Amid the confusion, contentiousness, frustration, outrage, division, anxiety, and despair, it can feel sometimes like the world we are leaving for our children and grandchildren is going in the wrong direction. Pick an important personal, societal, or global topic and it can seem like negativity and virulence surrounds it. When we look back on human…
Author: Jason McNeal
I provide leadership, advancement and fundraising consulting services to educational, healthcare, and non-profit organizations.
Wheeler’s Which and Major Gift Fundraising
Development folk are not salespeople. But, there are elements of selling psychology that can be helpful for development officers to understand. Enter Wheeler’s Which. Elmer Wheeler was a sales trainer almost a century ago in Texas. He came up with the well known phrase, “Don’t sell the steak. Sell the sizzle.” He also came up…
The Task and The Result
A lot of people are willing to do the task. Make the phone calls to major donor prospects. Finalize the run of show for the upcoming giving day. Create the leadership-giving direct mail solicitation letter. Choose the pictures for the magazine’s next cover story. Edit the videos for the campaign’s website. Far fewer are willing…
Intelligence and Practice
It’s fairly easy to find most any advancement-related strategy, program, approach, or tactic within minutes through an old-fashioned Google search. We can attend professional development conferences in person. We can engage in synchronous and asynchronous online education programs. We can listen to podcasts and read books, blogs, and articles. Today, we can even engage artificial…
The Most Compelling Donor Discovery Visit Question Rarely Asked
“I’m struggling to get my assigned donors to agree to visit with me.” Without question, this is one of the most uttered complaints of gift officers. When prompted to share their outreach message, it is common to hear the following: “I tell them I’d like to thank them personally for their support.” “I tell them…
Extending Ourselves
Be the first to: Offer a helpful hand. Provide a compliment. Find the good. Say, “I was wrong.” Walk away from gossip. Encourage someone. Deliver on time and better than expected. Provide a solution to a problem. Speak up. Change the subject away from complaints. Smile. These behaviors can often feel awkward, difficult, or vexing…
What To Ask In A Group
A president has invited a small group of major gift donors and prospects to serve on an advisory council for a new strategic initiative for the institution. These are current or previous donors who have given significantly in the past, have a sense of ownership about the institution’s future success, and are especially interested in…
Pitching, Asking, or Inviting
A quick riff based on yesterday’s Seth Godin’s pitching vs. asking blog. According to Godin: We are pitching when we have a goal in mind and we are working from a script of some sort. We are asking when we are willing to learn (and potentially change our perspective) from the interaction. Godin says this…
Positive Planning
With the fiscal year ending for many in the higher education advancement world, the “season of annual planning,” soon will be fully upon us. Creating agendas for sessions, retreats, and meetings to plan for the new fiscal year’s aspirations, goals, and objectives is critical to healthy and effective planning. In many instances, though, we program…
“Stretch” Goals and Moving the Goalposts
“Our goal for the annual fund this year is $1.1 million. And, we have a “stretch” goal of $1.3 million.” I hear this type of statement from development leaders far more than I wish. Usually, I respond with something like, “so, what is your goal for the annual fund this year?” I respond this way…