Comments on: Moves Management or Relationship Management

By: Arlene Klein

Arlene Klein — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 16:29:51 +0000

I am in full agreement with the philosophy of calling donors to thank them. I’ve served on the Board of Trustees of MORRIS ANIMAL FOUNDATION since 1991, as a Trustee, Canine Vice President, Trustee Emeritus (2000), elected back to the working Board in 2005 and I resumed my honorary position as Trustee Emeritus, June, 2011. I chaired a Donor Recognition Committee, which we formed in 2005, until present day. The most important component of donor retention is THANK YOU!!! I emphasized in my Committee reports that we can never say, “THANK YOU TOO MANY TIMES.” In addition, I cultivated relationships with donors over the past 20 years. I assured donors that they played a key role in our mission, to advance veterinary medicne and I “welcomed” them into the MORRIS ANIMAL FOUNDATION “family.” I also listened to what they said and heard what was important to them.
A phone call is a “visit”!!!!

By: Al Milano

Al Milano — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:45:26 +0000

Our field has professionalized and certified itself until it is barely recognizable. One can make an argument that it began when the term ‘fundraiser’ didn’t describe us well, so we became ‘development professionals.’ The descending arc of our language reached a low point for this old fundraiser when people stopped making requests for funding and just ‘did asks.’ That’s when the typical development professional became an ‘ask-hole.’ ‘Moves’ management seems to be the latest development of the paper pushers who litter the field.

By: Barbara Talisman

Barbara Talisman — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:42:46 +0000

Jason,
AMEN! You are so RIGHT! I hear from prospect research folks who say to fundraisers who just want more information, “Just ask them!” I call it analysis paralysis.

We are talking about people right? Conversation is still the name of the game. And the more of it you do with active listening skills and not about asking for money, the more successful we will be as fundraisers.

If you want money, ask for advice, if you want advice, ask for money.

Thanks so much for sharing!