Kel’s Top 10 Outbound Fundraising Tips

I spent over 15 years (& 10,000 hours!) making fundraising phone calls. Here are the top 10 things I learned:

1. ABC (Always Be Candid)

2. Curiosity is Key

3. Maintain Your Role as “Host” of the Call

4. Acknowledge the current “Given Circumstances”

5. People love specificity (numbers!)

6. Never Comment on the Cost

7. Hold for the Silence

8. Decision Fatigue is Real

9. Embrace Inclusive Language

10. Address the Potential Donor By Name

1. ABC (Always Be Candid):

I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage of “Always Be Closing.” While I think this is obvious, it also rings as insincere and even a little icky. Instead, I encourage you to always be candid (open, honest, vulnerable) on these calls.

I’ve found that honesty is the best tool toward establishing both a rapport and a trust on these calls.

Also, in case the potential donor doesn’t want to chat, always be ready to “cut to the chase” and to be straightforward about your objectives on this call.

2. Curiosity is Key:

This is especially true in the first 15 seconds. The more genuinely curious you are about the potential donor--who they are, what their experiences with our organization have been like, what’s most important to them, etc... the easier, quicker, and more natural the bond between you will be.

3. Maintain Your Role as “Host” of the Call:

You need to always be front-footed, thinking about how to manage the call, as opposed to giving up control to the person on the other line. If this isn’t a good moment for them to talk to you, offer up another time that you know you can call them back (as opposed to an open-ended, “When would be a good time to call you back?”).

This also applies for “The Ask”: always be ‘front-footed’ and offer a number amount (it can be difficult to ask the audience member for a higher amount, if they beat you to the punch and throw out a number first). 

4. Acknowledge the current “Given Circumstances”:

This should start with sharing the “given circumstances'“ of your current fundraising campaign. Include the potential in the event:

Did you just start? are you in the middle? the end? Do you have a Matching Grant? Do you have a goal you’re trying reach this week?

You can also acknowledge anything you & the potential donor are both currently experiencing: the weather, an upcoming holiday, national news, etc.

*If you are “new to making these calls,” I encourage you to share this with the person to whom you are speaking—you can also share along your current state of being “I’m nervous…”; I’m a little uncomfortable…”; “I’m kind of excited…”, “I’m actually starting to feel confident”; etc. 

5. People love specificity (numbers!):

Be as specific as possible about the numerical goals you’re trying to reach and how far away we currently are (or how far we have to go).

*Talking about our goals is also connected to “acknowledging given circumstances”! 

6. Never Comment on the Cost:

You never want to come across as a salesperson. Because you’re not: you’re an artist, administrator, board member, and/or community member who is making fundraising calls for an organization to which you’re devoted.

So you’re not going to say things like “$1000 is a great deal” or “$500 is a real bargain.” You’re also not going to say “I know it sounds like a lot, but…”.

You have NO IDEA how this person relates to money, so don’t even try to guess.

Simply state the numbers; do what you can to detach from your own emotional relationship to money (easier said than done, I know!). 

7. Hold for the Silence:

This is key to “The Ask.”

You’ll lay out what you’d ideally like them to do (donate!) and then wait.

I really mean it: wait as long as is necessary: THEY need to be the ones to break the silence. You are giving them as much space as necessary to think through your ask!

8. Decision Fatigue is Real:

I have the “Arc of the Call” outlined in such a way that you are never directly asking the person on the other line to choose between two options.

Even having two options can cause Decision Fatigue (aka: getting overwhelmed by too many choices; for me, this is choosing a toothpaste in CVS!).

Instead, continue to cater your ask to what may best suit this particular person. 

9. Embrace Inclusive Language:

The first personal plural (“we”) is your best friend on these calls.

You love your organization and are committed to growing/strengthening the community surrounding it.

Speaking in phrases such as “We need your help right now,” “We’d love to have you back” are genuine and also extremely effective. 

10. Address the Potential Donor By Name:

We all love hearing the sound of our own name.

If you aren’t confident that you are pronouncing their name correctly, please ask them--from a place of respect and genuine intent.

Saying the potential donor’s name it’s a really great reminder to the person whom you’ve called (and to yourself!) that this conversation is as specifically catered to them as possible.