This document discusses strategic questions and active listening in fundraising. It emphasizes beginning conversations with donors by understanding their motivations and addressing obstacles. Development officers should ask open-ended questions to uncover donors' interests, values, and vision for how their donation could help. Probing questions and active listening are important to fully understand a donor's intent. Ending visits by agreeing to next steps keeps engagement progressing. Strategic questioning and relationship building are key to securing major gifts.

1. Strategic Questions and Listening
g g
For Intent

2. Let’s Start with Where We Want to
End – a JOYFUL YES PLUS
d
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3. The Tarnside Curve of Involvement
High
Taking Personal
Responsibility
p y
Ownership
Giving
Commitment
Engagement
Low
Awareness Interest
Low INVOLVEMENT High 3

4. Securing Yeses
Securing “Yeses”
Your Institution
Y I tit ti
Vision and Leadership
Vision and Leadership
Philanthropy
Timing
g
Purpose
and Impact
and Impact
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5. The Donor Cycle
The Donor Cycle
Acquiring Identifying the “Critical
donors Few”
Learning about
them; telling your
Providing
story
stewardship and
accountability
Developing a
relationship
Documenting &
Saying thank you
Engaging and
i d
Asking and closing Involving
Preparing to ask
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6. What Do We Want to Know?
What Do We Want to Achieve?
h h
KNOW ACHIEVE
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7. More Reasons to Ask Questions
More Reasons to Ask Questions
• Selling versus enrolling
• Who remembers
what?
• Uncovering strategic
information!
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8. Financial Advisors See Philanthropy
As a Relationship Builder* *9.09.09
l h ld *
• “Philanthropy is a
Philanthropy is a
strategic way for clients
to influence the world
they and their children
will live in.”
“Guiding your clients to take a more strategic and focused
approach to giving…can strengthen your client relationships
giving can
and open a richer dialogue aimed at building a deeper
understanding of their goals and values.”

9. 1. Define your vision and
y
mission
Advice to 2. Understand the right
Financial amount to give
Planners from 3. Get the story behind
Forbes the numbers
the numbers
4. Use philanthropy as a
y
way to educate and
communicate
5. Leave room for change

10. Types of Questions Neil Rackham
Types of Questions* *Neil Rackham
• Open ended and closed
Open ended and closed
• New Information
• Clarification
Cl ifi ti
• Confirmation
• Attitude and Values
• Implication
• Commitment
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11. The Importance of PROBING,
Unpacking!
k
• Listen carefully
i f ll
• Ask a follow‐up question
• Go deeper until you understand INTENT
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12. Messages that “Stick”*
g
*Chip and Dan Heath
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13. Messages that “Stick”*
g
*Made to Stick, by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
• Simple • Emotional
• Unexpected • Stories
• Concrete
• Credible
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14. Listening Preferences
Listening Preferences*
*Listen Up by Kitty Watkins and Larry Baker
• People oriented
• Action oriented
• Content oriented
• Time oriented
Time oriented
• Multiple preferences
Know Your Style, Figure Out His or
Hers And FLEX!
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15. Reading Body Language
Reading Body Language
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16. Active Listening: Three Kinds of Feedback
You Give and Receive
i d i
• Verbal messages
Verbal messages • To acknowledge the
To acknowledge the
• Voice inflections speaker’s message
• Non verbal behaviors
Non verbal behaviors y g
you give feedback
• You hear and/or
observe the feedback
you are given by the
speaker
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17. Elements of Good
Elements of Good Feedback
• Based on observed behavior or actions
Based on observed behavior or actions
– What the individual did or said, not what you thought they
meant
• Specific
– Cites an actual concrete activity or statement
• Balanced
– Confirms what the person said, believes or did
– And motivates the person to take another action or
consider a new idea

18. End Every Visit with a “Yes” to a Next
Strategic Step (“Move”)
i (“ ”)
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19. Discovery Visit Planning
Discovery Visit Planning
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20. Advancing the Relationship
Visit Planning
l
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21. Approach Matters
Approach Matters
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22. Defining a “Move”
or Strategic Donor Initiative
• Increases explicit motivation
explicit motivation
• Decreases explicit obstacles
• Engages decision makers
decision makers
• Answers The Rights
• Increases readiness to give a joyful major gift
I di t i j f l j ift
for an institutional priority at an amount close
to or the same as what you hope for
to or the same as what you hope for
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23. “Moves” are Measurable
Moves are Measurable
• You have clear objectives and can measure
h l bj i d
“results”
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24. Readiness, Asking and Closing
Questions
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25. Need Help With the Take Off?
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Email us!
E il !
• Mail@theosbornegroup.com
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service management, consulting
service management consulting
and training firm
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(TOG)
• It cannot be used, copied, sold or given away without written permission
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