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Steier Tips
Strategies for Success
Part Four: Solicitation Training—The Importance of Properly Trained Solicitors
Almost every capital campaign relies on its volunteers
and leadership to solicit donations. In order for these solicitors to be
prepared, your organization needs to provide proper training and background
information to ensure success.
Solicitation training must occur prior to any “asks” being made on behalf
of your organization. Training should include:
• Role playing
• Background information on the project (understanding the goals and benefits)
• Answers to commonly asked questions
• Answers to objections
• Reporting procedures
• List of prospects to contact
• Thanking volunteers for their service
Important points for solicitors to remember include:
Be Prepared Practice your solicitation before you go.
Understand the case for support. Have a familiarity with the organization and
its mission.
Be Yourself The best solicitations involve engaged
volunteers. The best message is a personal message. The best solicitor is you.
Be Candid If you don’t know the answer to a
question or concern, tell the prospect that you will find out the information
from the organization and report back to him/her. You don’t have to make
the “perfect ask” to get a donation but you need to be perfectly honest
and up-front to have the best opportunity for success.
Be Respectful Understand the time
restraints of the prospect. Be grateful for his/her time regardless
of the outcome—you can NEVER thank a prospect or donor too
much. Keep the prospect informed about the organization throughout
the campaign.
By giving your volunteers and leadership the proper training,
your solicitations will be more fruitful and your organization
will be well on its way to achieving its goals. In addition to the
initial training sessions, host weekly or biweekly meetings with
your volunteers to continue the ongoing training process. These
gatherings provide a wonderful opportunity to share solicitation
experiences, challenges and successes. Volunteers will walk away
from these meetings with increased levels of confidence and comfort.
E-mail this article to a friend
Other Steier Tips articles:
Ask Amounts
Creative Campaigning
Getting Read
Development Doldrums
Getting to Goal
Selling the Mission
Preparing for the Feasibility Study
Volunteer Involvement
Striking Out in a Campaign
New Year's Resolution
Preparing for Campaigns
Past Donors
Strategies for Success: Job Descriptions
Strategies for Success: Leadership Recruitment
Strategies for Success: Successful Donor Evaluations
Strategies for Success: Communications
Strategies for Success: Efficient and Effective Databases
Strategies for Success: Thanking Your Volunteers and Donors
Tax Provision a Great Benefit for Donors
"Challenge" Your Campaign
Hosted Events in Capital Campaigns
Are You Ready for a Capital Campaign?
Strategies for Success: The Tortoise and the Hare
The Importance of Personally Visiting Foundations
Make Summer Special
Post Campaign Strategy
Continuous Cultivation
Staying in Front of "Seasonal" Donors
Assessing Your Organization's Year-End Giving Program
Differences Between Development Audit and Capital Campaign
Identifying the Right Leaders
Campaign Communications
Assessing Your Organization's Campaign Readiness
Recruiting and Training Volunteers
The Magic Words
Donor Evaluation - Setting the Request Amount
Consistency in your Development Efforts
Keeping Your Donors Involved
Keeping the Excitement Alive
The Ask
The Importance of Hosted Events
Back to the Future
The Internet: Taking Advantage of the New Normal
The Importance of Recognizing Your Donors
Getting Off to a Good Start: The Importance of the Feasibility Study
Volunteer Training
Return to Development Advice page
