Joining the Board is NOT a prerequisite or a requirement for Maximizing the Relationship!
A common question we get during Prospect Strategy is “Should we try to see if he/she would like to be on our Board?”
First, every prospect should have a Customized Strategy, including goals. Putting them on the Board is not a goal or a Strategy. It’s a tactic that usually has nothing to do with Maximizing the Relationship at this given moment!
Most of your very best prospects are on enough Boards already. They don’t want to make that time commitment, but will help you any other way they can.
In addition, when you put somebody on the Board, you almost always want to ‘wait’ an appropriate amount of time before making a significant ASK. “We have to let them attend two (or twenty) Board Meetings.”
UGH!
From a lot of experience, it’s actually easier to PRESENT THE OPPORTUNITY for a LEADERSHIP INVESTMENT from your very best prospects without implementing the ‘get them on the Board’ tactic.
