by: Shelly Welch
Most of us have been in this
situation at some point in our tenure in the Junior League or perhaps for our
or our kids' schools: We need raffle prizes. We are going to ask
people. We think we're prepared. We have handouts and information. Will anyone
give anything to us for our cause? Will it be okay?
We couldn't have asked for a better
group to share stories and advice. Moderated by Jacquetta Lannan, our panel
consisted of Joanne Pasternak (JLPA-MP Sustainer, Executive Director,
49ers Foundation), Carrie Drake (Director of Donor Relations and Major
Gifts at Sempervirens Fund and JLPA-MP Sustainer and Fundraising
Council Advisor, Past President), Suzi Tinsley (JLPA-MP Sustainer and Past
Gala Fundraising Co-Chair, Past President), Kristin Fabos Livingston (JLPA-MP
Sustainer, Past Fund Development Chair and Executive Director, SeniorNet),
and Ashley Cash (Development Officer, Silicon Valley Community Foundation).
Consider the first scenario,
soliciting for a raffle prize or a sponsorship. It came up right at the end of
our Q&A portion, asked by one of our attendees. Joanne Pasternak went right
to work, throwing out suggestions and asking questions: Add value to your ask
by saying you'll include their business in a directory given out to all the
event participants if they donate, it doesn't have to be much. Just a photocopy
of business cards handed out to attendees. How about telling them that you've
spoken to their neighbors and list what they've given? And then ask them to
refer you to other businesses, whether the answer is yes or no.
Our panel taught us that instead of
asking "Who would give to our cause?" we are more
likely to get good results when we ask, "How do I make a yes
possible?"
Cover your basics. Do your research. Make a value proposition about why
your donor will want to give something to you. Craft your ask to fit in with a
group's mission. Get a foot in the door, however small. If you're making a
corporate ask, follow the rules of the ask. You can find those on an
organization's website. Be professional, succinct, and to the point.
Create relationships and
connections. There are quite a few tools to open
up a conversation. Suzi learns a person's favorite candy. Joanne immediately
finds things she has in common with another person. Once you have a foot in the
door, listen. Some asks are immediate, some require a few phone calls or
meetings. It's easy to list off reasons why a person should give to your cause,
and to make your points. Creating connections requires that you pay attention a
what things your donors are passionate about. You never know, a no may only be
a no for now, but there will be another opportunity somewhere down the
line.
Never underestimate the
infectiousness of enthusiasm.
Suzi's favorite ask was her first. She was selling tickets for our Pancake
Breakfast. She went with a friend, who made her ask quietly and got no
response. The silence created a vacuum which Suzi filled with her bubbly and
inviting personality. "Hi! Would you like to come to our Pancake
Breakfast? Bring your whole family! Your daughter is on my daughter's soccer
team. Why don't we bring the whole team!" Her enthusiasm is infectious,
like you get to be part of her big, fun party. If you are excited about your
ask, you invite others to get excited, too.
Be creative. Creativity in asking is like creativity in anything;
it requires experience and finesse. Keep your eyes open. Look for stories. A
good story is powerful because it can connect potential donors to your cause in
ways that facts and figures may not be able. Keep an eye open for potential
connections. Use social media. Take pictures and use video and post them where
your donors can see them and get involved. There are many ways to ask someone
to sponsor your your event. Think of creative ways to use your event to create
new business for your sponsor. It can be as easy as handing out a list of
sponsors and their contact information to event attendees or as complicated as
doing a bus tour of sites and programs that your organization supports.
Show gratitude more often than you
ask for things. A lot can be accomplished by
something as simple as a hand-written thank you note. Think about it.
Would you that an organization only send you a Tax ID letter? Personal touches
matter. In a league where we change roles yearly, it's important for us to
think of ourselves as stewards for future years. "Think long-term,"
says Carrie. Any stewardship you do paves the way for the next person to make
an ask."
