Despite the growth of online marketing, nonprofits continue to find that face-to-face fundraising still generates the highest ROI. Why? It's because of the human connection!
In-person interactions build trust and authority. It allows you to be readily available to answer questions with open arms, and it shows off your personality. The downside of face-to-face fundraising is that it's not as easy as saying "Hi" to a totally strange and then building an enjoyable and informative conversation from there.
Here are five tips you can use to master face-to-face fundraising.
1. Know the Importance of a Strong Brand Identity
When a company has a strong brand identity, it conveys stability, loyalty, and trust to the audience. In turn, the audience feels a sense of personal pride when associating with the company.
As a client representative, you are an extension of that brand identity. You speak for the company, and therefore you must be experts in the company's values, mission statements, pillars, and brand messaging. Luckily for you, GIG provides full training about the company that will instill 100% preparedness and confidence before interacting with your first prospect.
2. Evoke Emotions
Tapping into your audiences' emotions is such a powerful tool in fundraising! Here's an example:
"Hello, would you like to donate to a nonprofit organization that helps women and children in need?"
vs.
"Hello, if you could create the perfect world, what would it look like? Would women be safe, and children be fed? If so, we represent an organization that is working towards creating your perfect world."
See the difference? Emotional marketing allows your prospect to feel less like a number and more like a person. You are connecting through empathy which will beat hard-selling tactics any day.
3. Ask Open-Ended Questions
The point of face-to-face marketing is to get to know your prospects through conversation. What are their values and beliefs? What are their interests? By taking some time to ask thoughtful questions, you'll be able to adjust your conversations accordingly.
4. Leave the Hard Selling Tactics at Home
Forget the hard-selling tactics and the fake scarcity that manipulates your audience into donating. People connect with people, and people trust other people. Not robot salesmen/women! Have intimate conversations to understand who your prospects are as a person and go from there. You never know the type of people you will meet or the conversations you will have.
5. Close with Confidence
If you have gotten to the close with your prospect, then it's time to close confidently!
You now know your prospects' position when it comes to donating to your organization. If they are eager to complete the form and finish the transaction, then, by all means, do so! But, if they are still a little hesitant and unsure, then it's not the right time to push for a sale. Instead, maintain your composure, don't show that you are disappointed, and get their information as a qualifying lead. It can help keep the relationship open, enhance the brand you represent, and open the door for future donations because of your professionalism.
Face-to-face fundraising involves meeting people in person, whether one-on-one, in a group, or at events. It will sometimes test your fortitude and positive attitude, but it teaches you the skills needed to interact and understand every type of person, plus it's fun. We hope this is helpful, and when you implement these 5 easy steps, face-to-face fundraising or, as we call it, connecting people to people will become second nature to you.
Kommentare