Benevon Weblog

"Top Seven Donor-Cultivation Mistakes" by Terry Axelrod

Here is a list of seven things you should avoid throughout the donor-cultivation process.

1. Thinking one size fits all—sending generic gifts, invitations, and mailings to all donors; keeping the relationship generic and at arm's length; fearing getting personal.
   
   
2. Confusing donor recognition with donor cultivation—thinking that gifts and trinkets will deepen a donor's relationship with your organization.
   
   
3. Forgetting that you must have at least two personal contacts with each Multiple-Year Giving Society^™ Donor every year.
   
   
4. Wasting precious time on generic cultivation instead of picking up the phone and having a real give-and-take conversation—forgetting that a phone call qualifies as a personal contact in the Benevon Model.
   
   
5. Forgetting that if the donor does not have an opportunity to reply and give feedback, it is not a personal contact—each cultivation contact must be a dialog.
   
   
6. Forgetting that a personal e-mail can count as a contact because it does allow for an immediate response.
   
   
7. Rushing the process or going too slowly—timing the process to your own convenience instead of to the donor's pace.
   
   

"Top Six Post-Event Follow-Up Mistakes" by Terry Axelrod

When following up with your guests after events, be sure to avoid these common mistakes!

1. Not setting aside specific time in your calendar to do follow up after every event: Point of Entry^® Events, Ask Events^™, and Free Feel-Good Cultivation Events^™.
   
   
2. Worrying that you have let too much time lapse since the event, rather than just picking up the phone and getting started.
   
   
3. Having too many different people making the Follow-Up Calls rather than just one or two staff members or volunteers who will stick with it over time, noting and recording trends and connections.
   
   
4. Having the Follow-Up Call feel like a stiff monologue, rather than a warm, conversational dialog with the guest.
   
   
5. Not recording notes from every call in your database and failing to set a "next-action" date after each call in your team member's calendar to-do list.
   
   
6. Forgetting that the Follow-Up Call is just the next step in the cultivation process, if the donor is truly interested in your work.