Scripting and training for effective fundraising calls

ACADEMIC IMPRESSIONS: HIGHER ED IMPACT
Author: Albert Melfo
Director, Annual Giving
Kent State University
August 2011
Scripting and
Training for
Effective
Fundraising Calls
Monograph

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2

ABOUT THIS MONOGRAPH
As phonathon program managers tasked with bolstering the annual fund in a difficult
economic climate, you face a series of interrelated challenges, including training and
retaining effective callers, crafting effective scripts for them to use, and coaching callers
to address prospect concerns or objections in ways that encourage and invite deeper
engagement (opening the door rather than closing it).
Too often, training of phonathon callers is a one-time investment. After an initial session,
callers go to their work, and do not later have the opportunity to debrief, share tips and
practices, and thus improve on their work. According to Albert Melfo, director of annual
giving at Kent State University, this is why approaches to phonathon calls eventually
get stale, and it is one cause of higher attrition among callers.
We invited Albert Melfo to share his practical advice for training callers because of
the successes he has seen at Kent State University. One of Melfo’s first projects after
joining Kent State University in fall of 2001 was to reengineer the advancement office’s
telefundraising operation. While in place for nearly a decade, and automated since 1996,
the operation was failing to generate the results that management had anticipated. To
turn it around, Melfo applied a number of tactics that he had developed over his career,
the first 10 years of which were focused primarily on phone center management and
strategy design. Two of the first and perhaps most important changes made were to
the materials used to train new hires, and to the training process itself. In doing so,
he replaced a superficial “read this” approach to training with a committed, intensive
training process that placed as much – if not more – importance on the theory behind
the approach as to the wording itself. As a result, the KSU PhoneCenter experienced
the largest growth in its history, more than doubling its output in the first three years
following the changes.
In this paper, Melfo offers a structured approach to training callers to respond on the
fly to the ebb and flow of a conversation with a prospect. What is unique about Melfo’s
approach is his focus on call center scripting not just as a template but as a training
tool.
In this report, you’ll read about:
• Tips for training and scripting the five stages of an effective call (Introduction,
Engagement, Case for Giving, Negotiation, and Formal Close)
• Tips for coaching callers to respond to concerns that prospects voice
The paper will offer you not only these practical tips, but also examples of effective
dialogue and excerpts from sample scripts. We hope that this paper will aid you in
training and coaching more effective callers, writing more effective scripts, and taking
your annual giving phonathon to the next level.
Daniel Fusch, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Publications
Academic Impressions
3

Academic Impressions | Scripting and Training for Effective Fundraising Calls | Albert Melfo
table of
contents/ Sept 2011
Foreword :
Steps of the Call
The Introduction Step
09 At a Glance
10 Tone
11 Timing
12 Dialogue and Pauses
12 The Permission Question
13 Updating Demographic Information
The Engagement Step
14 At a Glance
16 Open-Ended Questions
16 Closd-Ended Questions
17 Understanding the Engagement Step
Case for Giving
19 At a Glance
The Negotiation
22 At a Glance
24 The Ladder Approach
24 Active Listening
25 Role-Playing
25 Sample Script
The Formal Close
28 At a Glance
30 Three Critical Points
31 A Walkthrough
32 Wrapping Up the Call
“Objection Responses”:
Coaching Callers to
Respond to Prospect
Concerns
33 Avoiding Assumptions
24 Types of Objections or Concerns
36 The A/C/A/C Approach to Handling Concerns
Appendix:
The Fundraising
Call – Outline and
Technique
4

FOREWARD
AUTHOR: Albert Melfo
Training new callers to make effective fundraising calls
is a recurring challenge that all program managers face – and approaches to training new callers on using
scripts runs the gamut from requiring callers to adhere to scripting verbatim, to encouraging staff to
personalize the approach by putting the script into their own words. The most effective programs tend to
strike a balance between the two extremes. In this paper, we will treat call center scripting as primarily
a training tool, as opposed to being an end in and of itself.
In the broadest terms, a script is no more than
a sample phone call, transcribed so that it can
be read and practiced, much like how actors
learn their character’s lines to prepare for a
role in a play or a film. In both cases, the script
serves as a road map. For actors, a script carries
them through the arc of the plot, and provides
them with direction on how to best convey the
storyline and the inner thoughts of the characters
to the audience. For student callers, an effective
script serves as a template, providing callers
with a structured approach to having a focused
and directed conversation with prospects.
The script supports their efforts to maintain
control of the conversation by walking them
through a series of steps, each of which serves
as the foundation for the next. Each step leads
prospects through a sequential process of making
decisions, and each decision progressively
moves the prospect closer to making a gift.
Think of it like this: A number is dialed on a
Midwestern campus and a phone rings in a
kitchen 500 miles away. On one end of the line is
a college student who has never done this type
of work before. On the other is an alumna, who
is neither expecting nor necessarily interested
in receiving this type of call. The student has
come straight to his part-time job following a
long day of classes, walking across campus in a
thunderstorm. While the prospect left her office
only two hours ago, she has since put in one hour
at the gym, picked her children up from their
daycare, and stopped off at the grocery store to
hunt and gather the ingredients for her family’s
evening dinner. The student feels like he just
woke up, and is a little distracted by the looming
prospect of midterms. The prospect is washing
vegetables for dinner, still feeling like she just got
off work. In her head, she rehearses a presentation
she will give the following morning, her thoughts
periodically interrupted by her hungry children’s
requests for snacks. Yet, we expect these two
total strangers to have a pleasant conversation
that lasts anywhere from seven to nine minutes,
and which culminates in the prospect making a
donation to her alma mater.
5 Academic Impressions | Scripting and Training for Effective Fundraising Calls | Albert Melfo

Surely, this sounds impossible, no? Of course, it is
possible, and it does happen thousands of times
each night during calling sessions that occur in
hundreds of phone centers across the country.
How it happens is largely a function of the quality
of training that student callers receive on how to
communicate with prospects on the phone.
The better callers understand the communication
theory upon which a fundraising script is based,
the more effectively they will be able to navigate
“The Call.” Think of The Call as a process – an
organized flow-chart that takes a prospect
from “hello” through a structured conversation
designed to systematically accomplish the
following objectives:
1. Engage the prospect in a dialogue about
their experiences in a way that emotionally
reconnects them to their alma mater and
creates a dynamic in which the prospect is
open to making a financial commitment
2. Gauge the prospect’s interest level in
becoming involved in their alma mater’s
mission, and build that interest to a level that
supports a gift discussion
3. Establish a level of trust that makes the
prospect comfortable open to considering a
voluntary gift
4. Help the prospect determine how they would
like their support to impact their university and
its students and faculty
5. Determine a level of support that is
appropriate for the prospect, thereby
improving pledge fulfillment
The Call is what allows us to accomplish this in a
seven-minutetelephoneconversation.Agoodscript
will provide your students with self-confidence
and a successful employment experience. And
the conversations that your well-trained callers
have with your alumni will leave them feeling more
engaged with your school and its mission. Think of
The Call as being a road map that managers and
student supervisors can teach students to follow,
and that, with practice, will permit you to generate
a lot of support for your organization.
To train students on scripting, you need to begin
with the underlying theory. You want your students
to understand what a script is and how it works.
Unless your callers understand the basic theory
that under lies The Call and have a solid grasp of
its progression, they very likely will fall into the
trap of simply reading the script to prospects.
You don’t want your callers to read your scripts
to your prospects. You want them to have real,
live, actual conversations. Real conversations feel
natural, not forced. Conversations naturally stop
and start. Questions come up, and responses are
given. As questions are answered, discussions
backtrack and loop around. In short, conversations
are organic. Reading a script aloud over the phone
is not a conversation – it’s a monologue. While
this is fairly obvious, many trainers overlook this
critical difference. Further, even managers who
do understand the theory behind The Call can
struggle to convey it effectively to their staffs.
The theory of The Call is solid, but if callers don’t
understand the concepts, they won’t be able to
use scripting effectively to become stronger
callers. Many times, callers are handicapped by
the training that they receive, which too often
takes a superficial do-this-followed-by-this-then-
this approach. This approach to training fails to
help callers understand and, more importantly,
internalize the process.
Managers who don’t fully understand the theory
behind The Call will fall short of effectively
training students, because they focus on the
wording of scripts instead of the underlying
structure of The Call, which is where this
approach derives its strength.
6

Academic Impressions | Scripting and Training for Effective Fundraising Calls | Albert MelfoAcademic Impressions | Scripting and Training for Effective Fundraising Calls | Albert Melfo
The structure of an effective fundraising call is fairly simple. The typical fundraising call has five steps:
1. The Introduction
2. The Engagement (or Rapport-Building)
3. The Case for Giving (If this were a sales call, we’d call this the Presentation.)
4. The Negotiation
5. The Formal Close
Callers need to learn this outline by heart, and truly internalize it. At any given moment during
a calling session, a supervisor should be able to tap any caller on the shoulder and ask them
where they are in their call, and the caller should be able immediately to cite the corresponding
step of The Call.
To develop this level of understanding in your callers, it is helpful to repeatedly refer to the
The Call as a process whenever you are discussing it. Reinforce the idea that each step in
The Call has its own objective, and that The Call is structured to sequentially accomplish its
objectives. Each step builds upon the prior step. It is important that callers understand that
as they complete each step of The Call, they are gradually bringing their prospect closer to
making a gift during the initial phone call. Remember – the prospects aren’t trained! Callers
can lean on the structure of The Call to walk prospects through the process of making a
financial commitment on the phone in a way that makes sense to the prospect. Let’s review
the objectives of each step in The Call:
1. The Introduction launches the conversation.
2. The Engagement step begins the conversation.
3. The Case for Giving builds the prospect’s interest. It seeks a commitment to the idea of support.
4. The Negotiation seeks to determine the level of support that is most appropriate to the prospect. It
seeks commitment to a specific amount.
5. The Formal Close seeks commitment to a payment method.
Sticklers for dissection could argue that there are additional pieces to The Call – such as
Demographic Updates, Matching Gift, and Wrap-up – but these really are subsections of the
five primary steps, and that’s how they’ll be treated in this discussion.
7

The simplicity of The Call’s underlying structure belies the true elegance of this approach. Within this
simple five-step process are objectives and techniques, different questioning styles, prompts and probes,
transitions, trial closes and, with any luck, that spark that comes from a sincere, spontaneous connection
between current students and alumni. Each step has a purpose, and for the call to succeed, it is essential
for callers to achieve the purpose of each step before they move on to the next. Because The Call is
a process, skipping steps or failing to complete them almost always derails the structured flow of the
conversation. Once derailed, it’s tough to get a fundraising call back on track. This paper will take a deeper
look at this structure, analyze the reasons why it is effective, and make some suggestions that managers
can use when training callers on this approach.
8

The introduction Step
PURPOSE
A. Initiate a conversation
B. Gain permission to continue conversation
TECHNIQUE
C. Identify yourself
i. Tone of voice
ii. Use pauses
iii. Use inflection to convey confidence
iv. Set the tone for the call
A. State the reason for your call
v. Engage prospect’s attention
vi. Begin to build trust and rapport with the listener
TIMING
The Introduction generally takes 5 to 10 seconds.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
1. Callers must understand that all successful calls begin with strong
Introductions. Weak Introductions kill calls and prevent callers from
developing their skills.
2. Managers and callers alike must guard against underestimating the
importance of The Introduction. While short in duration, there is a lot
going on below the surface, and strong technique is critical.
3. To succeed, callers must master the use of tone, pacing, inflection, and
pauses. (And no caller ever lost points for paying attention to proper
grammar and enunciation!)
AT a GLANCE
9

Think of the fundraising call as a miniature relationship. All relationships begin with an introduction; The
Call is no different. And while the Introduction is hardly complex, it is a concentrated element of The Call
in which a caller only has about five seconds to accomplish three objectives (identifying yourself and
your organization, stating the call’s purpose, and gaining permission to proceed). When time is limited,
technique has to be sharp – and time doesn’t get much more limited than five seconds. Because the
Introduction relies so heavily on structure and technique to be effective, solid scripting is critical.
►► To be effective, callers need to master and employ three techniques:
1. Tone
2. Cadence, timing, or rhythm
3. Inflection and strategic use of pauses
TONE
When a prospect answers the phone, the first thing they will notice about the call is the tone of a caller’s
voice. As managers and trainers, you must engage your callers in thinking about the process of the call
before they will be able to internalize the structure of the call and apply the techniques that you teach
them effectively. One effective way to do this is to frequently ask callers to put themselves in place of the
alumni they are calling. In other words, ask them, “If you received a phone call from someone you didn’t
know, what would keep you on the phone?” This approach prompts your callers to be conscious of their
tone. By putting themselves in their prospect’s shoes, they’ll be able to understand why it is so important
for them to sound upbeat, friendly, and professional, and they’ll instinctively know how to do it. (You’ll have
the opportunity to assure this, because you will reinforce it with role-playing – we’ll get to that a little later.)
10

TIMING
Just as important as tone is timing, or rhythm. Inexperienced callers often talk too fast on the
phone. They do this out of nervousness, but also because they assume that talking on the
phone isn’t much different than having a face-to-face conversation. Callers need to be taught
that, on the phone, verbal communication is handicapped by the loss of such elements as
body language and facial expression, which provide so many clues for interpretation during
face-to-face communication. New callers (and their supervisors) also need to recognize that
this type of phone call is vastly different than the thousands of phone calls they’ve had
in their lives with parents, friends, and family members – people who already know them,
in other words. When you’re calling someone out of the blue, who doesn’t know you, you
have to actively compensate for all of the things that come naturally when you’re talking to
someone who knows you well, or when you’re communicating in the same physical space. (I
imagine this will be easier to teach when one-to-one video calls become the norm, but we’re
not there yet.)
Use of appropriate tone and timing is essential to a caller’s credibility as a professional.
This credibility underscores their ability to lead prospects through the call as the caller
controls the pace and direction of the conversation. It’s critical that managers emphasize
their importance and take enough time during training to reinforce this to new callers. Callers
must understand that mastering these techniques will make or break their ability to launch
into successful conversations with prospects.
11

DIALOGUE AND PAUSES
Embedded within the structure of The Call
is a template for dialogue, an honest two-
way conversation between the caller and the
prospect. Establishing this dynamic during the
Introduction is absolutely critical to a caller’s
ability to maintain control of the call and to move
the conversation forward as the call proceeds.
In the Introduction, callers begin to establish the
back-and-forth rhythm of the call. Establishing
this rhythm is critical to creating a dynamic that
allows prospects to be receptive to being asked
questions and comfortable providing answers.
What would an Introduction like this sound like?
It’s pretty straightforward:
Hello, may I speak with Mr. Brown? (pause)
Hello, Mr. Brown! This is Mary Draper, (brief
pause) calling for the Lincoln College Annual
Fund. (brief pause)
How are you tonight? (pause)
Great. Mr. Brown, I’m calling tonight with a
group of fellow Lincoln students, and I’m
speaking with Arts & Sciences alumni like you
about your Lincoln experiences. I’m interested
in hearing how you feel about Lincoln and your
time here when you were a student.
Permission question: Do you have a few minutes
to talk?
There a couple of things to note about this
introduction. First, it’s short. So it has to
accomplish its objective with efficiency. Notice
where the pauses fall. Callers should pause
after their names and after the name of their
organization. This is important because the
prospect on the other end of the line is essentially
being taken by surprise – the call is unexpected,
and they don’t know the caller. The pauses
provide the recipient of the call with a chance to
process the information that is coming at them.
When the caller says their name and pauses, it
provides the prospect with just enough time to
ask himself or herself, “Who is this?” As they are
thinking this, they hear the caller answering with
the name of their institution. At the second pause,
the prospect connects the caller’s name with
their alma mater, while the caller is explaining
the reason for the call, in essence providing the
prospect with the who, what, and why of the call
in bite-sized, digestible pieces of information.
Notice that the caller uses her full name in the
example. This should be required of all of your
callers. The reason we use our full names is to
establish professionalism and credibility. For the
most part, students are significantly younger
than most of the prospects they speak with on
the phone; this puts them at a disadvantage
with respect to the “balance of power” in the
conversation. Keep in mind that student callers are
often the only spokespeople for our institutions –
aside from our presidents, chancellors, and boards
of trustees – who are having real conversations
about our organizations and our missions with
our prospects! That’s pretty important work.
Don’t we want our alumni to take our student
callers seriously? When you make a professional
call to someone you don’t know, don’t you use
your full name? I’m sure that you do. Your callers
should, too.
THE PERMISSION QUESTION
Another technique that is often overlooked is
the permission question – a question that is
asked in order to gain the prospect’s permission
to continue.
12

For as long as I can remember, there have been two camps of
opinion regarding permission questions. One camp considers them
to be a recipe for an easy out on the prospect’s side, and would
train callers to avoid using them. The other camp accepts that
asking prospects, “Is now a good time to talk?” may provide them
with an early opportunity to get off the phone, but it also avoids
keeping prospects engaged in a philanthropic conversation if they
aren’t predisposed to do so. Think of a time when you accepted an
invitation that you weren’t really excited about. Maybe it was to see
a play or a movie that you weren’t interested in. How did you feel?
Bored? Frustrated? Think about what you were feeling frustrated
by. Was it the film? The play? Your friend? Or maybe yourself – for
committing to do something you knew you didn’t want to do in the
first place. The same thing happens on the phone.
UPDATING DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Another frequently debated issue involves whether the Introduction
is the appropriate point in the call to attempt to update prospect
demographic information. Some would argue that one of the
key functions of a phone center is to update alumni directory
information. These programs typically include address verification
in the Introduction portion of The Call. Other programs feel that
this weakens the Introduction by distracting prospects with clerical
details instead of focusing on the true nature of the call. These
programs tend to seek demographic updates during the Formal
Close.
Another opinion is that asking for demographic information during the
Introduction enables newer callers, as well as callers who still struggle
with confidence, to “sneak” their way into a fundraising call by saying
something like, “Hi, Mr. Brown – I’m here with a group of students,
calling alumni to update their information…” One could argue that this
could be interpreted as misleading, because the true purpose of the
call – to raise money – remains unstated. One counter-argument could
be that confirming and updating information is part of the call, while
another is that it’s an easy way to start a conversation – “if it works,
use it!” Clearly, there are different ways to approach The Call, and very
often each approach is valid in its own way. Annual giving directors
and program managers should seek to determine an approach that
best supports their program’s philosophy and objectives.
Getting through the Introduction successfully is the key to having
a successful call. If you can’t get past the Introduction, you’re not
going to get very far. If you do gain that initial foothold, you want to
hang on to it. Callers should be trained to move immediately into the
Engagement Step following a successful Introduction.
Is it Wise to Drop the
Permission Question?
Before you decide to drop
the permission question
from your standard
Introduction, ask yourself
these questions:
• Does the energy that
my callers invest in
conversations with
prospects who aren’t
interested offset the
number of gifts they close
from prospects who don’t
hang up on them?
• Is it likely that a prospect
who isn’t interested
in having a phone
conversation will become
interested simply because
a caller doesn’t “let them”
get off the phone sooner?
• Are prospects agreeing to
pledges just to get off the
phone?
• Are student callers learning
how to initiate real,
productive, and dynamic
conversations with alumni,
or are they just becoming
adept at not letting
prospects get off the
phone?
• How do you feel when you
receive a telemarketing call
at an inconvenient time and
the caller won’t give you an
opportunity to tell them that
it’s not a good time to talk?
Do you think your alumni
feel any differently when we
do that to them?
13

THE ENGAGEMENt STEP
PURPOSE
A. Demonstrate a personal interest in your prospect
i. Engage the prospect in a conversation about their interests and
experiences
B. Gauge the prospect’s general feelings toward your institution
i. Identify some of prospect’s specific interests
ii. Establish your role as an information provider and representative of
your organization
TECHNIQUE
C. Ask questions
i. Establish rapport with the prospect
ii. Build level of trust between caller and prospect
D. Use of open-ended, probing questions
i. Establish “give-and-take,” question-and-answer dynamic
ii. Create environment conducive to open, two-way dialogue
TIMING
Varies with prospect. Some prospects are more comfortable taking these
types of calls than others. Some open up almost immediately; in such cases,
the Engagement step could be as short as 2-3 minutes. Other prospects need
a little more nurturing, or may ask some questions early on that could cause
the Engagement to go on for longer. In any case, callers should aim to keep
their Engagement steps to no longer than 5-7 minutes; beyond this point,
prospects typically begin to get antsy about staying on the phone.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
1. Callers must understand that all successful calls begin with strong
Introductions. Weak Introductions kill calls and prevent callers from
developing their skills.
2. Managers and callers alike must guard against underestimating the
importance of The Introduction. While short in duration, there is a lot
going on below the surface, and strong technique is critical.
3. To succeed, callers must master the use of tone, pacing, inflection, and
pauses. (And no caller ever lost points for paying attention to proper
grammar and enunciation!)
AT a GLANCE
14

15
During the Introduction, we want to identify ourselves, our institution, and the reason for our call. We hope
to secure the prospect’s permission to have a conversation with us. With that permission granted, we want
to begin having that conversation.
At this point in The Call, the relationship between caller and prospect is still new. Like any relationship, this
one needs additional nurturing before you can expect the prospect to make any commitments. Before a
caller can take the relationship to the next level, as it were, they need to spend some time getting to know
the prospect. Is this alumnus interested at all, and if so, how interested are they? Callers may find out that
some prospects just aren’t into them! But, how can they make this determination, at the end of a phone
line, 500 miles away from someone they’ve never spoken to before three minutes ago? It’s simple, really.
They do it by asking questions.
In fact, the transition from the Introduction to the Engagement Step is itself a question (“Do you have a
few minutes to talk?”).
There are two types of questions – open-ended and closed-ended. Callers should be familiar with both
types, and when to use them. Each has its own strategic application. Here are some simple definitions:
1. Very simply, open-ended questions are questions that require more than a yes-or-no answer. Open-ended
questions are best used to s-l-o-w d-o-w-n a conversation, by creating some space for discussion. Think of
closed-ended questions as a tool for getting prospects to “open up.”
2. Closed-ended questions are those which can be answered with a simple yes or no. Closed-ended questions
are very useful for moving conversations forward.

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
Open-ended questions are best employed in the
following ways:
• To draw out information from prospects
that will allow us to gauge their interest and
pinpoint their passions
• To encourage prospects to share their
opinions and feelings. This reinforces that the
caller has a genuine interest in the prospect.
It is human nature that if someone shows
interest in what we say, we are more likely to
be interested in what they have to say.
• To buy time when faced with complicated
objections or concerns.
Used properly, open-ended questions provide
callers with a tool to get prospects to open
up about their experiences, good and bad.
Strategically asking open-ended questions
during the Engagement Step will permit callers
to gauge a prospect’s interest level, as well as to
flush out details that may help determine where
their priorities are. Callers can then use this
information in the next step of the call to provide
alumni with a case for support that is tailored
to their personalities and interests. During the
Engagement Step, callers should attempt to
determine some basic characteristics of the
prospect. For example, if all that the prospect
wants to talk about during the Engagement Step
is sports, there’s a pretty good chance that they
aren’t going to be very interested in non-athletic
initiatives. Likewise, if the prospect admits
to having no interest in college athletics, it’s
probably a good bet that information on building
a new stadium will fall on deaf ears.
CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONS
Two important types of closed-ended questions
used during The Call:
1. Permission questions are used to gain the
prospect’s permission to continue with the
call. One example is asking a prospect in the
Introduction if they have time to talk. Another
would be prior to the Negotiation, when a caller
asks the prospect if they can explain the various
levels of support.
2. Agreement questions are used to gain the prospect’s
agreement to such things as the importance of giving,
a specific gift amount, or a solution offered as the final
step in an objection response.
Because these questions can result in an answer of
“no,” closed-ended questions often get a bad rap.
Inexperienced trainers can err on the side of being
practical. Seeking to provide trainees with simple,
foolproof techniques for keeping prospects on
the phone, they advise against asking closed-
ended questions, and mischaracterize them as
being “conversation killers.”
Frankly, the notion that asking a closed-ended
question provides prospects with an easy way
to get off the phone is presumptuous. Do we
really think that we can actually control what our
prospects decide to do? We can’t.
It is more productive to think of closed-ended
questions as “conversation movers,” rather than
conversation killers. The permission question, for
example, is a closed-ended question that is used
to move The Call to the next step.
Do you have a few minutes to talk?
Another type of closed-ended question is the
agreement question, which we’ll discuss later. Use
closed-ended questions when:
• you want to pin down a prospect’s
commitment
• you need a decision from them in order to
move a conversation forward
16

UNDERSTANDING THE ENGAGEMENT STEP
It’s important to provide callers with an explanation of the Engagement Step’s strategic purpose.
Rapport-building is more than a chance to demonstrate how friendly we are by making small
talk with our prospects. Asking questions helps callers:
• Gain insight into what is important to the prospect
• Establish an environment in which prospects become accustomed to the caller asking
questions, and become comfortable answering them
If callers set this tone early, while the conversation is still “light,” it is easier to keep this
rhythmic, two-way communication dynamic going throughout the call. Not only does this
rhythm maintain a steady pace, but it is what your callers will need to fall back on when they
begin to encounter objections later in the call. The rhythmic question-and-answer cadence
establishes an environment in which prospects are not taken aback by callers responding to
their objections. Remember:
Callers often ask how long the Engagement Step should be. The answer is simple – as long as
it needs to be, and no longer. But managers and callers alike can struggle to judge when they
should move on. This can be one of the tougher concepts to explain to callers, because it relies
on instincts that newer callers simply haven’t developed yet. The only way to develop them is
to get on the phone and make some calls. Rest assured – the instincts will come with time and
experience. During training and their first few calling sessions, trainers may use the following
chart to help callers visualize this concept.
17
The Call is intended to be a dialogue, not a monologue.
The Engagement Step is where callers begin creating the
expectation for a dialogue.

In this chart, the bottom axis represents time and the blue line reflects the level of interest
that the prospect has in the conversation and in the caller’s questions. In this example, interest
peaks at 4.5 minutes and then begins to decline. While 4.5 minutes will not be the exact peak
for every call, the basic concept to convey here is that even the most engaged prospect will
begin to lose interest in a conversation that goes on for too long.
The optimal time to move into the Case for Giving is when a prospect’s interest is peaking.
Coach callers to move into the Case for Giving when they feel that the prospect’s interest is
approaching its highest point. To do this, callers need to be listening to the prospect’s responses,
and gauging how “into” the conversation the prospect is.
18

Case for Giving
PURPOSE
A. Begin the process of securing the prospect’s commitment
i. Use information to build prospect’s interest in giving
ii. Provide prospect with “inside view” of your institution
iii. “Paint a picture” that will help the prospect to reconnect with your
campus
B. Secure a general commitment to the idea of support
i. Engage the prospect in a conversation about your institution’s
mission, recent accomplishments, and plans for the future
ii. Gauge prospect’s personal level of commitment to your institution
TECHNIQUE
C. Provide greater detail about your institution’s need for support
D. Provide listener with a reason to support
TIMING
The duration of the Case for Giving largely depends on what happens during
the Engagement Step. If the Engagement went well, then a caller likely will
be able to segue smoothly into the Case for Giving and the prospect will
voluntarily sit back and listen. If the Engagement was a little strained, then a
caller will need to break up their Case with some simple probing questions,
aimed at keeping the prospect engaged in the conversation. Examples would
be “Were you familiar with that?” or “How does that sound to you?” Programs
vary with respect to how much information they hope to convey through
their calling efforts, but a general rule of thumb is that you should be able to
make an effective case for support in 2-3 minutes.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
1. Callers should stay focused on their objective. In the Case for Giving,
they are seeking to build a prospect’s interest and to secure a prospect’s
commitment to the idea of support, and not to a specific gift.
2. Callers should assure that the Case for Giving remain as conversational
as possible. Simple confirmation questions, like “How does this sound
to you?” go a long way towards maintaining the rapport that a caller
worked so hard to establish in the Engagement Step.
3. Always close the Case for Giving with the Agreement Question: “Given
your [commitment/connection to]/[relationship/history with] Lincoln
University, may I count on your support tonight?”
AT a GLANCE
19

At this point, our caller has spent 3-8 minutes on the phone with their prospect. The Engagement Step is
going well – a good back-and-forth rhythm has been established, and the caller clearly senses a growing
rapport with the prospect. So, are we ready to ask for a gift yet?
As you think about the answer to this question, keep in mind our recurring theme: The Call is a process, a
structured, gradual approach that secures commitment by degrees. Each step builds upon the previous
step, and each step is vital to the structural integrity of the call as a whole. During the Engagement Step,
the balance of conversation should be about 25 percent caller and 75 percent prospect, with the caller
posing mostly open-ended questions and the prospect responding with (hopefully) enough information
that the caller can begin to think about a Case for Giving that is customized for the prospect, according
to their interests. During the Introduction and Engagement Steps, all that a caller should be seeking to
secure is a commitment to having a conversation. During the Engagement Step, callers gauge a prospect’s
interest levels and uncover some of their priorities.
In the Case for Giving step, the balance of conversation switches to more like 90 percent caller and 10
percent prospect. A Case is for Giving is a persuasive presentation intended to secure the prospect’s
commitment to the idea of support. In the Case for Giving, a caller needs to build their prospect’s interest
to a point at which they are ready to commit to a gift during the call. Until this is accomplished, it’s
premature to attempt to secure a commitment to a specific amount.
Timing plays as important a role in the Case for Giving as it does in the Engagement Step. Callers need to
become comfortable gauging their prospects’ level of interest. Again, new callers can easily fall into the
habit of memorizing a standard Case for Giving, and simply repeating the same thing to everyone they
contact. Remind them of the interest graph you used to help them understand the Engagement Step. It’s
important that they keep the momentum of The Call moving forward, and it’s very possible in the Case
for Giving to ramble on and begin to sound like a recording. When this happens, their prospects will lose
interest, and they’ll become less receptive. Callers need to remember that, as important as your university’s
mission is, they always need to respect their prospect’s time. When they feel like they’ve said enough, and
still have the prospect’s attention, they should move on.
20

The final step in the Case for Giving is the agreement question, which serves as the transition
from the Case for Giving into the Negotiation Step. Like the permission question earlier, the
agreement question is a closed-ended question designed to move the call forward. There is no
one right way to ask the agreement question; the important thing is to make sure to ask. Here
are a few examples:
So it sounds like you’re pretty up-to-date on what’s been happening on campus – that’s great!
Given your connection to Lincoln, can I count on your support tonight?
Wow, Mr. Brown – it’s great to speak to someone like you who has such an interest in what Lincoln
is doing. Obviously, much of what we do relies on support from alumni like you. May I count on
your support tonight?
How does this sound to you, Mr.Brown? (Pause, and respond appropriately.) Do you have any
other questions about Lincoln that I can answer for you? (Pause and respond appropriately.)
Great. As I said earlier, I’m talking to alumni like you tonight, seeking to raise money for our Annual
Fund. Can I count on your support tonight?
21

The Negotiation Step
PURPOSE
A. Secure a commitment to the highest level of support that a prospect is
comfortable making
B. Effectively respond to and resolve prospect concerns which arise during
the negotiation
C. Determine how a prospect wishes to allocate their support
TECHNIQUE
A. The “ladder” technique
i. Ranges
ii. Trial closes
iii. Split payments
iv. Deferred gifts
B. A/C/A/C objection response method (See page 36)
TIMING
The duration of the Negotiation Step varies widely. Callers should be
encouraged to devote as much time to it as needed. The Negotiation should
never be rushed, and callers need to be conditioned to not take shortcuts,
such as suggesting split payment schedules or “participatory gifts” before
they have exhausted other possible solutions. Patience and active listening
are key factors to success. In many cases, the Negotiation can account for as
much as half the length of the entire phone call, but its importance justifies
the time investment.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
1. Remind callers that once they’ve gotten this far, they should expect to close
a gift. If a prospect is still on the line at this point, callers should be patient
and focus on providing prospects with options that will permit them to
participate in your organization’s philanthropic mission.
2. Start negotiations high, use ranges to allow for flexibility and drop to lower
levels strategically by consistently suggesting split payments or deferred
credit card gifts.
3. Assumptions undermine the integrity and effectiveness of a negotiation.
Mentally prepare your callers to avoid making assumptions by drilling
them on the A/C/A/C approach to responding to objections and
concerns through regular, frequent role-playing.
AT a GLANCE
22

4. Callers need to reach a point where they aren’t afraid to present options to prospects, accepting that they
won’t know how the prospect will respond until they do. They should be comfortable in the knowledge that,
regardless of their prospect’s concerns, their training has prepared them to address it effectively.
5. Objection responses should never be routine, and should always be driven by the responses that callers
are hearing from their prospects. Callers must believe that, until they apply the A/C/A/C approach to an
objection, any attempt at a response is at best a guess.
During The Negotiation, a caller will secure and solidify their prospect’s commitments to a specific gift (credit
card) or pledge level, as well as determine where prospects want to allocate their support. It is also the point in
The Call where prospects are most likely to begin voicing objections or concerns, if they haven’t already done
so. The Negotiation is arguably one of the most challenging steps of the Call.
The primary objective of the Negotiation step is to provide callers with a road map that will allow them to walk
through the negotiation process with each of their prospects. To create this virtual road map, the Negotiation
employs a technique commonly referred to as the “ladder” approach. Applied properly, the ladder technique is
a structured approach that will help callers determine the highest level at which their prospects are comfortable
making financial contributions. This approach is rooted in the belief that no prospect should ever be encouraged
to commit to a gift or pledge amount that isn’t appropriate for their personal financial situation.
23

24
THE LADDER APPROACH
Salespeople long ago determined that the person who makes the first offer leads the negotiation
process. It’s a pretty simple concept. I’ve never met a caller who wasn’t able to understand that it’s
much easier to negotiate downwards than it would be to try to go up. Effective negotiations always
start high and drop down, based on feedback from potential donors. Callers need to have developed
a healthy level of self-confidence and a solid understanding of what an effective negotiation looks like
before they can be expected to properly use the “ladder approach.” You will need to demonstrate it
for them. Callers need to understand that the objective of the Negotiation Step is not to get the gift,
but to work with the prospect to determine the highest level of financial support to which they can
comfortably commit. In the Case for Giving, callers secure commitment to the idea of giving; in the
Negotiation, they secure commitment to a specific gift amount.
To do this effectively, callers need to understand their role in the negotiation. They need to anticipate objections,
based on information gathered earlier in The Call (during the Engagement Step, for example), and they need to
be prepared to respond appropriately. In order to do so, they need to engage in active listening.
ACTIVE LISTENING
Here’s one definition of active listening:
Active listening is a way of listening that focuses entirely on what the other person is saying and confirms
understanding of both the content of the message and the emotions and feelings underlying the message to
ensure that understanding is accurate.1
1
WikEd, http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Active_listening

Tips to Help Callers
Negotiate Effectively
ll Always start at $1,000. This
will permit you to determine
whether your prospect is
capable of committing at this
level, or help you determine
what level is appropriate for
them.
ll If you skip the $1,000 level
(of course, you won’t) and
your prospect says “Yes” to
$500, you may have missed
out on a $750 gift. The point
here is that you have no way
of knowing without asking.
ll Don’t make assumptions
– make the ask and stop
talking! Allow your prospects
to respond, and let their
responses determine your
next move.
ll Talk about each level. Don’t
simply list amounts and say
“Which one?” and never say,
“Any amount that you’d care
to give would be greatly
appreciated” unless you’ve
already tried the “ladder.”
ll As you move through each
ask, be appreciative of your
prospect’s time. Remember
that they don’t need to be
on the phone with you.
ll When you drop to lower
gift amounts, be sure to let
your prospect know that it’s
not only the amount of their
gift that is important, but
also the number of donors
who choose to support the
Annual Fund.
25
In other words, callers need to understand the difference between
taking what their prospect is saying for granted, and truly listening
to what they are saying. Passive listening is the tendency to assume
that because you hear what someone is saying, you understand
what they are trying to tell you. How often, during a conversation,
are we thinking more about what we want to say next than what is
being said to us? Active listening is the art of focusing on what is
being said to us.
When callers are actively listening, they are willing and prepared to
ask their prospects to clarify or elaborate on what they are saying,
without worrying that they are going to lose a gift. Active listening
allows them to stay in the moment of the conversation, and not
jump ahead. (As you have probably realized, active listening is one
of the primary tools in objection responses, which we will discuss
later.)
ROLE-PLAYING
So, there’s quite a lot going on in the Negotiation Step. The most
effective way to train callers on the Negotiation Step is through
good old-fashioned role playing. Like so many elements of The
Call, this step just doesn’t come naturally to most people, and
most callers need the type of hands-on demonstration that is best
delivered through drill-type practice. The more chances that callers
have to go through a complete negotiation, the more comfortable
they will be with the process. The more comfortable they are with
the process, the more effective they will be at negotiating solid
gifts that will benefit your school. Here is a sample of a Negotiation
script, based on the ladder approach, that you can use to practice
with your callers.
SAMPLE SCRIPT
►► $1,000 – $2,500
I’ve spoken with several great people today/tonight who’ve been
really positive! I’m asking everyone I speak with to consider a
leadership gift that would influence more dramatic initiatives at
Lincoln University. For example, Mr. Brown, a gift in the range of
$1,000 to $2,500 is a special level of major support which allows
Lincoln to continue achieving our goal of academic excellence. Mr.
Brown, can you consider a gift at this level?
[Based on alum’s response, attempt to secure specific gift by
suggesting split payments, or drop to the next level. Always begin
yournextlevelwithanacknowledgementofyourprospect’sresponse
to your previous ask! Keep the negotiation as conversational as
possible. This will prevent your prospect from feeling pressured.]
►► Drop to $500 – $1,000 Range
I understand, Mr. Brown. I do ask everyone if they can consider
this level of support because it’s so important to our students. We

count on money raised through the Annual Fund to cover expenses that aren’t included in the
cost of tuition. One example of this is our Digital Library System, which already has over 700
academic journals online and is available to students 24 hours a day. Alumni support for this
type of growing technology is seen in benefits all over the campus. With this in mind, could you
consider a gift in the range of $500 to $1,000?
[Based on the alum’s response, attempt to secure specific gift by suggesting split payments, or
drop to next level.]
►► Suggest Split Gift (or deferred payments)
I can understand your hesitation, Mr. Brown. Let me mention something for your consideration
– if you are able to consider a gift in this amount, you have the option to break up the gift into
two or more installments. Would it more convenient to break up $500 into two installments of
$250 each for two months?
►► Drop to $300 – $500 Range
Okay – thank you for letting me tell you about it. Another reason that individual support is so
important is that it helps fund a lot of smaller but still important projects. One of these projects
is the “Cultural Bus.” The Cultural Bus is a collaboration between City Arts and Community
Transit. The C-Bus connects students to local art venues, like the museums, the symphony, and
the science center. Your support makes projects like this possible. Can you consider a gift in the
range of $300 to $500 today/tonight?
[Based on prospect’s response, attempt to secure specific gift by suggesting split payments,
or drop to next level.]
►► Suggest Split
I can understand your hesitation, Mr. Brown. Let me mention this – if you are interested in this
level, you have the option to break up the gift into two or more installments. Would it more
convenient to break up $300 into two installments of $150 each for two months?
►► $100 – $300
That’s not a problem, Mr. Brown. Everyone’s situation is different and I’d really like to find a level
of support that is comfortable for you. Something I try to mention to everyone I talk with is our
Career Counseling and Placement Center. Students use the Center to develop their interviewing
and résumé-writing skills. The Center also provides students with opportunities to interview on
campus with companies located around the world. A gift of $100 to $300 helps fill the gaps in
our funding, and keeps projects like this up and running. Is this level more appropriate for you?
►► $75 – $100
I understand – I’d really like to include you in the number of alumni and friends who’ve decided
to support Lincoln this year. One of our primary goals is to increase overall support – so every
gift counts, regardless of amount. There is power in numbers! The backbone of our campaign
consists of gifts in the range of $75 to $100. Support at this level is critical because corporations
and foundations look at the percentage of people who give to the university when considering
it for major gifts and grants. A gift in this range could help us secure tens or even hundreds of
thousands of dollars in grants. Can you help us out at this level, Mr. Brown?
26

►► Participatory Gift ($25 - $75)
Mr. Brown, I really appreciate you taking the time to go through all the levels with me – thank you. I’m
sure you can understand why we are trying to increase our alumni participation this year. Could you
help us today by making a participatory gift of $25 to $50?
[If “No,” ask alum what they would be comfortable with, and proceed to the Formal Close.]
27

The FORMAL CLOSE
PURPOSE
A. Solidify donor’s commitment and thank the donor for their support
B. Confirm amount of gift and allocation of support
C. Verify and update alumni information
D. Uncover matching gift potential
E. Establish billing/terms of payment
i. Credit card ask
ii. Pledges
TECHNIQUE
F. Consistent use of “formal” verbatim scripted close
TIMING
Essentially a final clerical step, the Formal Close will take 2-3 minutes, provided
the caller has done a thorough job in the conversation leading up to the close.
If, for example, a caller rushed through the Negotiation Step and failed to pin
down the details of a donation, the close very well may be interrupted with
objections and will obviously take longer. It will also almost always be less
effective and will very often fail altogether.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
1. Callers need to commit the wording of the Formal Close to memory and
they need to repeat it verbatim every single time they close a fundraising
call. Establish a zero-tolerance policy for non-verbatim Formal Closes in your
phone center. You will see your credit card percentage steadily increase to 30
percent and higher.
2. Use role-playing to drill callers on proper delivery of the Formal Close. Like
the Introduction, the Formal Close relies on solid technique and mastery of
strategic use of pauses and pacing. Caller composure is also a key factor.
3. As mentioned above, callers must read the Formal Close verbatim! Its wording
is very specific and inflexible by design – it works. And it simply won’t be
effective unless it is read by callers as trained, every time, without exception.
AT a GLANCE
28

Next to the Introduction, the Formal Close is the simplest, most straightforward step in The Call. This is
because, like the Introduction, it relies primarily on mastery of technique and rhythm for its effectiveness.
The Formal Close has a number of objectives:
1. Callers need to confirm the demographic information on your prospect (unless you choose to do
this during the Introduction), to assure that the gift or pledge acknowledgement and receipt is
delivered to the proper address.
2. Callers need to confirm the specific amount of the gift, and the purpose or designation of the gift.
(For example, the College of Arts and Sciences, or the English Department, etc.)
3. Finally, you need to confirm the terms of payment:
A. Is it a gift, or a pledge?
i. If it is a gift, you need to secure the donor’s charge card account number and expiration date.
A. Is it a one-time or installment gift?
B. Are payments split or deferred?
1. On behalf of your organization, express your appreciation for the donor’s vote of confidence in
your mission through their generous financial support.
29

THREE CRITICAL POINTS
In nearly 25 years of doing this type of work, I’ve learned three things about the Formal Close which are
critical to understanding how it works:
1. Most new callers – and many experienced callers – get nervous when they reach this point in The Call. This is
because regardless of all of the time they’ve already invested in making their call a success, they still worry
that they will lose the gift when they ask for a credit card.
2. Confidence is key. If the callers don’t believe that the Formal Close will work, it won’t. They need to rely on the
structure, and just do it.
3. We refer to the close as “formal” because it is designed and fully intended to be applied as a scripted
verbatim close. The Formal Close has the highest success rate when callers are required to read it verbatim.
Unless call center management is consistent about enforcing the requirement to adhere to the Formal Close
verbatim, your mileage may vary.
30

These three points have allowed programs I’ve
managed to consistently experience credit card
giving rates of up to 50 percent, on average.
When applied as instructed, the Formal Close
works very well, because the structure of The Call
is designed to prepare both the caller and the
donor to be comfortable pinning down a donation
at this point.
As early in The Call as the Introduction, callers
begin to establish a back-and-forth rhythm that
involves posing questions to prospects, and
permitting them to respond. Without training on
this technique, most callers will default to talking
at prospects, as opposed to engaging them in a
real conversation. Prospects need to be engaged
in order to trust callers, and trust is the essential
component in securing gifts on credit cards.
If used as presented here, the Formal Close will
increase the likelihood that your donors will
charge their gifts; if this is not a priority for your
program, there are certainly other ways to close
a phone call. But if one of the measures of your
program’s effectiveness is your credit card rate,
you must keep your callers’ closes consistent,
and the only way to do that is to require verbatim
adherence to the Formal Close.
A WALKTHROUGH
Here’s what the Formal Close looks like. First, you
want to close your Negotiation and transition into
the Formal Close. Your prospect has just agreed
to a gift, so the most appropriate way to do this
is to thank them:
That’s terrific, Mr. Brown! Thank you for your
support!
Follow by immediately beginning the verbatim
Formal Close. Callers need to be trained to
move smoothly and immediately into the Formal
Close, without any hesitation. This keeps donors
engaged and confident in the caller’s ability to
properly manage this transaction.
Mr. Brown, I just need one more minute of your
time to confirm some information. (brief pause)
Would you like me to list this gift in your name?
(Wait for response)
People always ask me why we don’t simply read
back the donor’s information to them, since our
callers have it in front of them, and it is faster.
The reason is that it’s important for the caller to
maintain the back-and-forth, question-and-answer
rhythm that they’ve established throughout the call.
Especially in the Formal Close, we want to be able
to answer questions and know that we will get a
positive answer.
Continuing then…
Great, Mr. Brown. And I have your name as
Daniel M. Brown. Is that correct?
(Wait for response)
To what address would you like me to mail your
receipt? (Wait for response)
It sounds tedious, and you should anticipate
some push-back from callers who today have
little patience for this level of attention to
seemingly obvious details. But permitting donors
to provide their information not only puts them
at ease, it makes them comfortable sharing
personal information – and it s-l-o-w-s down
The Close. This is important at this point in The
Call. You don’t want your donors to feel rushed
through The Close. You certainly don’t want them
to get cold feet when your callers ask them for
their credit card account information, as they are
trained to do.
Thank you, Mr. Brown. Let me read that back to
you to make sure I got it right. You would like
your gift to be recorded in your name – that’s
“Daniel M. Brown” – B-R-O-W-N, and you would
like your receipt mailed to you at…
31

Callers should take the time to read back the information. Advise them to think of it as a courtesy; at
this point, they have established a genuine relationship with the person on the phone. The least they
can do is to spend a little time with them before saying goodbye. Once they confirm the name and
address information, and make any corrections necessary, they should turn their attention to the donor’s
employment information.
Mr. Brown, I see here that you’re employed by Academic Impressions – is this still accurate? (Wait and respond.
Correct information, if necessary.) Mr. Brown, many donors are employed by companies who match their
employee’s charitable gifts. According to my records, Academic Impressions will match your gift to Lincoln!
Would you be willing to stop by your human resources department and complete the paperwork needed to
confirm that you’ve made a gift to us tonight? This would double the impact of your gift.
(Wait and respond. Assuming a “yes”…) Thank you!
After this step, callers should proceed immediately to read the following scripting verbatim, without
deviation:
Okay, Mr. Brown. Now, the way we handle gifts is with a major bank card. (Brief pause.)
We accept Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. (Brief Pause)
Which do you prefer? (Wait for response)
(If necessary, callers may add here: We also accept debit cards, or American Express. Will either of those
work for you?)
Ifyourcallersadheretothisverbatimclose,andtheirdeliveryiscasualandconfident,youshouldseeimmediate
improvementsinyourcreditcardrate.Dependingonyourcurrentcreditcardrate,youshouldanticipategradual,
steadyincreases,anditisnotunusualtoexpectratesofwellover30percenttobecomethenormforyourprogram.
WRAPPING UP THE CALL
Once the prospect has provided their account information, and the caller has read it back to them to verify
that they have captured it accurately, callers should take the opportunity to thank the donor again for their
support. Lastly, they should repeat back to the donor the details of their gift.
Alright, Mr. Brown. Just to confirm – I have you down for a gift of $200 to the College of Arts and Sciences,
which we have charged to your Visa account. Once you complete the matching gift form that you can get from
your employer’s human resources department, your gift will be worth a total of $400 – thank you very much!
You should receive a receipt for your donation in a week to 10 days.
Mr. Brown, it’s been a pleasure to speak with you tonight. Thank you for your support! Have a great night!
Sounds simple, right? Of course, this discussion of caller training wouldn’t be complete without talking
about objections and how to handle them as they occur throughout The Call.
32

“Objection Responses”: Coaching Callers to
Respond to Prospect Concerns
Key points:
• To handle objections effectively, callers must understand the outline of The Call, because
you have to know what the real objection is in order to respond appropriately.
• Objections that occur in the early steps of the call differ from objections that take place
later in the call.
Dealing with objections effectively is possibly the most challenging aspect of fundraising
technique to learn. It can also be the single most important success factor for a fundraiser.
An objection is anything that happens during a phone call that prevents the caller from moving
The Call forward. Objections take many forms – from something as common as a simple question,
to something as “physical” as being hung up on. Objections are associated with refusal, and
refusal by its nature is intimidating. In many cases, an objection is a means by which a prospect
can refuse without having to say “no.”
While handling objections is a challenging topic to train, trainers generally find that trainees are
predisposed to be very interested in discussions of objection handling. New callers in particular
want to know what to do when they encounter objections on the phone. Initially, they hope to
be presented with some kind of magical list of “objection responses” – phrases that they can
use and answers they can give that will resolve all of the possible obstacles that they might
encounter on the phone. Who can blame them? In reality, though, objections aren’t easy, and I
know of the existence of no such magical list.
Most programs, of course, have a variety of useful and thoughtful stock objection responses
– but, before we talk about those, it’s critical for trainees to understand that using the proper
objection response is only the last step in the objection handling process. It’s also critical for
callers to have at least a working understanding of the fundamental structure of The Call. They
need to understand The Call’s basic terminology, and how a successful call proceeds. An objection
that occurs, say, during the Introduction is a completely different type of objection than one
that occurs during the Case for Giving – and almost always requires a different response. Don’t
shy away from reinforcing anything you’ve already covered at this point. Remember – as basic
and straightforward as this information feels to those of us who understand it already, to most
new callers this is entirely new information, and it really is more complex than it seems.
AVOIDING ASSUMPTIONS
Let’s look at an example to illustrate what is going on in a conversation when one party voices
a concern. Since most phone centers use students as employees, let’s illustrate the point by
looking at a conversation two students might have with each other. Student A (we’ll call her
Suzie) and Student B (we’ll call him Jay) find themselves taking the same English Lit class
together. They both notice each other. They get to know each other through class, and generally
try to sit next to each other if they have the chance. One day, Jay musters up the courage to
ask Suzie out.
33

Jay: Hi, Suzie.
Suzie: Hi.
Jay: How’d your paper turn out?
Suzie: I think it turned out okay. We’ll see, I guess. At least it’s done.
Jay: I hear ya. (brief, awkward silence) I was wondering – would you like to grab coffee
after class?
Suzie: I can’t. But thanks!
Looks like game over for Jay, right? Not so fast. Let’s look at Suzie’s response. Jay asked her
out. More specifically, he asked her out for coffee, after class. Suzie said she couldn’t go – but
she also thanked him for his invitation. Joe has two options at this point, and his future with
Suzie depends on his next move. Based on Suzie’s response, he can:
A. Assume that Suzie isn’t interested, or
B. He can ask her some more questions.
Wait – didn’t she say she wasn’t interested? No. She did not say that. She said she couldn’t go.
For coffee. After class.
Maybe Suzie just doesn’t like coffee…
Maybe Suzie has a prior commitment after class that she can’t break…
Maybe Suzie pulled an all-nighter to get her paper done, and doesn’t want to drink coffee after
class – she wants to go to sleep!
The point is that our friend Jay still has options. But he needs to avoid the trap of making
assumptions, and make the effort to probe for the reasons that may be preventing Suzie from
accepting his invitation. Making assumptions is an all too common mistake made by both
salespeople and fundraisers (and would-be suitors!), yet it’s fairly easy to avoid it with the
right training and some commitment on the part of your callers to stick to the approach and to
practice their technique on every call.
TYPES OF OBJECTIONS OR CONCERNS
Particularly when talking about fundraising calls, it’s helpful to think more in terms of responding
to concerns as opposed to overcoming objections. Remember our basic definition:
ob·jec·tion (n). Anything that happens during a phone call that prevents the caller from moving
The Call forward in pursuit of a commitment to a donation.
It’s not arbitrary that we used the word “anything” in our definition. It is immensely helpful to
frame the concept this way when training callers.
It’s also helpful to group objections, or concerns, into types. The more granular you can make
complicated concepts like this, the easier it will be for your staff to internalize and understand
them. On the one hand, objection handling is likely the most complicated element of fundraising.
On the other hand, there are only really three types of objections. Let’s look at some examples.
34

Less Effective Ways to
Respond to Objections
Quantity over Quality
Telemarketing firms often focus
on quantity over quality. Their call
representatives are often evaluated
based on how many calls they
make, or how many prospects they
are able to make a sales pitch to,
how deeply into the pitch they
were able to get (call length), and
how many objections they were
able to “overcome.” In reality,
this approach doesn’t so much
handle objections as it wears down
prospects. Almost everyone has
received the type of sales call in
which the caller continues to sell
regardless of your level of interest;
oftentimes, the caller doesn’t even
give you the chance to express
your interest, or lack thereof. This
approach is primarily effective at
keeping prospects on the phone –
assuming they don’t just hang up
on the caller at some point, which
often happens.
Treating Objections as Mistakes
Another approach treats all
objections voiced by the potential
customer as if they are mistakes
that can be immediately addressed
by a simple answer. This approach
is only slightly better than the
generic telemarketing approach.
It fails to be effective because it is
based on assumptions. It assumes
the objection that is stated by the
prospect is the actual objection.
Programs that utilize this approach
train their callers to memorize
specific responses to equally
specific objections. This approach
can work – but only if the prospect
actually does convey the real
objection, and the caller selects
the proper objection response. It’s
slightly better than guesswork.
1. Time objections:
A. Bad time to talk
B. Bad time to talk about giving
C. Bad time to talk about your university
D. Bad time to talk about money
E. Bad time to make a new financial commitment
2. Interest:
A. Prospect isn’t interested in talking about your
university.
B. Prospect isn’t interested in talking to you. (It happens.)
C. Prospect isn’t interested in talking about giving.
D. Prospect isn’t interested in talking on the phone (but
would perhaps be receptive to receiving mail appeals,
etc.).
3. Financial:
A. Prospect has already allocated all of their disposable
charitable income.
B. Prospect’s circumstances prevent them from
considering additional expenditures (recent big-ticket
purchase, job change or loss, recent unanticipated
expenses, market losses, etc.).
C. Prospect simply isn’t in the mood to make a pledge or
purchase.
These are examples, and the list above is by no means intended
to be exhaustive. The bottom line is that objections come in all
shapes, sizes, and colors – but in the end, when prospects refuse
to give, it boils down to time, interest, or money. That’s all.
Once callers understand this concept, you can build upon it to
help them understand that when a prospect voices a concern
(like Suzie did in our example of the two students), they could
mean any variety of things. In other words, just because a
prospect says they can’t afford to give doesn’t mean that they
really can’t afford to give. A great example to use when training
callers is the most ubiquitous objection of them all:
I’m not interested.
Think about it: if a caller takes this objection literally, where can
they go from here? Nowhere, right? But, if your callers learn to
allow themselves – and their prospects – some space, and use
questions to open up their conversations when they reach these
halting points, they have a much better chance of flushing out
the real objection. And once they know what the real objection
is, they can begin to try to offer some solutions that will permit
them to get the call back on track to closing a gift.
35

THE A/C/A/C APPROACH TO HANDLING CONCERNS
The most effective way to handle concerns on the phone is to determine the specific nature of the
objection through a process of asking questions, listening actively, and responding to the answers
that prospects provide. This approach has four steps, and is known as the A/C/A/C step for short.
Each of the letters stands for the goal of that particular step in the process:
At any point during The Call, when a prospect voices a concern, the caller needs to acknowledge
it. This is a very simple yet very important concept – and one that is too often skipped (even
by trained callers) when callers fail to appreciate the importance of compensating for the non-
verbal communication cues that naturally occur in face-to-face communication. When we’re on
the phone, we lose a lot of our ability to communicate. We lose everything that is carried by body
language and facial expressions, like a head nod to indicate understanding, or a tilted head to
convey confusion. Verbal acknowledgement of every objection lets prospects know that you are
listening, which is very important! Suggest phrases that your callers can use, such as:
I understand.
I’m sorry to hear that.
I can appreciate that.
Even something as basic as “Ok” or “uh-huh” will suffice – as long as callers make a point of
doing it, every time.
After an objection or concern is acknowledged, it needs to be clarified. Callers may do this
using one of two methods. Sticking with our example of the ubiquitous “I’m not interested”
objection:
1. Callers may repeat the objection, as in “I see, Mr. Brown. You aren’t interested.”
2. Alternately, they can paraphrase the objection – which arguably sounds more natural. In our
example, a caller could say, “I understand, Mr. Brown. You don’t feel like you’re in a position to
support us tonight.” Or, if the objection is, “Now is a bad time,” one acceptable response could
be, “I see, Mr. Brown. (Acknowledge) It sounds like you have other priorities right now. Is that
correct?” (Clarify)
36

The specific wording that callers use is less important than making sure that callers adhere to the formulaic
technique. By acknowledging the response, the caller assures the prospect that they are listening to
them – that their concerns are being heard by the caller. By repeating or paraphrasing the objection,
callers provide prospects with an opportunity to elaborate. This is important because it keeps the process
conversational, and reinforces to prospects that we are as interested in their responses as we are in making
our case for support. Prospects are much more likely to remain engaged in the conversation, and remain
open to negotiating with the caller, when they feel that the caller is genuinely listening to and interested
in addressing their concerns.
From here, the conversation may proceed in many directions, depending on the exact nature of the
objection. For instance, the response above will help a caller determine if it is a simple time objection. If the
prospect were to respond, “Yes – this is just not a good time to talk,” the caller could proceed to schedule a
callback. They would still need to complete the process, and the next step is to confirm that the objection
has been pinpointed. Again, the caller would begin by acknowledging the prospect’s response:
I see, Mr. Brown. (Acknowledge)
Now’s a bad time to talk. (Clarify)
I’d be happy to call you back at a time that is more convenient for you. (Answer)
Would that work for you? (Confirm)
(Wait for response) Great, Mr. Brown – when would be the best time to try to reach you?
Here’s something interesting that happens fairly regularly. In response to this question, many prospects
will decide that they actually are in a position to speak at the moment. They do so simply because the
caller has extended them the courtesy of offering to call back at another time, instead of pushing forward
and trying to keep them from getting off the phone. And in the cases when prospects do opt for a callback,
they are generally much more receptive to the conversation when they speak with the caller again –
because they remember that they were provided with the option to receive a call when they deemed it to
be convenient. In short, they appreciate that the caller surrendered control of the process to them.
During actual conversations, what often happens during the A/C/A/C process is that the process becomes
more elaborate. In other words, instead of going straight through from Acknowledgement to Confirmation,
the process can look more like this:
This is because objections or concerns are multi-layered, like onions – as one layer is peeled, another is
often revealed. It’s important to expose callers to this during training so that they become comfortable with
the nuances of the process. The more natural this A/C/A/C process feels to callers, the more effectively
they’ll be able to execute it when they’re on live calls. Callers should be taught to think of the process as
something akin to troubleshooting.
37

The only assumption that a caller should ever make on the phone:
When you hear an objection, assume that you don’t know what
it really is until you go through the A/C/A/C approach. Only
through the process of active listening and questioning can callers
determine the right way to respond to a perceived objection.
The only real way to prepare them for it is through role-plays that
serve the purpose of A/C/A/C “drills.” Trainers need to demonstrate
how the process works. Simply describing the process, or telling the
callers what the steps are in the process, will fail to provide them with
the level of understanding required to become adept at using the A/C/
A/C process effectively. In other words, program managers, trainers,
and supervisors must learn to master this technique before they can
attempt to teach it.
Training Objection
Handling Through
Role-Play
To set up a role-play, first distrib-
ute paper copies of your script to
your trainees, and instruct them to
read through it silently to them-
selves. If more than one trainer is
available, model the script for the
trainees by presenting two role-
plays to the callers so they can
hear what the script should sound
like. Think of it like you would if
you were trying to learn to play
a song on an instrument – it’s a
lot easier to learn if you already
know how it’s supposed to sound.
Answer any questions that your
trainees may have, and then pair
them up for role-playing.
You should anticipate that the
trainees will have some very spe-
cific questions on the logistics of
making a gift – use their questions
to lead you into a discussion of
objection handling. It is critical to
cover these topics before moving
on to the techniques of objection
handling, in order for the trainees
to effectively understand how to
properly use standard, generic
objection responses.
Instead of giving your trainees
the “answers” up front, a better
approach is to discuss the process
that is involved in handling objec-
tions, similar to how we present
the outline, and the script, and
how we typically do our shift
warm-up meetings. You want to
get your trainees thinking as call-
ers and, as callers they need to
think actively about the process,
so that they don’t develop a habit
of using responses passively.
38

Appendix: The Fundraising Call:
Outline and Technique
I. Introduction
A. Technique
1. Identify yourself
a. Tone of voice
b. Use pauses
c. Inflection
d. Set the tone for the call
2. State the reason for your call
a. Engage prospect’s attention
b. Begin to build trust and rapport with the listener
B. Objective
1. Initiate a conversation
2. Gain permission to continue conversation
Transition into Engagement Step:
Ask Permission Question: “Do you have a few minutes to talk?”
II. Engagement Step
A. Technique
1. Ask questions
a. Establish rapport with the prospect
b. Build level of trust between caller and prospect
2. Use of open-ended, probing questions
a. Establish “give-and-take” dynamic
b. Create environment conducive to open, two-way dialogue
B. Objective
1. Demonstrate a personal interest in your prospect
a. Engage the prospect in a conversation about their interests and experiences
2. Gauge the prospect’s general feelings toward your institution
a. Identify some of prospect’s specific interests
b. Establish your role as an information provider and representative of your organization
Transition into Case for Giving/Presentation:
“I’d like to tell you a little about some of the exciting plans we have...”
OR
“Let me tell you about some of the exciting plans that we have...”
OR
“Are you aware that the university plans to...”
39

III. Case for Giving
A. Technique
3. Provide greater detail about your institution’s need for support
4. Provide listener with a reason to support
B. Objective
1. Begin the process of securing the prospect’s commitment
b. Use information to build prospect’s interest in giving
c. Provide prospect with “inside view” of your institution
d. “Paint a picture” that will help the prospect to reconnect with your campus
2. Secure a general commitment to the idea of support
a. Engage the prospect in a conversation about your institution’s mission, recent
accomplishments and plans for the future
b. Gauge prospect’s personal level of commitment to your institution
Transition into Negotiation Step:
1. Agreement Question: “Given your interest in the university, can we count on your support this year?”
2. Agreement Confirmation: “Great! We have various levels of support. I’d like to begin by inviting you to
join one of our most prestigious levels...”
IV. Negotiation Step
A. Purpose
1. Secure a commitment to the highest level of support that a prospect is
comfortable making
2. Effectively respond to and resolve prospect concerns which arise during the negotiation
3. Determine how a prospect wishes to allocate their support
B. Technique
1. Effective negotiation
a. Ranges
b. Trial closes
c. Split payments
d. Deferred gifts
2. A/C/A/C objection response method

V. Formal Close
A. Purpose
1. Solidify donor’s commitment and thank the donor for their support
2. Confirm amount of gift and allocation of support
3. Verify and update alumni information
4. Uncover matching gift potential
5. Establish billing/terms of payment
a. Credit card ask
b. Pledges
B. Technique
1. Consistent use of “formal” verbatim scripted close
40

VI. Wrap-Up Step
A. Purpose
1. “Wrap up” the call, and answer any remaining prospect questions
2. Additional opportunity to thank donors for their support
3. End conversation on a positive note, and leave donor with a sense of being personally
involved in your institution’s mission
41

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