Cold calling is not for the faint of heart. It is a difficult, often humiliating experience. Yet, it is often the main way charities do their fundraising efforts. Here are the ins and outs of cold calling for charity.
The Cold Calling Script
Nothing is more important than a script, especially for a non-profit organization. The script needs to be memorized, practiced, and role-played with other coworkers. Often, "prospects," the telephone fundraising industry term for people who could give donations, will try to steer the conversation away from the topic or try to end the conversation altogether, which is why one needs to be able to clearly and quickly repeat the points laid out in the script.
Cold Calling Success Rate
Most calls are obviously not a success because most calls today go unanswered. However, in most charities, even most answered calls result in either a quick hang up or an eventual no. A 45% success rate in terms of donations is generally considered phenomenal in the cold calling for charity industry. So, periodically, callers need to be reminded that they are not expected to succeed all of the time or even most of the time and that they should not let their confidence be shattered by repeated rejections.
Non-Profit Fundraising
The actual "fundraising" part generally occupies a very short part of the call, known in the telephone fundraising industry as the "ask." In general, it is best to start the "ask" high and then barter down, so the prospect feels as if they have made a deal only giving half as much as they were initially asked. It is always better to ask a prospect to give via credit card because about half of prospects who agree to give via sending in a check either forget to do it or will later decide against it.
Cold Calling for Charity
Similar to knocking on doors, a great deal of what determines success in cold calling for charity is not what a person says but how they say it. A cheerful, upbeat, and polite attitude is invaluable. Furthermore, a lot of what convinces people to donate does not come from the charity but rather comes from information about the donation, such as its status as tax exempt or the bonus of appearing in a widely circulated list of important contributors.
Cold calling for charity can be difficult because of the incredible rate of failure that comes with the territory for this kind of work. A good script and a positive attitude, however, can go a long way towards improving one's odds for successful non-profit fundraising.
 |
