making an artful ask

©2015 Artful Asker - Marcy Heim Consulting

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Presentation by Marcy Heim, The Artful Asker, www.marcyheim.com, 888-324-0442

Making an Artful Ask!

The Power of Mindset!


THE ARTFUL ASKER

Marcy Heim, CFRE, PLCC Founder & Principal

Marcy Heim, CFRE, PLCC, is an author, international speaker, fundraising consultant and life coach for those transforming the world through generosity. Her direct and entertaining style reflects over twenty years of in-the-trenches, major gift fundraising and management success. She and her team raised millions by creating the very relationships Marcy teaches in her popular sessions. She’s an AFP Master Teacher and received both the CASE Crystal Apple and AFP’s Outstanding Fundraiser awards. "Empowering Development Ambassadors” is Marcy’s book on major gift relationship-building and the role both methods and mindset play in giving success.


We are about to have an incredible experience

together! The Power of Mindset


Session Goals Making an Artful Ask

Our Mindset

Why people give/the Words we use

The Cycle of Successful Relationships – overview

Making an Artful Ask


“What’s

the cause?

Can’t you

just give?

Must there

always be

a cause?”


Universal Vision

“You want to compose a good

world – it is an honorable and

noble profession.” – Maya Angelou

Let your vocabulary reflect your attitude!


85% of your

success is in your head!

So what’s in our head?


The Strangest Secret


“We become what we think about!”

Earl Nightingale

The Strangest Secret


Examine Your Beliefs "Our beliefs can move us forward in life, or they can

hold us back.“ Oprah

“I’ve heard this before”


Declarations about Raising Major Gifts

•My cause is worthy of people’s investment

•We are a sound and accountable organization

•We make a difference and I am proud of what we do

•By giving to my organization, my donors experience the

joy of philanthropy! It feels GREAT!

•I delight in hearing about gifts to other organizations

•I love to give to my organization myself

•People love to give me money!

How do I

Feel

About

Money? Talking about money


Finish these sentences • Money is the root of all __________

• Money doesn’t grow on ___________

• Not everyone can be rich, there’s not ______________.

• If I get rich I’ll lose my _________.

• _________ rich

• Be ____________with what you have.

• You must work ______ to earn a ___________.


Why Do People Give?

• Mission

• They are asked • Stable & ethical • In honor someone/thing • Extend their values • Regard-staff/volunteer

leadership • Belong -Community


hit up put the arm on … The bottom line loaded milk … should give … ought to give … owes us Contacts per month get into pockets pick the low hanging fruit Loosen the purse strings

The Words We Use Dream Make a difference Gift Consider Impact/Hope Meaningful Exciting/Passion Enduring Possibilities What to you think?


•Prospect •Suspect •Follow up •Strategy •Move you •Pitch •Close •Qualify

Your language is your creativity

•Giver •Prospective Giver •Stay in touch, keep you informed •Planned “touches” •Inspire you •Explore a partnership •Invite you to invest •Shared values and interests


BUT…It’s more than just the words you use… you need to really mean them.

Marcy Heim


People give from the

HEART, not from economics.

When a NEED is

recognized, the heart moves the hand.


Philanthropy is the Mystical Mingling of a joyous giver,

an artful asker, and a grateful recipient.

Douglas M. Lawson (1936)

WRITE THIS DOWN!


The Artful Asker Cycle of Successful Relationships©

Creating the Joyful Giver

Engagement

Making the Artful Ask

NO

yes

acknowledge

Invoking the Grateful Recipient

Show

Creativity

Consider Shared

Values & Interests

Begin the Conversation

Used with permission from

Don Gray /Douglas Lawson

Additional Interest

©2014 The Artful Asker, www.MarcyHeim.com

[email protected],888-324-0442

A Donor Story




Engagement


NO

yes

acknowledge


Show

Creativity

Consider Shared

Values & Interests




Additional Interest



They agree on the value of our organization/mission.

They agree with the vision of our leadership.

They see that private support is needed for this project to happen.

We have a relationship built on trust and have talked through all the concerns they

have about giving methods and the project.

We have talked about different specific components and giving levels and found a

project that accomplishes their dream.


Major Issues in Asking • What are the important linkages? • How much do you ask for? • Who makes the ask? • Where is the best location to make an ask? • What do you send out ahead of the call? • When is the timing right? • How do you make an artful ask? • Common pitfalls in making an ask?

• What do you say when….responding to objections.

• How do you follow up? • What do you do if the answer is “no”? Or YES!


Review the Cycle to Date Make it ‘Right”

Motivation and values,

knowledge, decision-maker,

concerns, preferences for

involvement, giving and

stewardship.

©2015 Artful Asker - Marcy Heim Consulting ©Artful Asker LLC 2009

Research and Discovery • When is the timing right?

• What is the right amount?

• Who makes the ask?

• Where is the ask made?

Listen for signals: Listen, Listen, Listen

Ask thoughtful questions

Develop a “touch” for knowing

Remember: this is an art, and a science

Ready…aim…aim…aim…aim


How Much do you Ask For? • Using your 6-9 meaningful contacts, assess the potential

through your conversations personally and through involving others in the action plan for the donor. You know the number when you believe you have found a fit with the giver’s interest and capacity.

• Talk about dollars to accomplish a certain impact and listen, listen, listen

• In cultivation, review costs today.

• Ask for somewhat more than the person’s estimated ability. Most people are flattered.

• Discuss the form of the gift, the payment period and possible combinations of outright and deferred.


Who makes the ask? • The development

professional generally “speaks the ask.”

• A high ranking administrator.

• A volunteer or board member.

• An “expert” on the project

Who should be part

of the team to visit

with David about his

gift?


Rehearse/Role-play

• WRITE OUT the ask

• Practice the ask

• Define roles of team members and role-play the call

bestow honor/praise

special Connection/pride

with organization and to

this ask

be considerate; ask for

consideration

state specific amount

state specific purpose

Be quiet


• Joe, we know you have a lot of

money. Your career as CEO of the Jones Company is thanks to some help you received from one of the other members of the Board. He’s giving $50,000 and thinks you should give too. We need your money because of increasing costs and budget cuts. So how about some help? You get a whopping tax deduction, and we can all use that, can’t we?

Is this an Artful Ask? • bestow honor/praise

• special connection/pride with organization and to this ask

• be considerate; ask for consideration

• state specific amount

• state specific purpose

• Be quiet


Is this an Artful Ask? • bestow honor/praise

• special connection/pride with organization and to this ask

• be considerate; ask for consideration

• state specific amount

• state specific purpose

• Be quiet

• Joe, you have been instrumental to our success in creating and expanding our Garden project. You understand, in addition to the beauty, what an important teaching tool this is for us. Would you consider a gift of $50,000 to establish the Joe Smith Garden Outreach Program endowment?


Who to Ask for Operations/Annual • 4 GROUPS OF PROSPECTIVE DONORS

1. Current Annual Fund donors who are passionate about your cause but don’t have the capacity for a major gift at this time (or ever) or need more touches for a major gift.

2. Current Volunteers (same as above)


Who to Ask for Operations/Annual

3. Special situation donors. Those with a particular extremely good or bad experience.

4. Major Donors. Those who have already named options. Long time with relationships as part of leadership group and know/like/trust leadership.


HOW to Ask for Operations/Annual • Special Situation Donors

• You have seem the role adequate resources plays in the life of our library. You understand that having staff and resources to provide this important piece is vital to our service. Would you consider a gift of $1000 to help support our staff and activities?


Endow An Annual Gift • For the donor who has been supporting an annual need for a number of

years. Or a major donor that has been making a large annual gift….

• Provide a break-through, a legacy option. Ask individuals to endow their annual gift. Example: 5% return. (high for now. But easy to figure.) Take the amount of the gift, let's say $1,000 a year and multiply it by 20. A $20,000 endowment would yield $1000/year. This is the number you discuss. "You have been such a very good friend and supporter of our organization. You understand the importance of X. Would you to consider a gift of $20,000 so that the gift you have been making each year will be there to provide support to those we serve for years and years to come?


HOW to Ask for Operations/Annual • Major Donors

• You have been part of our Org family for so long and know us so well. You understand our vision and how key having resources to embrace opportunities is for us. Would you consider a gift of $1,000,000 to create the Org Opportunities Endowment?


HOW to Ask for Operations/Annual • Current Annual Fund/Volunteers

• You have helped us do our good work. You understand that having this piece of equipment, this staff position, this educational training, these tools empowers us to do have this impact (your mission) Would you consider a gift of $1000 to help do __________?


An Artful Ask – YOUR TURN!

Name __________

You have (compliment, service, giving)

You understand (special connection to this request)

Would you consider a gift of $_______ for/to

______________________. THEN QUIET


What are the Common Pitfalls in Making the Ask?

• We talk too much

• Ask sounds cold or inconsiderate

• We use words like “should” and “ought”

• We ask apologetically and are embarrassed

• Eye contact breaks down

• The ask is rushed

• We break the silence too soon after ask is made


Respect and Gratitude • Seldom will you close a

major gift on the asking call

• Plan ahead for following up

• Establish the next step

• Be considerate, thank the person, be grateful


What Do You Do if the Answer is “YES”? • Make sure all appropriate people

say “thank you”

• Design a creative plan to continue saying “thanks”

• Continue visiting the giver and listening for next opportunity

• Keep working the Cycle!!!!!

• BE GRATEFUL!

Yippee




Engagement


NO

yes

acknowledge


Show

Creativity

Consider Shared

Values & Interests




Additional Interest




Adages about Asking (all true) • You almost never get the gift you do not

ask for

• You must earn the right to ask

• You must balance the mindset and methods

• You must focus on serving your donor

• Nothing is more rewarding than the results and impact of an “artful ask”


Questions to ask YOU!! • Why does money come to our operations so easily?

• Why am I so worthy of investments into my own professional development by myself and others?

• Why is it so easy for me to talk about operations support with my prospective givers?

• Why is abundance attracted to me and our mission?

• Why do I take just the right steps to match

prospective givers with my mission?


Why do I

have more

than

enough

time,

energy and

money?

Hope - the feeling that what is

wanted can be had or that

events will turn out for the

best. It’s a mindset.


Toll free 888-324-0442 Cell 608-772-6777 [email protected], www.marcyheim.com

Thank You For Being Part of this

Honorable and Noble Profession!

LIKE ME, TWEET ME, GET ME, LINK ME! Isn’t this crazy?

making an artful ask

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