Five Asking Strategies for Remote Fundraisers

Five Asking Strategies for Remote Fundraisers

By Lindsay Jordan, Write On Founder + CEO

The first time I asked a donor for a video meeting to discuss a gift, it was the start of the pandemic, and I was super nervous. Up until that moment in my career, I had only asked for donations face-to-face, even after establishing a remote company and loudly advocating for remote work in the nonprofit sector. 

I half-expected the donor to tell me to kick rocks. But… they didn’t. As a matter of fact, they thanked me for the opportunity to stay in their comfy home and drink their coffee of choice as we discussed the nonprofit client I represented. We closed a six-figure gift on-screen in about 10 minutes. She could have been in her pajamas for all I know.

Fundraising has changed. And yes, you can throw something at me for saying it because we are all so tired of hearing it. But when it comes to asking for money without being in the room where it happens, a major shift has taken place, and many donors are not going back to the “old ways.”

1. Ask the donor what they prefer

It’s true that some donors will always want an in-person ask. However, like the rest of us, many have been conditioned over the past few years to move certain conversations online. And, of course, you have the outliers who have always preferred a very specific medium, like text messaging or snail mail. Just like in pre-pandemic times, the best call is to ask the donor how they prefer to get together. 

Don’t assume that what works best for one donor will be the preference of another. If a videoconference is an option, be sure to offer it. If you ask for a meeting without context, donors may assume you want to meet in person when they would prefer the convenience of a video call. Make sure that if you offer to meet online, your materials (pitch deck, brochure, etc.) are optimized for on-screen reading (i.e., no tiny fonts!). 

2. Use the best practices that apply

Best practices in asking for donations tell us that we always want the people with the strongest relationships with the donor to participate, to some degree, in the ask meeting. This is still true if the meeting is happening online. Consider your role carefully. Are you most useful in simply securing or setting up the meeting? Will you be providing background information on the nonprofit/program for which you are seeking funding? Is someone else better prepared to make a presentation? Who is the best person to actually ask for the gift? 

When planning an online meeting, all the same questions you would ask about who attends the in-person meeting should be considered, taking care not to overwhelm the donor with subject matter experts. A good ratio of folks in the room is 2:1 - two nonprofit representatives for every one donor. And, of course, a 1-to-1 ask with an individual who checks all the boxes above is always a great choice.

3. Lean on a script

I am a big fan of scripting the ask! Or, I should say, drafting a strong outline of how you might like the conversation to proceed. While an outline is useful for any donor ask, it becomes even more important in a remote setting. During an in-person meeting, you can read the body language of both the donor and teammates helping to make the ask. In a video call, this is much harder. Leaning on a script with transitional phrases helps key up your teammates for their part of the conversation and avoid awkward gaps. Know before you begin the call who is responsible for saying what, and who is going to field which types of questions.  

BONUS: On every outline I have ever created, I have written out the specific ask I intend to make word-for-word. This helps me to cut down on any extraneous information I might be tempted to provide and ensures that I don’t forget any important part of the ask. After the ask, I always write this note to myself: “Now stop talking.” One of the most critical pieces of asking for funding is to get the ask out, clearly and concisely, and then wait patiently for a response!

4. Be specific with cultivation and stewardship information

Fundraisers were using technology in cultivation and stewardship long before the pandemic rolled along, but many of us have fallen prey to “information overload” when it comes to how this information is shared with donors. More than ever, we are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information coming to us through email, social media, text messages, etc. 

Show your savvy as a remote fundraiser by being very specific with donors about the information you want them to have. For example, instead of sending an email with a link to a recent article you would like them to take a look at, do this:

Dear Fred;

Happy Tuesday! I saw that Chelsea pulled a hat trick in Saturday’s game. Congrats! I’m sure you and Linda are super excited. Playoffs, here we come!

At lunch last week, you mentioned that you were thinking hard about [XYZ] and not sure about [this thing that the donor shared with you]. I was doing a little digging and came across this article that I thought you might find interesting. Specifically:

[Insert the part of the article here that you think the donor will be most interested in. This could be a quote or a piece of information, but be concise. Do not provide more than a few sentences from the article so the donor can decide for themselves if they want to learn more.] Here is the full link to the article if you’d like to take a look: [insert link].

I’d be interested to learn your thoughts about [draw context between the information in the article and what the donor previously shared]. Would you have time this [week/month/quarter, etc.] to grab lunch and continue our discussion?

We’ve done a lot more in that email than share a bit of information. We have acknowledged our personal connection to the donor; pulled out a piece of our last conversation to follow up on; highlighted from the data a specific fact or quote that links to our last conversation; contextualized that information; and asked for a follow-up to keep talking. Oh, and we shared a link. 

5. Follow up using the same platform

Most of us are creatures of habit. I find that if a donor indicates they like a certain communication medium, my follow-ups are better received using the same platform. We have many tools in our toolbelt. However, we sometimes inhibit the ask by using too many of them at once. For example, we chat over coffee, follow up by email, say hello in a text, blast out a general e-newsletter, and request a videoconference for an ask. How is the donor supposed to hold a single message in their mind when we are slamming them from all sides? 

Fundraisers are more memorable when they communicate (as much as possible) through the platform the donor has indicated they prefer. And one of the best things about a video call is that you don’t need to schedule one-hour meetings to be effective. Asking a donor for a quick 10-minute call they can take on their phone as they walk from the gym to their car is a great way to fit into their busy day in a way they will remember and appreciate. 

Remote fundraising has opened a world of possibilities to both donors and fundraisers. Relationships burgeon and blossom through video calls in the very same fashion as in-person interactions. Chemistry travels through the airwaves and it always has. Fundraisers who embrace remote tools in their toolbox find a quick way to level up their expertise and offer new relationship-building experiences that many donors continue to prioritize.