Analyze Before Every Major Solicitation
As Socrates once famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Discipline and introspective examination were among the greatest virtues for the ancient Greek philosophers. Those concepts are just as critical for a productive life today, particularly in fundraising. Before every major solicitation, I sit with the volunteers and staff members who will be involved, and analyze how things ought to unfold. Most of our focus is on roughly the first ten minutes of a solicitation, when we are making our pitch and placing a specific request before the prospect. Yet, we may spend an hour or two preparing for those ten minutes. Why is there value in dissecting a thing into such fine slices? The answer has four components.
Concentrate on your role.
In a solicitation meeting that might last thirty minutes or an hour, we are in complete control for just a few initial minutes; making our case for support, framing the conversation, and hopefully steering the response somewhat. It is important to thoroughly analyze how we execute those few minutes because that analysis allows us to better execute the portion of the conversation we control, and to influence the prospect’s response.
Introspection brings focus.
Before going into a solicitation, a fundraiser may calm themselves, think through their specific tasks, and then try to let it all come out naturally. Once the solicitation has begun, we have to count on the fact that all of the preparation has sunk in and we can let our subconscious mind guide us. While a great deal of analysis is warranted in the preparation, there is such a thing as “thinking too much” at the moment of truth.
The whole, however brief, is composed of many parts.
A fundraising solicitation is packed with a great deal of activity. Each member of the team has a different role to play. There will be several key messages that must be communicated clearly and emphatically. The ultimate request may have different components, seeking a commitment of leadership as well as money. How the group handles the prospect’s response is a critical step. We have to anticipate potential questions and devise responses that will quell the prospect’s concerns and steer them toward a positive decision. Each of these parts must be clearly planned and assigned to the appropriate speaker. In addition, a well-planned solicitation may have an equal list of things to avoid saying.
Change is uncomfortable, but often necessary.
Every fundraising professional changes their approach in a continual quest for perfection. We analyze our delivery because that is the best way to determine what ought to be changed. Dispassionate, objective preparation is the best approach to most intellectual endeavors, including fundraising. That level and quality of inspection can often be a little uncomfortable. It is difficult to scrutinize our faults, but it is the only way we can grow.
Effective preparation must be balanced by a strong follow-up, or we will not realize our full potential. We have to de-brief our solicitations and analyze what went well and what did not. Were there surprises? Do those unexpected actions give us any guidance as to how we can better prepare next time? These processes are circular, with one solicitation leading us into the next. Thankfully, there will always be additional opportunities to perfect our work.
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