Solicitation Process

Note: For general information about how to cultivate donors for major gifts, refer to Cultivation Process and Major Gifts.

When you cultivate relationships with prospects for major giving, follow a thoughtful, disciplined process. The process creates an opportunity for the prospect to give to a cause he or she already believes is important. Moves Management establishes a four-phased plan for this process.

Moves Management recommends you gather the following information:

  • The prospect's interest in your organization

  • Affiliations with clubs, churches, and other organizations

  • The prospect's other major interests

  • Events in the prospect's life that can influence donations

  • Centers of influence for the prospect

Additionally, plan for open-ended questions so that you can engage the prospect in meaningful conversation and learn about the person. Good questions establish a warm relationship and open communication, which are necessary for a successful solicitation. Plan for questions which enable you to:

  • Explore the person's feelings about charitable interests in general

  • Explore the person's feelings about your organization

  • Explore the person's feelings about specific programs and services

  • Explore the person's understanding of your organization's mission and the problems it solves

  • Check your previous research about the person

  • Learn what about your organization is attractive to the person

You should also create a solicitation team, including a primary and secondary natural partner. Natural partners should also be familiar with matters related to your organization.

Determine who asks for the gift. Then, you can plan how the person asks for and arranges an appointment with the prospect.

Moves management recommends you use a structured, sequential process to plan and organize a solicitation visit. The five elements that make up the process are:

  1. The Opening - Establish warmth and common ground. Establish a serious but friendly tone for the visit. This engages the prospect in the visit. A sincere opening is the best route to success later.

  2. Prepare for a discussion and presentation - Review and revise your questions as you learn about the prospect and as more people become involved in the process.

    During the visit, focus on listening to how the prospect responds to your questions. Be flexible in case you need to adjust your questions during the discussion.

  3. Presentation - While research suggests the formal presentation is the least important part of the process, you should still plan for it. Develop a basic premise for the foundation for your presentation. Determine how to make your presentation meaningful and memorable. Think about your own beliefs; you may be asked to express these as you ask about the prospect's beliefs.

  4. Ask for a major gift - Plan who will ask for the gift when you complete the visit. Also plan who will create a document for the agreement. The moves management process recommends you prepare three "prepared closes" to give you confidence. Consider basing your prepared closes on the prospects' answers to questions which were prepared prior to the visit.Many seasoned fundraisers find their closes in their

  5. Deal with objections - When you deal with objections well, the results can still be good. You may even overcome multiple objects after you ask for a major gift. Moves management recommends you designate one person on the team to respond to objections.

Determine what you will do after you meet the prospect and ask for a gift. Plan for all possible outcomes: you get a gift, you don't resolve the matter of a gift, or you agree there will not be a gift in response to the opportunity you presented.

Moves management recommends you focus on what to do when you receive a gift. Prepare a contact record on the meeting and express thanks. Also plan for a series of contacts by people who can reinforce the positive feelings your constituent is experiences after a major gift commitment.

Tip: To take advantage of the moves management functionality, add the defined field set for moves management. For information about how to add a defined field set, refer to Defined Field Sets.