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Visit with a Foundation

Video, Just Ask | | Nick Fellers

Nick walks through a visit with a foundation and demonstrates how build Leadership Consensus to validate the plan.

Set Up

Nick meets with a local bank foundation that has a long-time, but unmaximized, relationship with Christian Community Action, an organization that started a campaign but fell short of their goal.

Visit
 

Debrief
 

Key Learning Points:

  • Leadership Consensus Building – getting long-time funders on board to validate the plan
  • Ask questions to determine where their priorities lie
  • Get them on board as a champion before the ask, then the ask becomes a natural progression of the relationship
  • Nick used specific language that communicated directly to a bank mindset (strategic partner, emphasis on numbers and plan, ect)
  • Use the tool to draw the prospect into specific parts that they are interested in
  • As a partner, Nick showed that the organization is raising the bar everywhere – that’s why it makes sense for the foundation to raise their bar
  • Sell the plan – let them know that we are a sound investment in the future
  • It’s about making a commitment to having a lasting impact on the community

Follow-Up
 

Key Learning Points:

  • Roadmap: Predisposition, presentation, follow-up
  • Constantly predispose the prospect to the next part of the flow
  • Follow Up with prospects, with your organization, and with yourself
  • Immediate follow-up letter – “here are the key points we talked about, I have captured and confirmed them”
  • Current visit follow-up letter – bullet point format
    • You’ve been one of our best partners, strategic match with our priorities
    • Ending homelessness
    • Strategic partnership
    • Confirm follow-up steps
    • Give a specific time to follow-up
    • Use specific quotes of what they said
  • After action report – how did the message work, what did we learn, what do we need to change? It’s a continual learning process
  • As sales people, keep the ball in your court – control when you are going to get back to them