Story

EVERYTHING is a story. It’s up to you to LEAD the story for the organization, for your team, and for your prospects.

Story

Stop Cultivating and Start Communicating

Why on earth do we cultivate people? Cultivation is for plants and manure.

We really, truly don’t understand ‘cultivation.’ We are in the business of saving, changing, and impacting lives. If someone understands your impact, and they want to help, then they don’t need cultivation – they need to be asked.

Here’s a simplified example to emphasize the point. Imagine that you and your prospect were walking around a lake and came upon a drowning child. What would that prospect do? It’s likely she would jump in immediately, fully clothed, committed to saving the child. And so would you. We don’t even want to imagine this same scenario where you would first have to spend years getting the prospect interested in saving children (read: cultivation.)

So if you are actually saving or changing lives, then there’s no argument for the necessity of cultivation. The issue at hand is really much more about communication. That is, are you communicating your impact in such a way that is clear, concise and compelling, that shows a clear connection between your work and the lives impacted? So clear, in fact, the prospect jumps on board (read: into the lake) to make a major investment in your impact.

Your job is to communicate the impact, not spread manure. It’s blunt but we want to motivate you to action with this idea. You’re doing great things – so present the opportunity for someone to help now. If you can communicate the impact, the income will follow. If your prospect gets it, you can ask for any amount of money on the first (sometimes second) visit.

P.S. If you think this example is too simplistic or unrealistic, please know that this same example is what set into motion the greatest philanthropist of our era – We’ve altered the lake example somewhat but borrowed it from noted philosopher and ethicist Peter Singer who wrote an amazing article in the New York Times, “What Should a Billionaire Give – and What Should You?” In that article he also explains Bill Gates’ moment of clarity around impact that moved him to action.

P.P.S If you think you have the message but you don’t see the income following, maybe you need to better prioritize making visits with people, one-on-one, to share the message and present the opportunity for them to help.