling conversations are not ones that happen all at once but are rather conversations that are built out of existing relationships where there is an honest and open realization that the conversations involved are not social ones but have a specific purpose in mind to deal with awkward questions about money and resources. In encouraging honesty as well as finesse in communications, the authors do an excellent job here in making it easier for those involved in donor development for nonprofits limit attrition while making it easier for them to accomplish the goals of their organizations.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
October 19, 2023
A practical, straightforward guide to responsive fundraising written by like-minded pros. Themes of curiosity, active listening, and thoughtful planning never go out of fashion. Required reading for early career development professionals.
June 11, 2023
Cool ideas and always good to get reminders on the basics, but conversations don't work like this...
June 22, 2023
This is a good resource if you don't have schooling on fundraising. Since I have a specialization in it, I didn't learn anything new. But good way to cover bases quickly if you're training someone.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews