Building strong and lasting relationships with major donor prospects is critical if you want to secure big donations. Elizabeth Loudon explains how it’s done

‘If you’ve seen one major gift ask, you’ve seen one major gift ask’, a wise senior fundraiser once said.

Truer words were never spoken. Some people want a long courtship and formal proposals before they make a major gift to your charity. Others give big gifts out of the blue, or after a simple personal ask over lunch with the CEO.

If every prospective major donor is different, then are there any tips that you can count on as you seek to turn them into top-line supporters of your charity? I asked some of the best fundraisers I know and they suggested a few simple, practical steps that can hugely increase your chances of success, no matter who your prospects are.

1. Listen

Active listening means confirming what you think people said, asking whether you got it right, and then saying what you intend to do in response. If somebody says they need to ‘think about it,’ for example, you can confirm that they’re still making their mind up, find out why, perhaps they need more information, and then state clearly when you will get back to them and what you expect to happen next. After which, of course, you will listen again, actively, to their response.

2. Stand up

It may sound stupid, but the phone can be your most important weapon when you’re trying to get an appointment with a busy millionaire. Standing while on the phone encourages you to speak with more energy, and smiling helps too.

3. Be prepared

It’s useful to know what you’re going to say before every phone call and meeting, but be prepared for the conversation to go off-piste. If you rehearse your opening lines before you go in, you’ll stay on track without sounding like you’re reading from a script. It is also important to speak slowly and clearly when introducing yourself and your objectives.

4. Make five cold calls a day

You know the calls we mean: the ones to busy people who may hang up on you. You won’t reach all five, but you will soon be getting one good conversation or meeting a day out of it. It’s also excellent practice: all major donor fundraisers make cold calls. Those who think they're too successful to do so are those who are just about to fail.

5. Set an example

If you’re building a new programme, then ask two or three current donors whom you get along well with whether you can tell other people about their most recent gift, even if anonymously. Your friendly donors will enjoy helping you out, and may also give you good feedback on how you go about asking. The people you speak to in the future, meanwhile, will be reassured to know that others have said yes to you and your cause. Don’t forget to keep donors that have agreed to let you talk about their gifts informed about how you’re getting on.

6. Ask to ask

Many people feel understandably nervous when fundraisers beat around the bush. Others dislike presumptuous, ill-timed requests. What to do? Play it safe and ask whether now is a good time to ask, or whether the project is one the donor wants to make happen. Nine out of ten people will tell you right away what they want to achieve and how much they want to give, sparing you the agony of naming a number and getting it wrong.

7. Tell stories

Above all, tell stories that make you prickle with emotion, whether they’re about the problems faced by innocent people or about the everyday devotion of your volunteers. Don’t worry about being gushy, most major donors decide with their hearts more than their heads, and they will be inspired by your passion.

8. Say thank you

Major donors tell us again and again that they’re not properly thanked. A quick phone call from the CEO, a photograph with a hand-written note, or a private meeting with a scholarship student is worth ten perfectly typed letters praising donors for their ‘wonderful generosity’. Sure, donors are generous and, as such, they want to know what they helped to make happen.

9. Get your trustees on board

You may meet with a good deal of opposition at first, so draw on all your reserves of tact and suggest just three simple things that each trustee can do to help each year. For example, a trustee might attend a thank-you meeting with you and a donor, invite four friends to an event, and review ten confidential profiles of prospects who work in the trustee’s field. Spend time creating a tailored support plan for each trustee, and be patient: it’s a long game.

Elizabeth Loudon is director at Prospero Partners

This article first appeared in The Fundraiser magazine, Issue 12, December 2011