VII. Guidelines for Successful Solicitations

Supported by information, practice, and prayer, your commitment and hard work will help make this campaign a success. No one expects you to become an overnight expert in fund-raising, but as a solicitor, you should be able to inform the parishioner while listening to his or her concerns and creating an environment of constructive communication. Another important goal is informing the person of special gift opportunities, tax benefits, different ways to give, and other factors that influence giving.

When soliciting the gift, always ask for a thoughtful and proportionate commitment. The suggested "ask amount" for each parishioner was thoughtfully prepared and considers the member's ability as well as previous giving history. Always remember that a truly sacrificial gift requires careful reflection and consideration. Never hurry through the solicitation or lower the suggested amount simply to make your visit easier.

The following guidelines were prepared to help you better understand the solicitation process and to give you the fundamental tools for success. At any time if you have a question or are unsure of the proper procedure, immediately ask your chairperson for help.

Understand the case

It's essential to understand the reasons for this campaign and to enthusiastically support its goals. Learn all you can about the ways the new funds will be used. The more you know about the project, the better prepared you will be to respond to questions.

Read all you can, attend all campaign training sessions, ask questions, and prepare in every possible way. When you go prepared, you go with confidence. Your calls will be pleasant and productive.

Make your own pledge first

Your personal commitment to the campaign will inspire your parishioners. It is the most important preparation for making fund-raising calls. You must assess your values and consider your personal responsibility to the church and its mission. Prayerfully and deliberately discuss your gift with your spouse or other family members. Then make your own pledge by completing and signing the pledge card.

Begin work immediately

Schedule visits with your best parishioners first. Choose the ones most likely to make a generous gift and then arrange an appointment. A positive response will boost your confidence. Schedule your calls early so parishioners will have sufficient time to consider your request. Once started, be sure to follow through with your responsibilities. Attend all committee meetings.

Report the results of your calls regardless of how little or how much you have to report. Sharing your experiences lets all volunteers learn from each other.

Make face-to-face calls only

People appreciate personal visits and are more likely to listen to your appeal. In addition, your personal enthusiasm and guidance are worth more on a person-to-person basis. Calls or requests by letter invite refusal or a token gift. Our church and its parishioners are worth more than a telephone call. The results generated by personal visits will prove it.

Consider team solicitation

Two volunteers visiting a parishioner together can strengthen a proposal visit and make the experience more enjoyable for everyone. In these situations, one team member is responsible for making the presentation. The other person should listen carefully to the solicitation and to the parishioner’s answers, adding information and making suggestions when necessary.

Make your visits pleasant and effective

Know what you will say and how you will present your information. Every parishioner deserves your best presentation. Above all, do not assume that others are as knowledgeable as you. Your enthusiasm in presenting the story will generate more support, even from those who are very familiar with the program.

One way to start is by recognizing your parishioner's involvement in the church. Express appreciation for any special position he or she has had in the life of the parish. Beginning the conversation this way both honors the individual and serves as an icebreaker. Use the campaign brochure to advance the conversation. Take a minute to review key points and listen and observe to determine your parishioner's special interests.

A valuable technique is asking about their knowledge of and feelings for the project. Their answers will prepare you to respond and also place the donor in the right frame of mind to consider the best possible gift. Be a good listener. Remember that the stated reasons for not giving are often not the real reasons. If, after a thorough discussion, you receive an offer that you believe is unreasonably low, simply suggest that the parishioner think it over for a day or two. Keep the pledge card and ask to get back in touch.

Before returning, consider what other information may be useful to the parishioner. You may want to mail some additional information or secure answers to specific questions. On your subsequent visit, present the additional information and review the need for the project as well as the importance of the gift. Plan this call as carefully as the first.

Request a specific amount

Most people won't ask, "How much should I give?" You will be expected to ask for the gift and to recommend an amount. It often is helpful to show the "Gifts Needed" chart that is presented in Section XI of this handbook and also is part of your campaign materials.

Don't be afraid to ask for the specific amount listed on your assignment sheet. A typical request would be, "As you know, the church needs generous giving in order to accomplish its goals. Whatever you choose to do will be appreciated, but it would be a blessing to the church if you would consider a pledge of as much as $____ per year for each of the next three years, or a total commitment of $____.

Most people feel complimented, not offended, when you re­quest a substantial amount. Don't waver from the request or apologize for asking people to be generous. It is the parishioner's responsibility to decide the amount he or she will give to the campaign. Your job is creating an environment where parishioners are encouraged to consider sacrificial gifts.

Once the pledge is made

Thank the contributor and express your appreciation on behalf of the church. Review the pledge card carefully to make sure the method of payment is properly recorded and signed. If a memorial or other designated gift is involved, be sure to note it on the pledge card and to tell your division chairperson. All pledges will be formally acknowledged through the campaign office.

If you need help

It’s impossible to anticipate every situation that may occur. A parishioner or donor may have questions you cannot answer, or other circumstances may arise that you are unprepared to handle. Don't hesitate to seek assistance. The campaign leaders and staff are ready to assist when and where help is required.

How to make reports

Report to your committee chair on the status of every parishioner. The campaign treasurer will require a signed card for every pledge reported. If reporting a refusal, write the facts on the back of the pledge card and give it to your chairperson. He or she will review it and decide on further action.

Solicitation teams meet weekly during the campaign. Every team member should report at each meeting. If you are unable to attend a meeting, please give your report to your team captain or turn it in to the campaign office.

VIII. How to Set up a Visit

For many campaign volunteers, the hardest part of the solicitation process is getting started. The following guidelines should help you through that initial call. In the next section are examples of a typical call as well as conversations to expect during the personal visits. Be aware, though, that each call and visit is different, and each should reflect the nature of your relationship to the parishioner. Now—relax, have fun, and get started.

Start right away

Telephone your parishioners as soon as possible after receiving their pledge cards. It's generally a good idea to rehearse the call a few times beforehand. That way you won't sound like someone using a poorly written telemarketing script.

Act natural

If you are well acquainted with the parishioner or donor, begin a conversation as you normally would with that person. At a convenient moment, explain that you are calling about the church's capital gifts campaign. Tell the parishioner you've been asked to make a personal call to discuss the campaign and to ask for his or her participation.

Keep the conversation light and friendly. Your visit is important, but don’t treat it as a life-or-death matter!

Introduce yourself

If you don't know the parishioner, start the conversation by introducing yourself. Say you are a volunteer calling about the church's capital campaign and ask to speak with the parishioner. For example: "Hello, this is (your name). I'm calling about the capital campaign at the church. May I please speak with (name of parishioner)?"

Initiate a conversation

If your division is part of the general gifts phase, the parishioner’s attendance at the campaign kick-off should be noted on your assignment sheet. One way to continue might be, "I noticed you attended the campaign kick-off dinner. I'm serving as a volunteer and am visiting some of our church families to talk about the plans. May I set up a time in the next few days to with meet with you to discuss your participation?"

Set an appointment

If the parishioner did not attend the campaign kick-off dinner, you might say, "I'm serving as a campaign volunteer. We’re making personal visits to all our church families to talk about the campaign. Did you receive the brochure the church sent about the project?"

Depending on the parishioner's response, you might need to suggest a personal visit to deliver a brochure and to discuss the church's plans. Another approach might be, "May I set up a time in the next few days to meet with you to explain the campaign and its goals and discuss your participation?"

Be responsive

You can expect a wide variety of responses and should be prepared to deal with as many as possible. In most cases, the parishioner will be expecting your call and be very willing to schedule a visit.

In other situations, your tone of voice should show sensitivity to the parishioner's feelings but also stress the importance of the visit to you and to the church. The best approach is simply to respond honestly and with conviction about the importance of the campaign.

For example, if the parishioner says, "I'm too busy," you might respond with, "I understand. It was hard for me to find the time to be a volunteer, but this is very important for our church. Won't you please make time for a short visit?" If you hear, "We've already decided," a possible response is, "Whatever you decide is, of course, up to you, but may I still come by to see you? We want everyone to understand the project and have an opportunity to talk about what is needed for our church -- not just money but other resources as well."

When a parishioner says, "We aren't very active any more," you might say, "Regardless of your participation, may I still visit with you to talk about our church and its plans? We need informed friends as much as we need donors." If the parishioner starts to ask questions, a recommended reply is, "This is why I'd like to visit with you in person. That way we can thoroughly discuss the church's needs and how this project meets those needs."

On those rare occasions when the parishioner adamantly refuses to schedule a visit, graciously offer to send some materials in the mail, then report the conversation to your team captain or campaign chairperson.

Be specific

Suggest a specific day and time as soon as possible. If the husband and wife are both members, it is essential that you schedule a time to meet with both. Spouses rarely make unilateral decisions regarding significant charitable gifts.

Say thanks

Be sure to thank the parishioner for taking the time to visit with you on the phone and for scheduling a personal visit. For example, "Thanks for talking with me today and making the time to see me. I look forward to getting together with you and (spouse's name) on (day, date) at (time). See you then."

IX. When Making the Visit

Try to be relaxed when visiting the potential donor. Engage in small talk until you are comfortable and at ease. Break the ice. This is for you as well as the potential donor’s benefit. Be a good listener. When you allow the parishioner to talk during the early part of your visit, you will be able to develop an improved strategy for your presentation.

Presenting the case statement

As you present the campaign case, your objective is being enthusiastic about the purposes and goals of the campaign. Your approach should be personal and positive at all times. It would be unfortunate to start the conversation by saying, “Mr. Jones, you may not be interested in this program, but….” It would be much more effective to say: “Tom, I hope you will join me in supporting this project.”

The concepts and reasons for the campaign and its case must be presented in your own manner and style. Once again, review the material and develop a complete understanding of the reasons for this effort.

Discussing the requested gift

After visiting about the reasons for the campaign, there will be an appropriate time to mention the gift level that you are asking the parishioner to consider. When asking for the gift, be honest and sensitive to the significance of the amount you are requesting. You might say “Tom, I have no knowledge of your actual financial capabilities, but given the importance of this campaign, the church hopes you will consider a gift of $10,000 this year and $10,000 in each of the next two years, or a total pledge of $30,000.” A pledge over three years may seem quite reasonable to the parishioner, while an outright request for $30,000 might appear impossible.

Once the amount has been stated, you should wait for the parishioner’s response before saying anything else. If the request is especially large, it is simple courtesy to allow the parishioner or donor time to consider the request. Be comfortable with the silence and wait for a response.

The Potential Donor’s Answer

As a result of your request for a specific gift, the parishioner typically will have one of four reactions. These, along with recommended responses, are given below.

The parishioner requests time to consider the proposals:

In most gift solicitations, this is a very positive response. The parishioner will want to carefully consider the matter and consult with his/her family, business associates, tax accountant, or financial advisor. Grant the additional time and show your appreciation for his/her willingness to give further consideration to the proposal. Set a time and date to contact the donor.

The parishioner accepts the proposal and agrees to give as requested:

Do not prolong your visit. Help the donor complete a pledge card, and then ask him or her to sign it. Express sincere appreciation for the gift and state that formal acknowledgments will soon be mailed.

The parishioner suggests interest in giving at a lower level:

It is especially beneficial to the parish to defer accepting an amount below the gift amount that has been suggested. This technique, if handled carefully, will result in a much higher level of giving. Many parishioners will commit themselves to greater amounts after they give added thought to the proposal. If the potential donor indicates that the amount is too high, but does indicate a willingness to give in a substantial manner, then the volunteer must decide which of two avenues to pursue:

Accept the smaller amount, or

Request the matter be given more consideration and arrange to make contact in a few days.

A potential donor who appears to have the capability of giving $15,000 but responds with an offer of $2,000 may not understand the church’s need for sacrificial gifts. In a situation like this, the solicitor should carefully consider the value of asking the parishioner to give further consideration to the original proposal.

The parishioner indicates a complete refusal:

It is a basic principle of successful fundraising to always leave the door open for another contact. To accomplish this, avoid any expression of impatience, anger, or argument when the parishioner flatly states that he or she does not wish to give any meaningful financial support. Express appreciation for the appointment and politely suggest that he or she give the matter more thought in the weeks and months ahead.

X. Sample Calls and Visits

Setting up a Visit

Margaret, this is Betsy. What did you and Ted think of the campaign dinner? Wasn't it great to be using the new space at the church?

Robert and I have signed up to work on the campaign, and we were so pleased that we managed to get your names. Could we come over and talk with you and Ted about the campaign some time this week or next?

Oh, no, you don't need to send a check just yet. That was our response, too, when we first heard about the campaign, but the more we learned, the more we wanted to think about our gift. Let us give you more details about the background and plans, and then you and Ted can decide what you want to do.

Great! We'll see you Friday.

A Typical Visit

Thanks for getting together with us. It doesn't seem like very long since our children were together in the youth group. Remember the time...?

We wanted to come over and talk with you for a couple of reasons. As you know, the new church is finished and the Oversight Committee has projected that the parish needs approximately $2.5 million to accomplish its near-term and intermediate-range goals. We're all going to have to stretch—and be creative—to raise that kind of money.

Did you get a copy of the brochure at the campaign dinner? If not, we brought along some extras. Here's a copy of the "gifts needed" chart. It shows the level of gifts it's going to take to make this campaign successful. As you can see, we need ___ gifts of ___ [start with the target amount on your assignment sheet]. Is that an amount you feel you can consider?

You don't have to give us an answer right now. Take some time to think and pray about how much you can give. In fact, you might want to consider both an outright gift or pledge and a bequest for the church's future.

We're counting on accomplishing our capital campaign goal without reducing annual giving. I know you two appreciate the church and you'll want to think carefully about what you can do.

We thought for a long time about our gift. We decided on a combination gift to contribute what we wanted but didn’t think we could afford. We made a pledge that we'll pay over the next three years. The church can use that gift to support this campaign. We also named the church as a beneficiary on one of our IRAs.

What if we stop by next week after you've had a chance to think about it? Would Wednesday be good, or do you think you might need more time?

Requesting a Designated Gift

In this scenario, a widow is visited by the campaign chairperson and the rector.

Visit I

Chairperson: Margaret, it was so good of you to agree to see us. We don't see as much of you these days as we'd like. I’m so glad you’re back for the summer.

As you know, the church has begun a capital campaign to assure a healthy future for all its ministries. You and your family have been very supportive over the years and I realize how much the church means to you.

The parish’s Oversight Committee has projected that the church needs approximately $2.5 million to accomplish its near-term and intermediate-range goals. The vestry has approved a number of opportunities to name portions of the building in memory or honor of loved ones. I remember when you said that you would like to do something special in Fred’s memory. The narthex is one of the areas especially suitable for naming and we’d like you to consider funding it as a memorial.

Rector: Margaret, we know it's a lot of money, but it’s also a very important part of the new church. You don't have to decide now. Think about it, talk to your children, and we'll visit again. This would be a great way for you to remember your husband and for the kids to remember their father.

Chairperson: When may we get together again? Would a week or ten days give you enough time to talk with your family?

Visit II

Chairperson: Thanks for extending your hospitality again. Have you had a chance to think about what we discussed? They weren't in favor of the idea? I'm sorry... why not? (Solicitors listen carefully to reasons, both stated and implied.)

President: Well, it IS a lot of money. Perhaps you'd consider honoring Robert in some other way. The sacristy is another area that has special significance to many people. The amount to name it is $100,000. That’s could be handled with a $25,000 down payment on your pledge, plus a similar amount for each of the next three years. Is that something you and the family would consider?

Chairperson: That's wonderful! We'll work with you to design the type of recognition Fred would have liked. Are you ready to sign the pledge card or do you want to consult the children again? Fine, I have a card right here.

XII. Ways to Support the Church

While visiting with your parishioners, you might want to present different ways that encourage the donor to give as generously as possible. Our government grants tax deductions for gifts to not-for-profit organizations. Although we give because of our commitment and concern, tax provisions often reduce the net cost of the gift. This allows the donor to give far more than he or she might have otherwise considered.

Many people want to make significant charitable gifts but are not aware of the different ways to do so. A person does not need to be wealthy to support the campaign generously. Charitable gifts can be structured to benefit both the church and the donor.

Just a few of the various types of gifts are presented below. As with any significant charitable gift, the parishioner should consult his or her tax attorney or financial advisor before making a decision. If your parishioner is considering any type of gift other than cash or a pledge for cash, inform the campaign chairperson or rector right away. The gift may not benefit the campaign but still may be very important to the church’s financial health.

Gifts or pledges of cash

This is the most common type of gift. It gives immediate financial support and, unless designated for a specific use, will contribute to the overall program. The gift allows a tax deduction only for the cash that is paid each year, not the pledge, and to the extent permitted by the current tax laws.

Gifts or pledges of securities

One of the most advantageous ways to give, if timed and planned carefully, is the transfer of appreciated stocks or bonds. For example, equities that have significantly appreciated in value are tax-deductible at the current market value. It's important to discuss this type of gift with your financial planner or tax advisor.

Real property

You may also contribute land, buildings, leases, mineral rights, or other property that has substantially increased in value. Like securities, this type of charitable gift is tax-deductible at the current market value. You also may transfer the property but still use it for as long as you like. This will reduce the tax benefit but may make it easier for you to make a substantial contribution.

Bequests

Individuals may make charitable gifts by bequest in his or her will. The federal government has encouraged such gifts by allowing an unlimited estate tax charitable deduction. Like life insurance policies, this type of gift does not immediately provide cash contributions, but it still may be very beneficial to the parish.

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