The Pentera Blog
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.
Here is a recap of ten pointers she offered for increasing observation and communication skills with donors:
1. Appearances can be deceiving. For instance, a well-dressed man at the airport terminal may not be wealthy; he may be a drug smuggler. An elderly single woman dressed modestly may have tremendous wealth.
2. Don't make assumptions. When meeting with donors, get the facts. Don't make inferences based on what you think. Your assumptions may be wildly wrong.
3. Pay attention to the details. By gathering all the small pieces of information and connecting the dots, you can get the big picture for your donor.
4. Be mindful of how you see the world. Ask yourself if stereotypes or your way of viewing the world is limiting how you listen and communicate with donors.
5. Be mindful of how people see you. You hold confidential information about donors during their various life stages. Do they perceive you as trustworthy, friendly, honest, and knowledgeable?
6. Be willing to talk about difficult things. If someone has lost a spouse or child, you cannot avoid that topic simply because it is difficult. You need to be able to communicate about sensitive topics with donors.
7. Articulate what you see so misperceptions can be corrected. By communicating with donors about what you observe, your donors then have an opportunity to correct you if you are mistaken. This helps avoid a breakdown in communications.
8. Don't lose your edge. Every person and situation is different Ask yourself: "Have I missed anything?"
9. Use all five of your senses. How someone shakes your hand and whether they look you in the eye or look away is important information. Don't ignore body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions.
10. Be accountable for your words and actions. If you are not mindful of your words, you may not communicate what you intend. For example, you wouldn't want to abruptly say "can't" or "never" when what you really mean is, "I am not sure of the answer but let me look into that for you." Don't close off communications that your donors and your organization may need for making informed and wise gift decisions.
Use these tips to re-think what you do in your profession. By carefully honing your observation skills, you can communicate more effectively with the people who want to make meaningful gifts to your organization.
Contact Pentera today for all your planned giving marketing needs.
