The best place to find new donor prospects

Good salespeople are constantly asking their current customers and others in their network for referrals . . . introductions to people that might also want to buy the product or service the salesman is selling.  You’d be surprised at just how often current customers will refer new customers to their salesperson.  In fact, in many businesses (such as real estate and insurance), referrals can make up a majority of a salesperson’s new business each year.

Guess what? Referrals work well for non-profits, too. Great fundraising organisations are constantly asking current donors and supporters for introductions to new people who might be interested in supporting the organisation. When was the last time you asked your donors for referrals?

Of course, referrals aren’t the only great way to find new prospects. Another tactic that works extremely well for non-profits of all sizes is to hold "non-ask" events.

A non-ask event is an event, held by your non-profit, that targets donors and prospects, but does not include any fundraising ask or cost of admission for attendees. Non-ask events are sometimes called "Introductory Events," or "Point of Entry Events." The goal of these events is to introduce new prospects to your organisation without asking for money.

Once a prospect attends an event (your event can be as simple as a tour of your office, or as fancy as a cocktail party at a local restaurant) your staff can follow-up with them, cultivate them, and walk them down the donor funnel until they are ready for an ask.