Years from now, don’t be surprised if The 11 Questions Every Donor Asks and the Answers All Donors Crave is singled out as a watershed book in the field of fundraising.
People might well point to Harvey McKinnon’s work and say, “That’s when the conversation with our donors changed – literally.” And they’d be right. In what it sets out to do, The 11 Questions is deceptively simple. The author wants merely to prepare you – whether you’re a board member, volunteer, or staff – for the questions you’ll inevitably face from prospective donors, whether spoken or not.
But of course, since a good measure of your fundraising success hinges on the answers you give, things aren’t quite as simple as they seem.
McKinnon has identified 11 core questions, ranging from “Why me?” to “Will my gift make a difference?” to “Will I have a say over how you use my gift?”
And, one thing is certain: McKinnon knows how to instruct. Rather than dryly tell you to “Do this” or “Do that,” the author punctuates his prose with dramatic real-life stories.
And they are highly engaging, each one skillfully selected to drive home a point. You’ll discover, for instance:
- How a volunteer coached by a nationally known consultant secured a gift of $175,000 without ever once asking for the gift.
- How the chair of a YWCA sparked a first-time gift of $100,000 with a single disarming question from her heart.
- How by not underestimating his donor’s ability to give, a development officer at a technical institute turned a $100,000 gift into a $1 million gift.
- How McKinnon himself, when he was a young fundraiser, handled a brusque prospect who fulminated: “Will you leave my office right now if I write a check for $1,000?!”
- How by artful negotiation the head of fundraising for a leading HIV/AIDS organization prevented the rock band Queen from donating a vast sum of money to something entirely needless.
- How with an exquisite 30-minute presentation, and a double-shot of espresso, the Head of Fundraising for Greenpeace International transformed a $1 million gift into a $10 million gift.
The 11 Questions Every Donor Asks and the Answers All Donors Crave registers high on the fundraising Richter Scale. And its impact on how we relate to donors will be felt from Houston to Winnipeg, from Baltimore to Vancouver.
When the dust settles and we’ve absorbed the essence of Harvey McKinnon’s book – we will begin anew, and in earnest, to approach our donors in a way that inspires their generosity and fortifies their commitment to the life-changing work we do.
Jerold Panas, who knows a thing or two about fundraising, calls The 11 Questions “A beautifully polished gem, with real-life stories that unerringly hit their mark.”
“This book is perfect… Practical, comprehensive, with excellent examples. Everything a how-to book should be.”
Amazon.com
If your nonprofit organization does not operate a monthly giving program, Hidden Gold will tell you everything you need to know to get one started. If your organization already has a monthly giving program, you’re bound to gain new insights about one of the fastest growing sectors in fundraising.
Monthly giving appeals not only to younger donors, who find it convenient and easy, but also to older donors, who are more likely to live on a budget. But regardless of their age, monthly donors will often give for decades, are more loyal than even the most consistent annual donors, and are far more likely to leave bequests.
A practical guide and an invaluable resource, Hidden Gold offers you monthly giving lessons from around the world.
Hidden Gold has 208 pages of indispensable information, including dozens of examples of successful direct mail packages.
“This book will tell you everything you need to know about the most important growth area in fundraising. Harvey reveals the secrets that have helped his clients raise millions of dollars through monthly giving. Hidden Gold is a great read and an essential resource for fundraisers of any size organization.”
Ken Burnett, Author, Relationship Fundraising
“The first book of its kind and it’s wonderful! A very, very important book.”
Rosemary Oliver, Resource Development Director
Amnesty International
“Author Harvey McKinnon — one of the world’s more successful fundraisers and a pioneer who has established successful monthly-giving programs in organizations large and small, national and local — provides reader-friendly, step-by-step instructions to help you mine the hidden gold in monthly donations. Practical, comprehensive, with excellent examples. Everything a how-to book should be.”
Thomas Ahern for Amazon.com
“Harvey McKinnon’s brilliant book literally delivers what it says on the cover. If you haven’t got a monthly giving proposition you’re already well behind, but this book will quickly get you back in front. If you are recruiting monthly donors, Harvey’s book will help you to do it better. Harvey McKinnon is acknowledged around the world as the Pope of monthly giving. Hidden Gold is a readable, entertaining, informative guide to the most lucrative fundraising activity of all, after legacies (bequests). You can’t afford not to have it on your bookshelf, with at least two more copies circulating among your fundraising colleagues.”
Ken Burnett for Amazon.com
“I have dozens of how-to books on my shelves, for fund raising and marketing communications. Maybe six of them are imperishably valuable: quick, sensible, well written, and backed by lots of experience. Harvey ‘s new book is among that chosen few.”
“I didn’t know what monthly giving programs were and I’d never heard of Harvey McKinnon before a Canadian fundraiser I met at a conference started praising Harvey to the stars. The fellow was right! This book is perfect: practical, illustrated with examples from organizations of all sizes, clearly written, wise. I don’t even do monthly giving (although I have clients who might). I still loved reading this book. You won’t be disappointed. The only question you need ask yourself is: Could my nonprofit prosper if it had a monthly, assured flow of gifts?”
Now available as a downloadable pdf for just $29.95.
If your nonprofit organization does not operate a monthly giving program, Hidden Gold will tell you everything you need to know to get one started. If your organization already has a monthly giving program, you’re bound to gain new insights about one of the fastest growing sectors in fundraising.
Monthly giving appeals not only to younger donors, who find it convenient and easy, but also to older donors, who are more likely to live on a budget. But regardless of their age, monthly donors will often give for decades, are more loyal than even the most consistent annual donors, and are far more likely to leave bequests.
A practical guide and an invaluable resource, Hidden Gold offers you monthly giving lessons from around the world.
Hidden Gold has 208 pages of indispensable information, including dozens of examples of successful direct mail packages.
This pdf has been converted from the finished book.
