Communicate and Connect with Major Donors: How to Unlock More Gifts

Most fundraisers can think of a donor or prospect with whom they just didn't click – someone who seemed interested in the mission but never said yes to that big gift. These interactions can drag on for a long time, with an end result that is puzzling and frustrating. What went wrong?

Join us for a one-hour interactive session in which we'll identify four behavioral profiles and explain how to determine your own profile as well as that of a donor – and increase your odds of getting to yes.

Every major donor likes to receive and send information in his or her favorite way. How we communicate and how we process information is sometimes called our "social style."

Mark Stuart, Chief Development Officer at the San Diego Zoo, will explain how statements people make, and questions they ask, reveal their social style. He'll offer tips for adapting your behavior to accommodate the preferences of a donor – or anyone with whom you hope to collaborate, need to motivate, or wish to inspire.

You'll get skills you can apply right away to improve your interactions – and your odds of success – with wealthy donors.

Through a pre-webinar worksheet, you'll identify important and challenging relationships you have with donors (or colleagues). During the session you'll learn how to identify the donors' social styles and get tips for adapting your approach, so you can strengthen ties with these key individuals and secure more gifts.

Tamara Rummel, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Albion College, uses this social-style approach with her donors and staff. She'll explain how an awareness of communication styles has helped Albion College, and she'll offer tips and tactics for applying what you learn right away and over the long term.

Don't miss this chance to learn how to better connect with donors of all types and enhance collaboration within your fundraising team.

What Will You Learn?

• How to recognize four primary behavioral styles people exhibit
• Ways to identify your own social style and that of your donors
• Tactics for improving communication when styles don't mesh
• How to use these tactics to unlock more gifts

Who Should Attend?

• Major gift officers
• Executive directors, chief development officers, development directors
• Board & trustee members
• Marketing & communications staff