Can you please review this for me?
This is one of my all-time favorite cultivation steps with donors and prospects. Donors want to be helpful in many ways - not just writing checks. They are smart, accomplished, and passionate about our missions, and they want to help. They also want to be appreciated and respected for their talents and skills.
And… we, as fundraisers, do a fair amount of writing. We write Letters of Intent, Proposals, Fact Sheets, Donor Reports and Cases for Support. We work hard to be sure our writing inspires donors, shows impact, and motivates people to help!
So why not involve your supporters?
When you have a draft that’s almost final, why not ask some supporters to read it for you and provide feedback? It’s a win-win because:
Their feedback can be incredibly helpful
You’re telling your donors that you value their insight
Your donors are reading the very material you want them to read! And they are focusing closely in order to provide feedback.
Sometimes reading a proposal or donor report for a restricted gift will inspire your reader to ask how they can restrict their donations for a specific impact.
One of the first times I asked a donor to review something for me, he came back and asked “How did she know she could donate a vehicle for dogs in South Africa? Do you need anything else there?” He had never made a restricted gift before, but within 4 months he made his first $10,000 donation to help the same project.
So the next time you write a donor report or create a new brochure, try sending it to some supporters and ask them for their feedback. It might be a huge win-win for you and your donors!
Email me with any questions at hollisconsulting@icloud.com.