Fundraising Phone Calls

What’s the most under-utilized tool in fundraising? The phone! ☎️ Almost 20 years ago, I started making fundraising phone calls for Manhattan Theatre Club. (John Patrick Shanley’s DOUBT was all the rage: everything old is new again 😱.)

And I NEVER would have thought that phone calls would STILL be this effective in 2024, but they are!

✨ I’ve helped non-profit organizations to raise over $16M - over the phone. (Primarily in donations of $2k or less!) ✨

📞 Here’s 5 reasons you should START DIALING 📞:

• You’re looking for a more personal way to deepen your organization’s relationship with current (& lapsed!) donors.

• Your community is responding less & less to mass emails & letter appeals.

• You have donor levels or benefits you’d like to “beta test” before making official decisions.

• You have an upcoming event that’s not filling up as quickly as you anticipated & you want increased RSVPs - ASAP.

• You want to say “thank you” for Year End gifts, while encouraging further engagement.

In my 5-Minute Fundraising Ask training programs, I teach development teams, nonprofit leaders, & board members how to engage in short, genuine conversations with potential donors (& also make an Ask!) through specific, targeted phone conversations.

How do YOU feel about picking up the phone? Is it totally in your comfort zone? Does just the thought of making a call give you hives? Are you somewhere in between? Let’s talk about it!