The Art of Cultivation How to Encourage the

The Art of Cultivation How to Encourage the Prospect to Make the Commitment

What we will cover • The Decision-Making Process – Making the Case for a Legacy • The Cultivation Process - Meaningful Interactions • The Solicitation Process - Anatomy of the Ask

One Absolute The Donor holds all the cards We can only provide the opportunity to create a meaningful legacy It’s personal - It’s about their needs, interests and values

The 80 -20 Rule Spend 80% of the time - making the case - marketing - cultivating Spend 20% of the time - asking - closing - saying thank you

Decision-Making • Grab their Attention – make the case • Cultivate their Interest – strategies • As the stakes of the decision increases it takes more time • Increasingly Emotional – Legacy

Making the Case • Thought – Provoking • Outcomes in Human Terms • Semantics do matter • Multiple and Repetitive

Making the Case • Move their hearts, the head will follow • Data can support the case, not make it • Tell the story – Message Wheel What is your Case for making a planned giving to your organization?

Articulating the Case (handout) Core message 4 supporting messages 4 talking points Discussion

Tell the story • Capture attention with an unexpected challenge or question • Create emotional experience by narrating the struggle to overcome the challenge or answer the question • Make a compelling call to action

Practice Turn to a neighbor and practice telling the story (the case) After a few minutes, change places Discuss

Cultivation Process • Must be face-to-face • Plan your interactions (handout) • Make your interactions meaningful • Patience

Cultivation Process • Remember – It’s Donor-centered • Ask Questions • Keep the relationship moving

Questions • • • Open-ended – How, what, why? Discovery – new information Attitude – “How do you feel about…” Confirmation - restate Commitment – “Your gift will… (thank you)

Active Listening • Listening is a Learned Skill • Silence is Golden • Reduce distractions, stop thinking

Anatomy of the Ask After multiple contacts After building a strong relationship After listening to the donor’s needs then It’s time to Ask

Anatomy of the Ask I – Preliminaries II – Opening/Intro III – Presentation IV – Negotiation V – Confirmation/Close

Anatomy of the Ask I – Preliminaries – Building rapport with the prospect II – Opening/Intro – setting the stage “We’re here today to ask you to consider…”

Anatomy of the Ask III – Presentation From this point forward should take no more than 15 minutes - articulate the case - talk about benefits not features (2 or 3) - present the opportunity - move from general to specific

Anatomy of the Ask III – Presentation Opportunity - “We have established a legacy society to provide a way to recognize those special individuals who have made a planned gift. ” From general to specific - “There are various ways to make a planned gift. The most popular is by making a bequest. ”

IV – Negotiate the Ask “We thought you would like to consider…” PAUSE! “How do you feel about creating a legacy? ” or “Are there things you would like to ask? ”

Overcome Objections • NASA – Nurture, Ask, Seek Solutions, Agreement • Feel, Felt, Found “I feel you are concerned about…” “I’ve felt that way before. ” “I’ve found that if…”

Anatomy of the Ask V. Close Restate the agreement – “I understand you will be creating your legacy by…” “The gift you have made will…. ” – talk about what it will accomplish. Thank and Follow-up

A Word about Stewardship Three Parts of Stewardship – need all three 1. Acknowledge 2. Inform 3. Recognize

Questions? Jim Gumpert , Senior Director Major & Planned Gifts Boys & Girls Clubs of America jgumpert@bgca. org