Telephone fundraising is one of the most effective ways to recruit regular supporters for charities. It is an excellent way of engaging with the public and raises the money needed to help millions of people every year. However, to be successful, telephone fundraising needs to be approached in the right way. The aim is to connect with people and secure consistent support and donations.
One of the most fundamental aspects of fundraising on the phone is requesting permission to speak at the beginning of the call. This gives people the chance to opt in or opt out and prevents them from feeling pushed into conversation. Simple manners go a very long way. When a person receives a phone call, it is reasonable to assume that they may be busy and your call may be interrupting them. By asking if it is a good time to speak, you are instantly showing courtesy. This will help when you attempt to arrange a more convenient time to call back.
A lot of conversation needs to happen between the initial greeting and the request for a pledge. It is not enough to endlessly talk about the charity or organisation. Prospective donors like to be engaged in conversation and talk about their feelings on the issues, so they can understand the details and the potential benefits of pledging funds.
Once a person agrees to participate it is time to secure a specific amount. Donors can never be thanked enough. It is important to convey and continue to confirm your appreciation of their generosity and the time they have taken to talk to you. It is also important to ensure all donors are accurately informed about details such as payment amounts and dates.
We are a specialist telephone fundraising agency and we take a sensitive approach, focusing on building new and long term relationships as well as consistently forming new ones. We operate an efficient service and we are pleased to offer the highest quality support to our long and diverse list of clients.
