Give Something They CAN’T Throw Away
Post by James V. Toscano
A number of years ago, we had a prospect interested in donating a significant piece of equipment to our healthcare organization.
The prospect and his spouse had been long-time patients — grateful patients, who had established a solid history of generous giving.
The husband was self-made, having risked all on a new business, which he built from scratch into a major player in his industry, then sold, with enough to make the couple secure and (not always the case with every such retired entrepreneur) very generous to the community.
At the appointed hour at his office, I came armed with a wrapped manufacturer’s model of some very expensive diagnostic gear, constructed in Styrofoam — the same material used to make throw-away beverage cups! The difference was that this model worked, parts moved, “bodies” went into MRI tubes, and little technicians worked with computer controls.
Mutual interests
First, we talked about mutual interests, and the general condition of health care in meeting community needs. He asked a number of questions and offered a number of opinions. Throughout, the prospect’s curiosity about the wrapped package kept growing and became palpably evident.
We then talked of the great successes of our organization, and the pivotal role the donor and his wife had played in purchasing equipment that measurably improved quality-of-care and patient turnaround times.
Soon we progressed to a discussion of possibilities — equipment needed to become a leader in diagnostics, for patients to have better care and to experience better outcomes. At that point in time, the state-of-the-art for this equipment was a 1.5 Tesla MRI.
Undoing the wrappings, with some ceremony and introductory remarks, I began demonstrating how the scanner would work, complete with computerized controls and read-outs, movable carts, and the “tube” — all in living and moving Styrofoam.
For the better part of twenty minutes, we talked MRI, and “played” with the model.
To this day, years later, the model still sits on his office credenza. Without much prompting, he demonstrates to new visitors the model of the MRI he donated to us.
Sometimes We Need Objects
I tell this tale to point out the enormous impact of the symbolic, the visual, and the tactile — of the materiality necessary in our work. Translation of the ethereal, of our ambitions, of our dreams, is an important part of the work of a major gifts officer in capturing the imagination of donors. In addition to words, proposals and case statements, we sometimes need objects.
The lesson: “Give Something They Can’t Throw Away.”
Architectural renderings and drawings are another natural along with the above manufacturers’ samples. But what about the larger majority of our major donors and prospects? How does this principle affect them in the normal course of attracting major gifts?
We often give major donors something that is framed. A picture, a poem, or, better yet, a poem or a drawing (and expressly permitted for use) by a participant in a program for which donations are being sought.
To protect clients, participants, children, vulnerable others, permission must always be given for use. Most individuals are proud of their work and are usually willing to share if the use is respectful and non-exploitative.
I’ve often used pictures of our work-in-progress — concepts coming alive — or pictures of the donors involved in one of our activities — relationships captured and reinforced.
Psychological Factors
The same set of psychological factors are at work when nonprofits spend $3 or more per copy for a well-designed, well-written, multicolor Annual Report, hoping the piece winds up on the coffee table rather than the trash bin.
To keep costs down — and the IRS rules obeyed — our old, suitable frames are usually found in quarterly visits to the local Saturday flea market. One or two dollars are usually sufficient for the purchase of wonderful, attractive frames. The actual photos can usually come out of our color printer from various digital images.
Over a span of years, some long-time donors have selected places of honor in their homes or offices to serve as “galleries” for these mementos, emphasizing the importance to them of their ties to our work. Well beyond the typical logo-ware, these personalized items build and reinforce the stronger ties we need. Our donors are continuously reminded that we care.
Most of us find it impossible to throw away such symbols of our interest and relationships. The framed object thus becomes a constant reminder and reinforcement of such relationships, as well being a symbol of the organization’s gratitude.
All in all, the idea of giving something that a prospect/donor will keep should be part of an overall strategy to build a multifaceted, lifelong relationship with those constituents upon whom we depend for the resources that validate our efforts as development officers, resulting in significant benefit for our community and for our organization.
Copyright 2011, The Good Counsel, division of Toscano Advisors, LLC. May be duplicated with citation.