Less effective gift officers ask for gifts.
When we ask a donor for a gift we don’t position ourselves (nor our missions) in the most attractive light. We may even feel bad about asking because we don’t want to be a bother. Asking reinforces a sense of “haves and have nots,” that reduces our influence to encourage a donor to be generous.
More effective gift officers invite gifts.
Inviting a donor to give is a far more skillful approach than asking because when we invite, we are offering an experience to a donor. We invite people to parties. We invite people to join us on trips. When we invite others, we have an experience of value we are willing to share. We are offering something to someone. We are not asking for something from someone.
However, the most effective gift officers don’t ask, and they may not invite all that much. Instead, they nudge donors toward their next best gift.
Gifts officers who nudge do so by subtle and nuanced suggestions, proposals, and ideas to steer donors in the direction of their next best gift without limiting their options. Nudging involves concepts of psychology, sociology, other behavioral sciences, and theories of human decision-making to frame compelling giving opportunities with donors, instead of asking for gifts or even inviting donors to give. When we nudge donors, we rarely ask and we may not even invite. We frame opportunities that align with their values and interests, we attractively position gifts that will benefit the mission most, and we listen as they decide a choice we have encouraged them to consider.
The key difference between asking, inviting, and nudging, though, is not the approach.
The key difference is that nudging necessitates a longer-term, influential relationship with the donor. In order to nudge a donor, a gift officer must create the type of relationship with the donor in which the gift officer has some measure of sway. This relationship has to be rich and deep enough to allow our suggestions and proposals to shape their thinking and choices. We have to build our influence with the donor.
When we talk about the most effective gift officers, we aren’t simply talking about those who ask the most, or, even, those who invite the most.
We are talking about those who consistently create giving outcomes that donors joyfully choose to support and that advance our missions most effectively.
