Making the Planned Giving Ask Part 1: Preparing for the Ask

Preparation makes any planned giving ask much easier and dare I say better. Professional athletes practice to prepare for their performance.  We, as planned giving professionals, prepare as well.  We craft a presentation and hone it to meet the needs of the donor..

Below are a few ways to prepare to make the planned giving ask more effective:

1. Educate: Educate your donors about the impact of planned giving and how it can move your mission forward frequently. More informed donors make better decisions for themselves and you. As Schoolhouse Rock! taught us, knowledge is power.
2. Have a Clear Sense of Organizational Priorities: If you don’t know what your organization has prioritized going forward,  it will be difficult to have a planned giving conversation that matches donor wishes with organizational needs.
3. Get The Right Tools: Tools like a planned giving website that gives information about planned giving at your organization along with a giving suite like the one from LifeLegacy helps you have the tools in your toolbox needed to have the planned giving conversation and speed follow-up.
4. Formalize a Gift Acceptance Policy: The last thing you want is to have a gift left in estate that is unclear or is not part of your organization’s priorities. This will not help you as an organization and potentially alienate the family. A gift acceptance policy defines what you will and what you will not accept helping to guide your conversation.

Preparing and laying the groundwork for the planned giving ask will lead to better outcomes.