Congratulations, you have a meeting scheduled! Here are some tips for a successful face-to-face solicitation.

The Conversation

BE CURIOUS
Jump into the conversation with open-ended statements and questions: “Tell me about your first gift to Federation.” “What are you most passionate about?” “What challenges do you see in our Jewish community?” “What part of Federation’s work interests you the most?”

BE A GOOD LISTENER
Let their stories and experiences lead your conversations into a larger discussion about community needs. You might meet people who have been personally impacted by Federation’s work and don’t even realize how we have been involved with their life or the lives of those they care about.

BE CONFIDENT
Depending on your prospect’s giving history, there are a few different ways you can make “the ask.” Ideally, each prospect you meet with will make an increase to their gift.

Various Types of Asks

GENERAL CAMPAIGN ASK
This may be a donor who is new to the community, or just new to Federation.

“You may not know that Federation touches more Jewish lives than any other organization [please reference appropriate findings from Federation’s Jewish Community Study and Allocations Report].

“We are able to do all this and more because of generous support from community members like you. Every dollar counts and every gift counts. Data from our recent Jewish Community Study shows us there’s been a dramatic 21% increase in our Jewish population since 2005, and our needs are greater than ever. We all see the headlines: antisemitism is on the rise. It is also eye-opening to hear that 20% of our local Jewish community describe themselves as just getting along, nearly poor or poor. You can make a real difference if you make an increased gift of [Ask Amount].”

STABLE/CONSISTENT
This donor has a long history of giving to Federation, but has not increased their gift.

“Your loyal and consistent dedication over the years has been tremendously helpful and means so much to our community. Because of you, we are able to do all this and more [reference Jewish Community Study and Allocations Report].

“The needs of our community are changing and growing; our recent community study shows that poverty in Jewish households– particularly among single-parent households, frail seniors and Holocaust survivors. It is also eye-opening to hear that 20% of our local Jewish community describe themselves as just getting along, nearly poor or poor. You can make a real difference if you make an increased gift of [Ask Amount].”

ZERO DOLLAR PROSPECTS
These are donors who have either skipped years or have never made a gift.

“We appreciate the consideration you’ve given to the Federation over the years. Federation touches more Jewish lives than any other organization [reference Jewish Community Study and Allocations Report].”

“The needs of our community are changing and growing. Antisemitism is on the rise. And our recent community study shows that poverty in Jewish households – particularly among single-parent households, frail seniors and Holocaust survivors. It is also eye-opening to hear that 20% of our local Jewish community describe themselves as just getting along, nearly poor or poor. You can make a real difference if you make a gift of [Ask Amount] this year.”

Any questions? Reach out to your campaign professional or submit your question here.