5-Minute Interview--Paul Leo

FS: Aside from getting a donation, what's the most important thing to accomplish on a telefundraising phone call?

PL: Something that's really important, whether [they give a] gift or not, is to exit the phone call with a good feeling or a good rapport with the donor so that you haven't ruined the relationship but you've, in fact, solidified or enhanced the relationship based on the phone call. And hopefully the communicators -- the people that are calling our donors -- are skilled enough to handle a variety of different responses, but in the end hang up the phone with a positive outcome. And that doesn't necessarily mean a gift.