It's Not Always About Ask
It's Not Always About Ask
Jan. 17, 2006
By Abny Santicola, associate editor, FundRaising Success
In addition to its usefulness in soliciting donations, the telephone is an effective tool for donor stewardship. In her book "Beyond Fundraising: New Strategies for Nonprofit Innovation and Investment, Second Edition," (Wiley, 2005) author, consultant and speaker Kay Sprinkel Grace recommends that nonprofit organizations engage in "thank-a-thons."
Similar to a phone-a-thon, a thank-a-thon requires volunteers, phones, donor lists with accurate phone numbers, up-to-date information on donor information such as previous gifts and volunteer involvement with the organization, and a volunteer leader.
The right time for a thank-a-thon is after "a wave of gifts have come in from the Web site, e-mail, or direct mailing or after a special event," writes Sprinkel Grace. She recommends following these steps for a thank-a-thon:
1. Set up shop at a central location. If there are enough phone lines, an organization's headquarters is a good venue. Otherwise, a board member's or active donor's business establishment would suffice.
2. Have volunteers call donors using a script prepared by organization staff, thanking them for their gifts and leaving messages when contact is not made. Volunteers, Sprinkel Grace writes, need not be in the know about the size of a donor's gift. It's at the organization's discretion to choose whether or not to give them that information.
3. If contact is made, reassure donors that the call is not for more money, but to thank them for their most recent gift.
4. Equip callers with questions to ask donors who are willing to share some information, such as their knowledge of the organization, what inspired them to give, etc., that can be incorporated into their donor profile.
The thank-a-thon, in addition to providing "volunteers with opportunities to interact with donors in a conversation that's not driven by asking for money," Sprinkel Grace writes, can spur additional gifts from donors who feel moved by the thanks and interaction. What's more, it's an opportunity to identify donors capable of giving more who can, in future appeals, be moved up the giving ladder.
To purchase or learn more about Kay Sprinkel Grace's book "Beyond Fundraising: New Strategies for Nonprofit Innovation and Investment, Second Edition" (Wiley, 2005), visit http://www.wiley.com/nonprofit
