Many advancement leaders want to adopt what the “other institutions like us are doing.” Copying is safe and easy, even if whatever it is that we are copying doesn’t necessarily work well for our institution. Similarly, many advancement leaders are people pleasers. For example, if two donors out of 5,000 responded negatively to a giving…
Author: Jason McNeal
I provide leadership, advancement and fundraising consulting services to educational, healthcare, and non-profit organizations.
Too Busy
You almost never hear someone say they are too busy to scroll social media. Or, too busy to play Words With Friends. Or, too busy to watch T.V. Or, too busy to shop online. Or, too busy to listen to the latest gossip. But, you will regularly hear people say they are too busy to…
Taking Donors For Granted
It doesn’t matter how elevated a donor’s wealth screen score is. It doesn’t matter how generous a donor’s giving history with your institution is. It doesn’t matter if a donor attends every event you hold. It doesn’t matter how passionately a donor has previously championed your mission to others. If we invite this donor to…
Asking the Wrong Question
“What impact would you like to make with your giving?” is a fashionable question for gift officers to ask donors. Supposedly, questions focused on “impact,” will help the donor think about increasing their giving so that the impact also will increase. But I remain unconvinced that this is a helpful line of questioning. First, many…
“How Long Does It Take?”
A relatively new-to-advancement university president and I were recently discussing a strategy he might use to propose a significant gift to a donor. After a few minutes of tossing around potential ways to frame the importance of the gift to the donor, the president stopped me and asked, “I just want to know. How long…
Discouraging Generosity
Every day, I see advancement teams make decisions that discourage acts of generosity or involvement from others. The direct mail thank you note and receipt for the donor’s most recent gift that also includes an ask for another gift. The governing board or advisory council meeting agenda that only presents the wonderful and positive updates…
“Just For The Money”
Recently, a gift officer said to me, “My biggest concern with donor visits is that I don’t want them to think I’m only visiting just for the money.” “What do you want them to think you are there for instead?” I asked. “I want them to know that we appreciate them and to thank them…
Consistency vs. Conviction
It’s, actually, not much of a contest. The depth of belief in the effectiveness of a strategy isn’t nearly as important as consistently implementing a strategy. We can spend a lot of time convincing ourselves and others that a particular strategy is the “right/best” strategy. Perhaps because it is a strategy we proposed. Or perhaps…
A.I. and Mannequins
From a distance, you might be fooled into thinking a department store mannequin is a flesh-and-blood human. The size is about right, the figure proportionate, the silhouette convincing. But, only from a distance. Get within just a few feet of the mannequin and you can easily tell that it is a lifeless pattern meant to…
Responding Promptly
A donor emails you with a question regarding their gift and how it will be spent. Your response tomorrow is usually sufficient from a timing standpoint. Your boss asks you about the progress of the design of an invitation for the special event. Sharing the latest version with him tomorrow is usually considered timely. Your…