With your leadership team, work together confidentially to rank your donors by interest, linkage, and ability to give. Make sure your founder and leaders’ names are on the list.
Give each potential donor one to three points for each of these qualifications. The highest score is 9.
Rank by:
- Linkage is a person’s connection to your non-profit. For example, if their son is a client of yours, if their mother is an employee, they’re linked to your organization.
- Interest can be seen and heard in someone’s enthusiasm and the things they do, like volunteering, or attending your events.
- Ability to give is a little trickier. A quiet person who drives an older model car may give your organization $1 million. The person wearing the Rolex watch may have huge debt.
Once you have ranked your donors, combine these rankings with your gift range calculation’s giving levels. (See my recent blog post on Gift Range Calculations.) For example, your gift range defines one top, cornerstone gift level. Ask your “9” ranked donors to consider giving at this gift level. Then, once this gift is secured, move to the next gift level and ask your remaining “9” and “8” ranked donors, working your way down the gift levels and rankings together.
Share your gift range with your donors! It is as encouraging to them as it is to your leadership team! Your gift range shows your donors exactly what you need and why you are asking. Also, trust your gut. If you don’t feel good about asking someone at a certain level, choose the level that feels right for that person.
An innovative way to use your donor ranking is in a Donate Now Video. Your video walks the donor through your needs and goals, asks the donor to do a quick self-ranking, provides your gift range, and inviting the donor to choose their highest comfortable personal gift.
As always, I work for you and am hoping for your every success!
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