Sarah Ford | April 2, 2012

Five Steps for Winning Conversations with Donors

Laura Fredricks, a fundraising consultant, say she has noticed a disturbing trend. Too often fundraisers use the same formula to seek a gift, whether they are asking for $10,000 or $50,000, instead of tailoring each interaction with a potential donor to the person’s interests and values.

That practice wastes time and ensure poor results, she said at the Association of Fundraising Professionals conference, which opened  today in Vancouver.

Conversations with donors are too important to use a standard template, Ms. Fredricks said. A guarantee that fundraisers are doing the right thing: They should be a little nervous every time. Otherwise, it’s a sign they are coasting.

Here she offers her five steps to improving conversations with donors:

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