3 Ways to Talk with Donors About Planned Giving

I’ve seen the most gung-ho, high performing Major Gift Officers clam up at the thought of talking with their donors about Planned Giving.

If you can relate - don’t fret! You’re still a great fundraiser.

Here’s the truth - Planned Giving fundraising is different from every other form of fundraising. If you haven’t had training and mentorship in the field, it’s like starting from square 1 all over again. 

The good news is you have the skills to be successful.

If you can meaningfully talk with your donors about their giving, you can talk with them about Planned Giving.

The biggest hurdle is simply starting the conversation. Here’s 3 ways to do just that!

1- The brochure-pass. This is great if you’ve recently created or re-did your Planned Giving brochure. At the end of a conversation with a donor say:

“Oh! One more thing. We recently created a brochure on gifts-in-wills. As a long-time supporter, I’d love to get your eyes on it and hear your feedback. Here it is!”

The next time you meet or call with this donor, ask for their thoughts. You can even ask “have you ever considered this type of gift to a charity before?”

2- Social proof. Think of this as sharing a donor story (like in a newsletter), but in conversational form. It’s great to add this in if a donor asks you how things have been at your organization. Here’s an example:

“It’s been going very well! I was so inspired the other day. A donor who’s been part of our organization for 10 years just told us she intends to leave a portion of her estate to us! Her kids are getting the majority, but she also wanted to provide for her 2 favourite charities, and we were included as one of them, which is such an honour.”

Then PAUSE. Take a sip of water. Leave space for the donor to respond - they may want to talk about it, or they may move on. Let them have time to absorb the story and decide where to take the conversation.

3- Just ask!

Yes, you can simply ask your donor about Planned Giving. Here’s an example of what you can say:

“You’ve been so generous with our organization for so long - it’s been years now, hasn’t it? I know you’ve shared so much about your personal experience with our cause, and it seems like something you're very passionate about.

We’ve had a few donors similar to you choose to leave a gift in their Will to ensure XYZ charity can support future generations. Forgive me if this is too forward, but I was wondering if that’s something you’ve ever thought about?”

Remember - Planned Giving takes time. While Major Gifts operates on a cycle of 12-18 months, Planned Giving can take 3-5 years. If your donor doesn’t enthusiastically respond to your first ask, that doesn’t mean they’re not interested in leaving a gift (unless they tell you otherwise). Give your donors space to reflect, but don’t be afraid to gently bring up the topic and remind them.

You got this!

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