It’s really important that you and your team align around a shared definition for an ‘ask.’
Once you have a shared definition, your team communication is more efficient and effective. As well, you can work together to solve issues that might be preventing a team member from making the ask.
In the For Impact world a true ASK satisfies this checklist:
- We were WITH a prospect one-on-one (this could be in-person or by zoom/virtual).
See Just Visit. There are exceptions to this, but 19-times-out-of-20, the ask is done in the context of a one-on-one conversation so that there is engagement and dialogue.
Note: The point is to be with the prospect and not with anyone else. So, if the prospect were a couple, this could be 2-on-1 and/or if two members from your team were there it could be 2-on-2… adjust accordingly.
- We asked the prospect for specific help with a project, program, or level of support.
In doing so, the dollar figure was clear. Example: “Sarah, we need your help, would it be possible for you to underwrite this project for $20,000?” It wasn’t open-ended. We didn’t ask, “Could you give whatever you can give?” Also, in being specific, the funding rationale wasn’t for ‘unrestricted’ or ‘operations’ – those aren’t specific. (See: Have a Funding Rationale.)
- The ask was a dialogue – a back and forth with questions and listening — so that we could ensure that we were maximizing the relationship at this given moment.
Read: The Ask as a Dialogue to help with this concept.
- We will expect a YES or a NO – and will follow-up accordingly.
Thinking about how to get to a YES or NO ensures you have covered appropriate mechanics and you can continue within a sales process. Otherwise, there is a risk of pending into oblivion or unclear follow-up.
Without the definition provided by this checklist, we often find:
- A visit is scored as an ask.
- There is no real ask – but rather a suggestion that it would be great to have the prospect’s help.
- Some psychological shift whereby the salesperson only asks AFTER the prospect says he or she would like to make a gift. That’s not an ask. The relationship certainly wasn’t maximized, and it’s an incredibly low return-on-energy methodology.
- The salesperson raises money without asking. This is similar to the point above. To be clear, just showing up DOES yield funding – this is our point behind JUST VISIT! But, in terms of measurement, this is harder to spot (and therefore coach around) and usually shows up because a salesperson will report the following:
- 25 visits
- 20 asks
- 3 commits
- 0 declines
- If you follow this Ask Checklist, you SHOULD get a ‘no’ from time-to-time.
- There was a request for help, but there was no funding rationale or dialogue. We see this with a lot of organizations that ARE raising money. They’re out visiting, they’re asking the prospect to help, but they’re not maximizing the relationship. (Not the worst problem in the world – but usually leaving tons of money on the table).
Reminder:
We’re pushing for everyone to be more assertive. That doesn’t mean you always have to ask for funding on the first visit. There are certainly many times where it’s a discovery or predisposition visit (but never 4-5 ‘cultivation’ visits before we ask).
