Telemarketing 101

People give money to people. You can have the best cause in the world, but you’ll never develop major donors unless you make person to person solicitations. Unfortunately, Development Directors and Executive Directors don’t always have time to talk to prospects face to face. The next best thing is a phone call. There are many pitfalls to making telephone calls though, so I want to spend a few minutes talking about how to avoid novice mistakes when you solicit a prospect over the phone. Think of this a Telemarketing 101!

On the phone, the only tool you have is your voice! It is very easy for a prospect to say NO over the phone. You can’t read your prospects facial expressions and body language over the phone, so the phone call is the time to really tune in to what your prospect is saying – and isn’t saying. The first five seconds of the phone call are the most important. Start your conversation by stating your name, where you are calling from, and a link. For example, “Hi, this is Ted calling from The Nonprofit Network, one of our Board Members, John Smith, suggested I call you to tell you about some of the exciting services we are offering in the community.” The link, clearly, is the most important part. It will buy you another three seconds. Don’t make the beginner’s mistake of going on the next step without really listening to your prospect.

Now it is time to make a good ask. Why a good ask? Because most asks are horrible!

• When you make your ask, don’t sound apologetic.
• Don’t ask for an amount that is too small.
• Ask for an amount that's just beyond what this donor can actually give.
• If the donor refuses, don’t lower the amount, offer a payment plan.

A $1,200 ask might be refused, but an ask of $100 a month might not. When you make the ask, tell the donor that you have received positive responses to this campaign, that the donor will be honored on a donor wall (or in another suitable manner, then ask for consideration of a specific dollar amount. For example, “Ms. Prospect, The Nonprofit Network has received a tremendous response to our effort to rebuild the Main Street Theater. We would like to put your family’s name on the donor wall that will be on the outside of the theater. This requires a gift of $1000, $500 a year for two years. Will you consider a gift for this amount?”

With practice, you will get past the objections of most prospects, but only if you are able to quickly build trust and rapport. This requires practice, practice, practice! Call your friends and family and practice soliciting. Call people you know will make it really tough on you to get a donation! After a while, calling a prospect will become familiar and you will be more comfortable listening to prospects and overcoming their objections and you will turn prospects into donors!