Ten Ways to Improve Your Donor Observation and Communication Skills

Planned giving professionals are in the people business. As Amy Herman, J.D., M.A., Art of Perception educator and seminar trainer states, it’s not the financial aspects that lose deals. It’s the miscommunications, tone of voice, and lack of listening during human interactions that cause deals to fall through. Amy enthusiastically spoke last year at the National Conference on Philanthropic Planning. According to her training program, astute observation is critical to better communication and listening skills. Using works of art in the museum setting, she trains people in the art of perception so they can successfully perform their professional responsibilities.

Get Women Together to Turn Potential Donors into Actual Donors

Barbara Stanny grew up wealthy—her dad was the “R” in H&R Block—so she assumed she would never want for anything, and she let her husband take care of all the finances. Big mistake. She says that in 15 years her ex gambled away all of her wealth—which she discovered when she tried to get $60 at an ATM and found there was no money left. In her colorful retelling of the story, she relates that she went to her father for help but he told her she needed to solve her own problems. She had three kids and was more than $1 million in debt.

Navigating the Gender & Philanthropy Landscape

Enormous progress has been made in gender equality in terms of women’s education, wealth, and employment opportunities. Yet, women are still reporting that they encounter outdated attitudes and stereotypes that hamper their full and equal treatment. In the planned giving field, there’s no room for these kinds of preventable errors with prospective female donors. Gender tips to keep in mind:

Tips for Understanding Donor Fears about Money

In the planned giving field, much more goes into obtaining donor gifts than simply “the ask.” You have to know your donor’s ability to give, their interest in giving, and their blocks to giving. While planned giving professionals often explore a donor’s ability and interest in making a charitable gift, understanding a donor’s fears related to money (both rational and irrational) is also crucial. Such insight helps you adequately address those fears, rather than simply ignore them. Once you identify the blocks to giving, you can then work toward planned gift arrangements that best meet your donor’s financial and philanthropic objectives.

New Client's Praise Reflects Pentera Team's Dedication to Excellence

Pentera staff in every department has been working very hard on a new client’s materials.
They signed up for a Web site that is now live and includes an eBrochure library; newsletter and QuickCards; and eNewsletters and eQuickCards. We are so happy to hear this wonderful feedback as the suite of materials is created. And their comments reflect the Pentera team’s dedication to our clients and to excellence.

• "Just printed out a few eBrochures, and they are fantastic! Great job by everyone at Pentera...”
• “We are really pleased with the eNewsletter designs you sent.”
• “It’s so exciting to see the newsletter! Thanks for the good work.“

The Contest

No, I’m not referring to the famous television episode of Seinfeld! I’m referring to ways to get your donors and prospects to actually read and keep your planned giving newsletter. As mentioned in Gypsy… “You Gotta Get a Gimmick!” My gimmick for this article was the first sentence of this paragraph. It hooked you in, right?

Sarah Lawrence Joins Pentera's Exclusive Integrated Marketing Clientele

Pentera would like to extend a warm welcome to Sarah Lawrence College as we begin working with them to develop their new planned giving Web site, as well as a comprehensive integrated marketing campaign, including print newsletters, postcards, eNewsletters, and print advertisements.

With a diverse student body and a strong reputation for its rigorous academic standards, Sarah Lawrence College has a long, distinguished history of offering its students a personalized education, tailored to meet each student's unique interests and abilities. Sarah Lawrence chose Pentera because of the unique combination of industry-leading content and unparalleled customization options that we offer through our planned giving Web sites, eMarketing products, and print materials. We are excited and honored to help them educate, motivate, and build lasting relationships with their potential donors.

For more information about Pentera's integrated marketing strategies and programs, please visit http://www.pentera.com/, email info@pentera.com, or call 317-875-0910 x251.