Gift officers are notorious for attending Prospect Management meetings and recounting the biographies and histories of the donors to which they are assigned.
Over and over again, they tell the stories of what has happened in the past with that donor that sets up the potential for the next gift.
What if, instead of focusing on the images in the rear view mirror, the only “donor stories” that could be told during Prospect Management meetings are future stories.
The story of how we will engage the donor meaningfully next.
The story of what the gift officer will propose next.
The story of the next gift.
Yes, the future story might change. It might be influenced by life events no one can foresee. But, the future story is much more interesting and important than the biography.
Especially the biography we’ve all heard more than once.
This article was originally posted on Jason’s Blog in May 2023. To read more, visit www.jasonmcneal.com.
