5-Minute Interview--Paul Leo

FS: What are the stages of a telefundraising phone call?

PL: First there's the introduction, who's calling. There's the situation ... something in particular that we're talking about ... something specific and something urgent. And then there's the ask: "Can you help CARE with this situation and other situations like that?" And then thirdly, you usually don't get a yes on that very first ask. You usually get some kind of rebuttal ... some kind of hesitation or reason why a donor can't give. So then there's a rebuttal. There's myriad reasons why a person can't give and just as many reasons why that person should give based on that answer. So, it's at that point that you have a conversation, listening to the donor and where they're at.