WINSPIRE NEWS

Your destination for insight into the world of event fundraising and charity auctions.

Where Will the Money Come From? 8 Golden Rules for Identifying Prospects

Posted by Winspire
Identifying Prospects - Rules To Find Potential Donors

By Gail Perry MBA CFRE on her blog Fired Up Fundraising
Gail is a consultant, speaker, author and coach for nonprofit leaders

Where do you look for potential donors?

Here are some shortcuts to help you identify the right donor prospects who can take your cause to the next level.

1. If you need funding, go to your current donors first.

They have already invested in you.

They are “pre-sold” on your organization and on your cause so to speak.

They’ve already voted with their money that they believe in you.

Work for deeper relationships with these existing donors, and you’ll be more successful.

2. Start with your most committed donors and move them into larger gifts.

Find out what they are giving and what their vision is for your organization.

How much do they really care?

Are they giving what they can? What’s their potential? What are their hot buttons?

It’s up to you to find out!

3. Look for people who have both wealth and affinity for your cause.

Focus your time on the wonderful people with deep pockets who have a reason to be interested in your cause.

“Affinity” means that there is some sort of relationship between you and the prospective donor.

Or at least you know that the donor is interested in your general cause.

Don’t spend your valuable time on people who have not indicated any type of interest, no matter how wealthy they are.

The odds are not great that you’ll be successful, and cultivation time will be lengthy.

4.  Don’t expect cold calls to yield anything.

This is the big No No.

I never make cold calls. The chances of success are so very low.

Make it easier by having someone open the door to help you meet the prospect....

See all 8 Golden Rules >>

Fundraising Tips, Industry News, Fundraising, Nonprofits, Donor Relations

Related Posts

Silent Auction Bid Sheets: How to Get Started [+ Template]

When your nonprofit hosts a silent auction, the items are the star of the show. After all, you’ll only hit your fundraising goal by motivating supporters to bid on your high-value prizes! To encourage competitive bidding, showcasing your items in an appealing way is essential, and one way to do this is through well-designed bid sheets. Although bid sheets are primarily a tool to track which auction participants are vying for which items, they can also grab supporters’ attention and provide them with key information to help them decide if and how much to bid on a particular prize.

  • 14 min read
  • Sep 1, 2023 8:23:36 AM

20+ Exciting Raffle Basket Ideas for Nonprofit Fundraisers

Raffles are some of the most engaging and fun fundraisers out there. The chance of winning an appealing grand prize combined with the ability to support a good cause often attracts a wide audience, allowing your nonprofit to bring in significant fundraising revenue. Plus, they’re fairly simple to organize and can be paired with many other events and campaigns.

  • 16 min read
  • Sep 1, 2023 7:51:09 AM

Design Your Own Charity Auction Catalog [+ Template]

If your nonprofit is hosting an auction fundraising event, it’s important to consider how to get participants excited about bidding on your most valuable auction items. Designing a charity auction catalog will help you do just that!