If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be ClevelandIf It’s Tuesday, It Must Be Cleveland

Michelle L. GardnerSr. Director of Development

Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science, Binghamton University

Lisa CourtSr. Director of Development,

Harpur College of Arts and Sciences Binghamton University

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Warming up to the “cold/cool” call!

What Are We Talking About & What Are We Talking About & WhyWhy

“Discovering” a fresh new pool of prospects and getting in front of those individuals to “qualify” their ability to give.

The Development CycleThe Development Cycle

IDENTIFY

QUALIFY

CULTIVATE

SOLICIT

STEWARD

Who are you trying to identify?Who are you trying to identify?

Prospects alumni, friends, companies, foundations

with capacityto make a major gift as defined by your institution

and inclinationbelieving in your mission and institution and being philanthropic in nature

So Where Do Those Names To So Where Do Those Names To “Identify” Come From?“Identify” Come From?

Proactive research – prospects who come to your attention as a result of giving activity or your travel plan

Networking – names that come up in conversation, referrals from current donors or volunteers

Observation – individuals who you become aware of because of media coverage, their careers or lifestyle successes

A Note on…A Note on…Working With ResearchersWorking With Researchers

Prospect researchers are a luxury that many SUNY campuses do not yet employ.

But if you don’t have a researcher…what do you have to know before you make the call?

At a minimum: degrees, giving history Better: relationships with campus – past & current Best: Research! (Everyone can at least Google an alumnus

or their company)Remember that you are not a stalker!

It is creepy for your prospect if you know everything about their family tree, personal finances or academic record.

Let the prospect tell you about themselves.

So you have names and a destination…So you have names and a destination…

Cherry Picking Your ListCherry Picking Your List Begin with your best prospects and look for the

cornerstone visit.– A Major Prospect– A Major Donor – A Major Event

Fill your schedule with prospects where you can offer a “news hook” – relevant and timely campus news.

Recognize that you might be the first point of contact since graduation.

Keep in MindKeep in Mind

Information that makes a “qualification” visit…

Uncovering capacityDetermining inclinationIdentifying an area of passion that fits

into your funding or future needsDeveloping timeframe for gift

Make Setting AppointmentsMake Setting Appointments Your Priority Your Priority

Get excited about the trip!Block out your travel time each month.Set aside time during the week, usually

several hours to devote your attention to setting up appointments.

If you are not having success - stop, walk away and come back another day.

A Word About GatekeepersA Word About Gatekeepers

These are the people your prospects trust.

Make note of who answers the phone, call them by name the next time you call.

Respect their position and treat them with the same importance and cheerfulness as your prospect.

Allow me to introduce myself…Allow me to introduce myself…

Prepare a letter or e-letter of introduction stating the purpose of your visit. Or, have a brief script prepared to explain the purpose of your visit over the phone.

If you are new to the position attach at short biography and photo.

If this is the first visit with an alumnus, explain your visit in broad terms, “I am meeting with graduates to identify individuals who are interested in helping us promote our campus through admissions, alumni affairs, fund raising, career development, athletics, and so on.”

What is “Qualification”?What is “Qualification”?

Capacity – know the types of assets that indicate wealth – it is unlikely that a donor will sell their house to make a gift

Inclination – are they involved/ connectedPassion – sources of pride that can be

reinforced, revitalized or revisitedTimeframe – is there a compelling reason to

move quickly/slowly – when is a gift likely

When you meet, what are you When you meet, what are you trying to achieve?trying to achieve?

Remind them about their campus experience. Renew their emotional connection. Update them on campus activities. Determine where their passions connect with our

vision. Identify ongoing campus and alumni contacts. Gather info to update their personal profile.

Be prepared for questions about all aspects of the university and the community.

Developing a Strategy of MovesDeveloping a Strategy of MovesA Sample StrategyA Sample Strategy

Invite donor to campus for tour of former residence as well as newer facilities that have come on line (July/August when unoccupied). Highlight changes that will make new facility – safer/ more attractive to recruits– Lunch with faculty master? FM should talk about programming critical to residential experience. Ask if programming is the sort of thing that alumnus might be willing to help support for the long term.

Not able to close? Ask if alumnus would like to come back when students are on campus to see some of the programming first hand. Ask again when on campus for second visit.

Suggest to alumnus how announcement can be made at reunion. Suggest insider tour for former classmates at reunion that alumnus could lead.

If timing needs to be extended, work toward announcement at demo event (invent demo event…)

Alumnus has the capacity to give major gift and is eager to make donation before upcoming reunion in order to be BMOC. Speaks with fondness about time in residence – note these dorms are scheduled for demolition – mention demo plan!

Scheduling Calls Away From HomeScheduling Calls Away From Home

Be safe – make smart decisions about hotel location, public meeting spaces, car rental (when do the agencies really open…?).

Anticipate traffic. More times than not it will take you an hour to get from appointment to appointment – regardless of what MapQuest says! @##$$#!!!@

If your cornerstone visit will give you 2 hours, you want to be able to take it!

3-4 calls a day is a lot! You will get tired! And your plane will be late, so don’t book your first visit

when you think you are going to arrive!

Follow Up and RecordFollow Up and Record

After three attempts to contact, move on.Note your progress in your alumni database

- record that a contact or an attempt to contact was made.

If a donor declined, record their reason.For those who you suspect have an interest

and can’t meet during this trip, flag for future trips.

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS