3 Keys to the Best Ask!

The most important element to getting the fundraising you need is this: Ask others to partner with you!

This may seem like common knowledge (and even common sense), but you’d be surprised how much funding is missed out on simply because fundraisers are too afraid to ask.

Why? Because we’re afraid of being told, “No.”

But what if you knew the secret to getting a “Yes” every time you asked for funding? You would never be afraid to ask for money again! At Tailored, we believe that if you can learn how to ask in the right way, your potential donors will respond with a “Yes” nearly every time you ask.

Before your next call or appointment, apply these 3 simple principles to your strategy and just watch how the dynamic will change.

1. Tie your Ask to your Impact

The impact your ministry makes is the foundation for all you do. It’s the reason your donors want to partner with you, it’s the focus of your ministry, and it is the very reason you have committed your life to this cause. Therefore, clearly communicating the impact of your ministry is the most valuable asset you have. Many people lose donors when they tie the ask to something other than the cause, like themselves or the organization.

2. Communicate How the Donor Fits into the Plan

You need to clearly communicate how each donor fits into the long-term plan of your ministry or cause. Oftentimes, the fundraising goal can be so large that donors feel as though they can’t make a difference. It’s your job to communicate otherwise. Their gift to the ministry is important—no matter how big or how small. The bottom line of fundraising is all about what you and your donor are accomplishing together.

3. Ask a Clear Question

When we fail to make a clear, coherent ask, we often set ourselves (and our donors) up for failure. Unclear and awkward asks include cornering your donor, creating an uncomfortable space, telling them what to do, or leaving the conversation without making an ask at all. If your potential partner is not able to respond to your ask with a clear “yes” or “no” answer, then it is not a clear question.

The whole fourth chapter of our e-book, How to Get a Generous Response (almost) Every Time You Ask discusses exactly how asking donors for funding in the right way results in a generous response nearly every time. Click above to read more!