Capital Venture: Secrets for Success

Many fundraiser shudder at the mention of the dreaded “T word” of fundraising—Telephone fundraising. However, telephone fundraising can be very productive for the nonprofit and rewarding for the constituents on the receiving end of the call, if a few basics rules of god telephone fundraising are observed.:

Never call strangers, telephone fundraising calls should be made only to known constituents-alumni, parents, members of the organization, current or past donors, or users of your services.
Always precede the phone call with a letter from your organization, legitimizing the phone call and setting the stage for "the ask."
Have a volunteer sign the letter; it is much more effective than a letter signed by a staff person.
If you have less than 1000 names to call, you can use volunteers to do the telephone calls.
Volunteers must be provided with a "script" or talking points and must be trained in how to handle objections from the prospective donor.
A script is not meant to be read "word for word' it sounds too much like a canned presentation. Callers should be trained to get all the key points across but in a conversational manner.
If you have more than 1000 names to call, you will most likely want to use a professional telephone fundraising firm.
It is unethical for professional solicitors to work on a commission basis, so look for a firm that works on an "amount per name" or other flat fee arrangement.
Always ask for a specific amount in the call, and this amount should be based on previous giving history when there is a history with the donor.
Always follow up promptly with phone calls, sending out a pledge form and acknowledgement of the call's results immediately after the call.

If you need help with your volunteer phonathon call the experts at CAPITAL VENTURE SM, we have managed dozens of volunteer phonathons. If your database is larger and you plan to hire a telephone fundraising firm, contact CAPITAL VENTURE SM for referrals to ethical, professional firms that work in this area.