Good morning and welcome to the Knowledge Series. I am the State Manager, Development and Partnerships for South Australia and the Northern Territory at Creative Australia. Thank you for joining us for the fifth instalment of the Knowledge Series in 2025. 

The Knowledge Series is Creative Australia's webinar series on mastering arts fundraising. We feature national and international fundraising experts to deep dive into key fundraising topics. We are delighted to be joined today by international fundraising expert Kel Haney for this session, Pick Up the Phone! Why and how fundraisers and artists should be making mid-level fundraising asks. 

We begin today by taking a moment to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we are all gathering. I am dialling in from Tarntanya, Adelaide, on the lands of the Kaurna people. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land. I pay my respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to the Traditional Custodians of the lands from which you are joining us today. I also acknowledge all First Nations people on the call today, and my First Nations colleagues at Creative Australia. 

I would also like to introduce our Auslan interpreters supporting today's session. A warm thank you to our interpreters, Shavoy and Jamila, for helping ensure this space is inclusive and accessible. 

Before we begin, a few points on how the session today will run. We are recording today's session. The recording and slide deck will be circulated to those who registered after the session. Please note the chat function has been disabled. You can raise questions using the Q&A function. If you have technical issues, please let us know via the Q&A function as well. You can add questions throughout. We will either answer them as we go, where needed, or at the end of the session. 

It is now my pleasure to introduce today's presenter. Kel is a New York City and Maine-based fundraising trainer, coach, consultant and speaker. She is also a former theatre director. Kel guides not-for-profits in growing their mid-level donor relationships through quick, authentic and successful phone conversations. Kel has trained and coached not-for-profit organisations to raise more than US$20 million, primarily in donations under US$10,000. She has personally made more than 20,000 fundraising phone calls. Those thousands of calls inspired her five-minute fundraising ask framework. 

Kel is passionate about shifting fundraising conversations away from transactional encounters and towards relationship-building opportunities. Kel spent 20 years as a theatre director, and her fundraising methodology is based on how she led a rehearsal room, focusing on what makes each of us unique and engaging. She empowers not-for-profit staff, leadership, boards and freelance artists with the knowledge that they already have the most important tools. 

On a personal note, I first discovered Kel's framework for five-minute fundraising asks close to two years ago, and I have been a keen follower of her content online ever since. Nervousness about asking for support is something I hear every day from fundraisers I work with. That, combined with the rise in giving days over the last several years, with many using telephone calls as a central part of their methodology, piqued my interest. 

Today's Knowledge Series webinar was programmed with this in mind. The inaugural Giving Day to the Arts is taking place on 23 October this year, and we wanted to provide an opportunity to upskill fundraisers in asking for support, including by telephone. That said, the value of today's session will not be limited to those participating in Giving Day to the Arts. I have no doubt you will find Kel's framework useful across a wide range of fundraising programs. 

Kel's emphasis on examining your own relationship to money, leading with curiosity, and focusing on relationship building rather than transactional encounters all resonate with the asking methodology we see working across the arts in Australia. I enjoy how Kel has honed this approach into a practical framework for telephone asking. I have no doubt what Kel shares today will resonate with all of you. Please join me in giving a warm Zoom welcome to today's presenter. 

That introduction was lovely, and I did not know you had been following my content for two years. That is kind. 

I am so happy to be with you all today. My name is Kel Haney. I am the president and founder of Kel Haney Consulting. I am particularly passionate about helping fundraisers and artists empower themselves to connect with mid-level donors, and all donors, over phone calls. 

As you heard in the introduction, and as you can hear from my voice, I am not Australian. I am American. I am a New Yorker who also spends a lot of time on a tiny island off the coast of Portland, Maine. I am joining you from the past in some way. It is just after 9.00 pm on Monday evening here, and it is summer. It is funny how wide and vast our world is, and yet over Zoom we can be together. I get a kick out of that. 

At some point you may hear my little rescue dog bark because my husband is an actor and he is coming home from rehearsal. We will see how she does when he walks in the door. 

I work predominantly with North American fundraisers. That said, I have done speaking engagements and trained fundraisers and artists across the world on how to reach out by phone. I understand there are cultural differences. I also understand the world view of Americans as being front-footed, dare I say pushy, and a little aggressive. I will say all of that is a little true of me, but not all Americans or North Americans are like that. 

A lot of my work is about helping people take the ick out of the ask. Taking the ick out of the ask is a phrase I use often. I have trademarked it, and it is on my LinkedIn profile. It starts a lot of conversations. 

If your palms are getting a little sweaty, or you are feeling nervous about this conversation, I understand. You are here because, if you are not already picking up the phone, you have some interest in it, or someone at your organisation wants you to have some interest in it. 

I have been doing this work for more than 21 years. I have personally made more than 20,000 asks over the phone. That is how I fell into fundraising. I will tell you more about that in a moment. My hope is that you leave this session equipped, and maybe even pumped, to pick up the phone and connect with your community members before Giving Day, on Giving Day, after Giving Day, and beyond. 

Before we get into the objectives and a little more background on me, I want to ask a question. Are you unconsciously or consciously avoiding picking up the phone? Take a deep breath and think about that for a moment. 

You can interrupt me during this session. I am trying to keep my eye on the chat, and the host is also keeping an eye on it. If you have a question as I go, the host will decide whether we should address it in the moment or at the end. 

If you are avoiding picking up the phone, you are not alone. I have a whole fundraising consulting firm based on inspiring artists, fundraisers and artist-fundraisers to pick up the phone and reach out to community members. 

You will notice I use the term community members instead of donors, lapsed donors, LYBUNTs or SYBUNTs. In America we use all these odd acronyms, and I think they can feel icky. I want to be clear that everyone is part of your community, whether they are donors or not donors, whether they are $250 donors or $250 million donors. Everyone is part of the community. That is the language I choose to use. 

As you think about that question, I have a challenge for you this week. I would love you to schedule one hour to make phone calls on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. If you have extra time this afternoon, maybe it is today. Put one hour in your calendar to make phone calls. I will walk you through how to do that. I would love to hear from you on LinkedIn or by email if you do it after today's session. 

As mentioned earlier, I started my career by spending 20 years pounding the pavement in New York City as a theatre director. My first internship was at Manhattan Theatre Club. They own the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on Broadway and are one of the most prestigious theatre companies in the United States. I was the littlest fish in the biggest pond, working for the artistic director. If you are familiar with The Devil Wears Prada, it was like the Anna Wintour of the theatre community, but a kinder and gentler version. I loved it. I loved working at that theatre, and I thought I wanted to run it one day. 

This will not surprise not-for-profit or arts people, but theatre directors in New York City do not make much money. I needed to supplement my income, so I started fundraising over the phone for Manhattan Theatre Club. I got very good, very fast. I personally raised more than US$6 million in less than eight years, all in donations of US$2,500 or less. I was successful not because I had a background in fundraising or sales, but because I was talking about my favourite thing: theatre. I have since reverse engineered why I was able to do it, and that is what led me to this work. 

Today's workshop objectives are: 

1. What makes you uniquely equipped to make fundraising phone calls. 
2. How to dismiss the myths and remove the barriers to entry. 
3. Who you should be calling. 
4. When to integrate phone calls into your fundraising strategy. 
5. How to make a five-minute fundraising ask over the phone. 
6. A few encouragements for why you should start calling this week. 

Building Your Fundraising Toolbox 

The first thing that makes you uniquely equipped to make fundraising phone calls is your vulnerability. I know that is a hard place to start, but I believe vulnerability is the beginning and the end of what makes someone a successful fundraiser. 

I love Brene Brown, so I want to share this quote: Vulnerability is not winning or losing. It is having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness. It is our greatest measure of courage. 

That resonates with me because we have no control over whether someone picks up the phone. And if they do pick up, we have very little control over whether they say yes to our ask. Leading with vulnerability is the best thing we can do. Leading with your own vulnerability encourages your potential donor to be vulnerable with you too. 

Donors often make gifts because of the particular individual they are connecting with. That level of vulnerability you bring to the conversation matters. 

This might sound wild, but I do not believe fundraisers should work from a prescribed script. Scripts are for actors, not fundraisers. I do not want you to play a role on these calls. I want you to bring the most authentic version of yourself that you feel comfortable bringing. 

The other reason scripts do not work well for fundraising is that only one person has the script. The community member you are calling does not have it. How will they know how to follow it? That said, there are two places in a five-minute fundraising call where I recommend specific messaging. We will get into that later. I do not consider that a script. 

The next quality you already have is candour. Instead of the old sales phrase, always be closing, I say always be candid. Being candid and vulnerable go hand in hand. We are all used to people wanting to sell us things or wanting our attention in ways that feel icky. It is important to be clear and honest about why you care. 

This is also about knowing your why. What do you love about the project or organisation? Simon Sinek's Start with Why is useful here. Think about your why, and how you can share that with someone else. 

The next quality is curiosity. Always be curious. The more curious you are, the more you can build a relationship with the donor. People can feel the difference when you are genuinely curious about them. If you are asking a question only to warm them up, why bother being inauthentic? Ask a question you genuinely want to know the answer to. 

If someone has not given to your organisation in three years, ask why. If someone gave out of the blue and you have no idea why, ask why. Ask active, open-ended questions to get to know your community members. A curiosity question will play a role in the first 15 seconds of a phone call. The more genuinely curious you are, the easier, quicker and more natural the connection will be. 

Another quality you have is empathy. Empathy helps you understand how to start the conversation, what follow-up questions to ask, and how to fine-tune your ask. Fundraising hinges on active listening, and active listening works best when you lead with empathy. 

We need to notice what the donor is directly and indirectly communicating. Sometimes there are things they are not saying, and we need to ask more questions to understand why. Do not shy away from hard conversations. The community member might share what they like or do not like about your organisation, how they make decisions about where they donate, or whether this is a good time to donate or even be on the phone. Lead with empathy. 

Another quality is enthusiasm. Your passion leads you to dedicate your time, energy and financial resources to an organisation you love. Use your enthusiasm to inspire community members to do the same. When you are vulnerable and share your enthusiasm, it is infectious. People can hear it in your voice, even if they cannot see your eyes sparkle. Do not be afraid to share your specific why, your stories and what you are passionate about. 

The last quality is your gift for storytelling. This is especially true for artists and creatives. Storytelling is a critical part of developing philanthropic relationships and five-minute fundraising asks. I do not recommend writing out a formal script, but I do recommend having an arc to the conversation. There are four tent poles that hold up the arc of the call. 

Your arc will also have tributaries. That means you use your empathetic listening skills to decide the best route to take. If you end up talking about rescue dogs, or about someone's three-year-old's birthday, that is okay. That is part of relationship building. Your five-minute fundraising ask is a finely tuned and lovingly crafted narrative. 

Myth Busting and Removing Barriers 

One myth I hear all the time is that supporters hate getting calls from not-for-profits. What supporters actually hate are bad phone calls. When they pick up the phone, they are worried you might be a telemarketer, a scam call, or even AI. What they love is having conversations with people who are passionate about the same charities and organisations they are passionate about. These phone conversations can be positive and valuable in the short and long term. 

Another myth is that fundraising calls are a waste of resources. Fundraising calls can provide a significant return on investment. When I start working with a new client, I want to make sure they at least double the investment they make in the work. What is more common is a return between four and seven times the initial investment. Calls are a good use of time and resources when they are quality calls. 

Another myth is that you should never call community members who have already donated. I think this comes from fear of being too pushy or presumptuous. If you lead with gratitude and thank the person specifically for how they have engaged with your organisation, you can open the call and see whether they are in a place to give again. Loyal donors love to hear from you. They may want to donate again, and they need to be asked. Remember this phrase: givers give. 

Another myth is that you should outsource calls to a call centre. I do not recommend working with call centres. In my experience, not-for-profits are much more successful when they run phone-based campaigns internally. That can mean training people already in your organisation to make calls. It might also mean hiring part-time people. My firm helps not-for-profits hire artists to make these calls, which can work very well for both the organisations and the artists. 

A common barrier is not having phone numbers for community members. That is a problem. You cannot make calls if you do not have phone numbers. Often this happens because donation forms do not require phone numbers. Tech companies often design forms to be fast and seamless, and they may recommend making phone numbers optional because they see them as a barrier. I strongly encourage organisations to require a phone number, an email address and a mailing address on donation forms. You need full contact information so you can thank people properly. 

Some clients have had success sending personalised emails asking for phone numbers and explaining that they would like to reach out. It is also worth looking beyond your CRM to see who is part of your base but may not be in your formal records. 

Another barrier is bandwidth. I understand that you are overtaxed. Phone calls are often the first thing to fall away. The answer is time blocking. Put one hour in your calendar to make calls. In theory, with a five-minute fundraising ask, you can make 12 calls in an hour. One hour a week for 48 work weeks equals 576 phone calls in a year. If that calendar time gets taken by something else, put it somewhere else in your calendar. This work is vulnerable, and that means it is easy to procrastinate. You need to hold yourself accountable, or create accountability within your team. 

Another barrier is financial resources. You can enlist your internal team. I love the idea of thank you calls being made by everyone except the development department. Everyone who works for or volunteers for a not-for-profit is a fundraiser. Fundraising starts and ends with community building, advocacy and being spokespeople for organisations we care about. You can also hire part-time outbound fundraisers. I currently work with a team of about 15 artists who are employed directly by organisations to make these calls. 

Another barrier is not having messaging or a script. People often feel they need to get it right before they can start. But you do not need a full script. The five-minute fundraising ask framework gives you the structure you need. 

A question has come through that feels relevant here. How do you deal with the fear that people you are calling might think you are a scammer, and with people's distrust around giving credit card details over the phone? 

Those are two different issues. We will get into the first 15 seconds in more detail shortly, but there are tactics that help people understand who you are straight away. One practical tool is to make sure you call from a number that shows up on caller ID as the organisation. That is a worthwhile investment. 

When it comes to credit cards, people have different comfort levels. Usually, by the time they get to the point of giving credit card details, they have come to know you as a person. If you were a scammer, you would be the best scammer ever because you have shared your own personal relationship with the organisation. Most people feel warmer, more comfortable and safer by then. 

Do not push someone too hard. If they are nervous, you can walk them through how to give online if they are at their computer. Or you can say they can call you back on the organisation's number. Work case by case with their comfort level. Be less concerned about getting the gift in the moment, and more concerned about making them feel comfortable. Your job is not to get their credit card no matter what. Your job is to make them feel comfortable. 

Who should you call? 

I recommend phone calls specifically for mid-level donors. Mid-level donors need their own cadence and communication, different from major donors and grassroots donors. Typically, community members giving between $1,000 and just under $10,000 are considered mid-level. For a smaller organisation, or for project-based fundraising, mid-level may start at $500. Do not get too stuck on the exact number. 

These phone calls work well for mid-level donors because major donors usually already have a pipeline. You might take them out for meals or coffee, and there is a longer relationship-building process. Grassroots fundraising is often supported well by email, segmented email and letter appeals. Mid-level donors need something else. That is where the five-minute fundraising phone call can help. 

Remember: givers give. You can look at people who donated this time last year, for example July through September. Lean into habits people already have. If they gave around this time last year, you can call and thank them specifically for that gift. 

You can also call people who donated around four to ten months ago. It might be a thank you call, or a thank you call with the door open to another ask. Start with gratitude. 

You can call people who donated two to three years ago. They have a relationship with your organisation that might need to be reignited. A phone call is a great way to do that. 

You can also call major donors. This can sit inside broader cultivation. Consider asking major gifts donors to support a phone-specific fundraising campaign or a giving day through a matched gift. Matches are magic. They can galvanise all segments of your donor base. If a major donor usually gives $20,000 but you are never sure whether it will come in, you could ask whether they would make that gift as a match. You can then go back to them and say their gift was matched by a particular number of gifts, with a certain average amount. That shows impact. 

A match also helps smaller donors feel their gift matters. If someone says they can only give $25, you do not need to comment on the amount. But on a giving day you can say that $25 has triple the impact, so it is worth $75 today. 

When to add phone calls to your strategy 

You can add phone calls to your fundraising strategy at several points. 

One is during the holiday season, if that is when your donor base tends to give. Another is the end of the tax year, when people are thinking about their taxes. These two moments are around six months apart, so I recommend reaching out by phone twice a year. 

Giving days are also a great time to call, whether that is the national Giving Day to the Arts in October or another giving day run by your organisation. In North America, Giving Tuesday has been working very well for my clients and has become embedded as the start of the giving season. 

You can call before and after cultivation events. If you have an event coming up, call and invite people even if you think they may not attend. Everyone likes an invitation. After the event, thank them for coming, or if they could not attend, call and tell them about the highlights. Performing arts organisations have many natural touch points: announcing a season, starting a season, ending a season, or sharing upcoming experiences. 

Call when the need arises. That might be an emergency, a capital campaign, or another moment when your organisation needs support. Be candid about the impact and what you could use from them now. 

Call when you are curious about something. If a gift comes in unexpectedly, or you have not heard from someone who usually gives, call and ask. One client had a $10,000 donor and did not know why the gift had come in. I recommended they call and ask. 

Call when something did not go well. That might be a larger organisational issue, or something small in the donor relationship, such as spelling a partner's name incorrectly in a thank you letter. Reach out by phone rather than email. An email may feel less vulnerable, but a phone call lets you connect more candidly. Sometimes the moments when things do not go well are when the relationship gets better. If someone is angry, listen. Be an investigative reporter. Sometimes the person may even be confusing your organisation with another one. Breathe into difficult moments rather than trying to fix them too quickly. 

The five-minute fundraising ask 

The five-minute fundraising ask shifts solicitation from a transactional encounter to a relationship-building opportunity. The focus is not, How can I get this gift right now? The focus is, How can I build a longer-term relationship? Think about the forest of the long-term relationship, not the tree of what happens on this particular call. 

I describe the five-minute fundraising conversation as a tent. The metaphor comes from my more DIY than expected wedding on a small island in Maine. My community came together to put up the tent. A tent is a place where people can gather. There are no doors or windows. People can come and go as they please. A tent is also movable. You can have one conversation about Giving Day, another about a future fundraiser, another about a capital campaign, or the start of a theatre season. 

Tents are held up by tent poles. The five-minute fundraising ask has four tent poles. 

Tent pole one is the first 15 seconds. This is where you establish trust and rapport. 

Tent pole two is the main event. This is where you call the community member further into your organisation. 

Tent pole three is the actual ask. This is where you shoot for the moon with a specific numerical donation. 

Tent pole four is the wrap-up. This is where you establish the next point of contact. 

The first 15 seconds matter so much that they get their own tent pole. The main event and the ask are separate. The ask is not the main event. The main event is calling the community member further into your organisation. Then comes the ask. The wrap-up makes clear that there will be another point of contact, because this is about long-term community building. 

Tent pole one: The first 15 seconds 

The first 15 seconds are where you establish trust and rapport. 

Open with gratitude. Thank them for how they have already engaged with your organisation. Be specific if you can. Mention when they gave, how much they gave, if they volunteered, attended an event or made an in-kind gift. Use their first name. Most people are comfortable with that level of informality. If they are not, they will tell you and you can note it. 

Share your name and title. Say whether you are the director of development, an associate, a volunteer, a board member, an actor or another role. This helps them understand who you are and that you are not a scammer. 

Tell them why you are reaching out now. That might be Giving Day, preparing for Giving Day, the start of a season, or another organisational moment. 

Ask a curiosity question. For example: What brought you to us in the first place? What keeps you involved? What did you think of the last show you saw? Ask something you genuinely want to know. 

The suggested opening might sound like this: 

Hi Cheryl, my name is Kel. I am the director of development at organisation ABC. I really appreciate you being part of our community. Last August, you gave a gift of $1,000, and we appreciated that so much. We would love to get you more involved, especially as we work towards Giving Day. I am curious to know what keeps you coming here. 

Starting this directly may feel scary, but it works. If you are front-footed and share this information at the start, they do not need to guess who you are or why you are calling. If you begin with, Am I speaking with Miss Davis? How are you today? you give them time to imagine all kinds of stories about why you are calling. Get straight to it. Tell them who you are, that you know who they are, why you are grateful, and ask a genuine question. 

Someone has asked how you make this introduction if it is a cold call. Should you cold call? 

I do not recommend cold calls. I do not think they are worth your time. Sometimes people think it is a cold call when it is not. If someone has come to an event, a show, volunteered, or engaged with your organisation in some way, it is not a cold call. It might feel like one, but it is not. You can say, We have not met yet, but you came to this event and we would love to get you more involved. What brought you to us in the first place? But truly cold calls are not worth the time and energy. 

Tent pole two: The main event 

The main event is where you call the community member further into your organisation. If the curiosity question from the first 15 seconds becomes a real conversation, follow it. Ask follow-up questions. Allow genuine conversation. This is a moment to share your why and ask theirs. It is a moment to talk about the organisation you both care about. 

You can also share updates about what is happening at your organisation. These might be upcoming events, exciting announcements, wins, changes in leadership, or things that are more complex and easier to explain by phone than by email. 

The final update you share should be about your current fundraising campaign. You are not asking yet. You are telling them what is happening. For example, We are trying to raise $7,500 in August. We just started and have raised $500 so far. This normalises fundraising as part of the organisation's story. 

Do you recommend asking people if it is a good time to chat? 

No. I have a guide called eight phrases not to use in fundraising, and that is one of them. Do not ask if it is a good time to chat, because they will say no. If it is not a good time, they will interrupt you and tell you. Fundraisers often ask because they do not want to be on the phone and are subconsciously trying to get out of it. 

I also do not recommend asking, Do you have any questions? If they have questions, they will ask. Part of this is about being the host of the call. Like hosting someone in your home, you have a structure for the evening. You are guiding the call. If you stop to ask, Is this a good time? or Do you have any questions? you give up your role as host. 

Tent pole three: The ask 

The ask is where you shoot for the moon with a specific, intentional, numerical donation. I always recommend an anchor ask based on the person's giving history and your current goal. If they gave $500 last year, you might ask if they would consider $750 this year. The number should not come from thin air. It should relate to their giving history and to what you are trying to raise. 

Please ask for a specific amount. It is important because the person then knows what you are asking of them and what would be useful to the organisation. 

You can ask, How does that sound so far? if that feels more comfortable, but the most important thing is to hold for the silence after the ask. 

For example: 

Thank you so much for being on this call. I have really appreciated understanding why organisation XYZ is important to you. As I mentioned, we are fundraising in August. We have not really been on the phones before, and we are trying that now. My specific goal is for us to raise $7,500 in August. Last year we raised $5,000, so it is a bit of a leap. You were so generous this time last year when you gave $500. I am going to shoot for the moon and see if there is a world in which you would consider $750 this year. What do you think? 

Then hold for the silence. That is hard. Practice it. If they say, Are you still there? you can say, Absolutely, I am just giving you some space to think about it. 

If someone has never given before but has been an audience member, participant or volunteer, how do you set the first amount to ask? 

If your organisation has donor levels or membership levels, work within that framework. In some organisations, you can look at how much they have paid for tickets. If they paid top price for tickets, you might ask for a mid-level gift and explain that this is an active and positive way to support the organisation. If donor structures already exist, use them. 

Common responses to the ask 

If the community member says yes immediately, celebrate it. Open yourself to the possibility that they might say yes. Many fundraisers protect themselves by assuming people will say no. What if they want to? What if you catch them at the right moment? Enjoy the win. 

A specific donation amount helps because it gives the community member something concrete to respond to. It can create a sense of getting something done, not just a warm feeling. 

If the community member asks follow-up questions, take a deep breath. It means they are interested. Answer what you can. It is completely valid to say, I do not know the answer to that, but I can find out. That gives you a good reason to call back. 

If the community member says no, remember that no is a gift. Thank them for their candour. Ask follow-up questions if appropriate. Is the no because the amount is too much? Is it because it is a bad time? Is it because they are upset about something? Is it no forever, or no for now? Continue building the relationship. 

One client had a donor say, We love your organisation, but we are prioritising travel this year. The fundraiser thanked them and ended the call because they were worried about being pushy. But that closed the relationship as a transaction. A more curious response would have been, That sounds wonderful. Where are you going? Keep the conversation open. 

If the community member puts off the decision, they may want to talk to a partner or accountant, or they may need time to think. You can circle back and explain why giving today would help, if they feel comfortable. If not, that is okay. Set up when you will call again. Do not put the scheduling burden on them. You could say, I will be making calls again next Monday. Would that give you enough time? 

Tent pole four: The wrap-up 

The wrap-up is where you establish the next point of contact with the community member. No matter what happened on the call, thank them for their time. They did not need to stay on the phone with you. 

Discuss any logistics, such as how they will make the donation. Confirm contact information. This is a useful moment for CRM clean-up. Check their email address, mailing address and other details. 

Establish when they will next hear from the organisation. You might say you will call again on Giving Day, in December, at the end of the tax year, or after you see a show you think they would enjoy. Ideally, it is a future call from you or someone else in the organisation. If not, it might be an email or an invitation to an event. The point is to keep building the long-term relationship. 

What if they do not answer? 

If the donor does not answer, use a one-two follow-up. First, leave a voicemail. Paraphrase the information from your five-minute ask. These can be longer voicemails. Ask for a specific amount and explain why. Let them know you will call them back and that you will send an email. 

Then send an email referencing the voicemail, ideally in the subject line. You can use a template, but personalise it. In the email, ask for the same specific amount and explain why. Make the donation link easy to find. Leave plenty of white space, because people skim emails. Tell them when you will call again. 

This works especially well for people who already have a giving relationship with you. It can feel presumptuous for someone who has never donated before. 

Six reasons to start dialing this week 

1. You are craving more personal outreach with your community. 
2. You suspect some donors could make larger or more frequent gifts. 
3. You have donor levels or benefits you would like to beta test. 
4. You have a whisper campaign you would like to share with specific members. 
5. You have unanswered questions about gifts or relationships with your organisation. 
6. You simply want to say thank you. 

For Australian fundraisers, asking for a specific amount may feel scary. I think that is something we need to practise. Not having phone numbers may also feel like a barrier. If someone only has 10 phone numbers, can they start there? 

Start with 10. Start with whatever you have. Get into the practice of picking up the phone and having the conversation. This method has worked for me for two decades. It works exceptionally well. It will feel scary at first, and then it will feel invigorating when you are actually connecting with donors. It is like jumping into cold water. It is scary, but then it is exhilarating. 

How do you get past the assistant or receptionist? 

Make the assistant or receptionist your new best friend. Know their name. Be kind. Remember you are working with them. Even if they act like a gatekeeper, your job is to treat them as if you are on the same page. You can ask when it might be best to try again, whether you should put the information in an email, or whether you can copy them in. Loop them into the process if they want to be looped in. Do not fall into the role of annoying telemarketer. You have a relationship with the person you are trying to reach, so stand your ground kindly. 

Can you say more about playing the host in a phone call? 

It is like hosting someone at my home in Maine. I would know a little about them in advance, including dietary preferences. I would plan the evening. I might start with meat and cheese, then a seasonal salad, then seafood risotto, then my husband's curated cookie plate. That is the arc of the night. 

What I do not know is whether they will arrive with two bottles of wine and it becomes that kind of night, or whether they will be on their phones because one of their children is sick and they can only stay for 20 minutes. Your job is to make the person feel comfortable while still setting the guardrails. You guide them through the call, while listening and responding to where they are. 

We have had questions from independent artists who are fundraising through the Australian Cultural Fund. They are first-time fundraisers and are wondering how to build fundraising phone call asks into asking people in their community who have never given before, because they have never asked before. 

It is about calling people further in. Be clear about what you are doing in tent pole two. Beyond raising money, what information do these community members not have? How do you want to engage and educate them? When someone hangs up the phone, you want them to know more about your work and have a stronger, more positive perception of it, whether they give or not. Get clear about the forest of what you are trying to build in the community. If they feel aligned to give now, amazing. If not, you are still laying the blocks for community building. 

If you start making calls this week, I would love to hear how it goes, even if you get stuck. LinkedIn is my social media business happy place, so please connect with me there. You can also email me. I gave you in 90 minutes what I usually work on with clients for a minimum of three months. You are not expected to be an expert, but you should try. 

As you craft your five-minute ask, remember four things. 

First, always come back to taking the ick out of the ask. If you feel icky, they will feel icky. Lead with your superpowers: candour, curiosity, vulnerability, storytelling, empathy and enthusiasm. 

Second, focus on relationship building. It is about the forest of the relationship, not the tree of what happens on one call. 

Third, this five-minute fundraising ask takes practice. The first 15 seconds, the ask itself, and holding for the silence all take practice. The only way to improve is to put in the reps. It will be awkward. You can even tell the person, I have never done this before and I am a little nervous about this part. I am trying something new. Be vulnerable. 

Fourth, fundraising is an extremely vulnerable act. Be kind and gentle with yourself. Drink water or tea. Take a walk around the block before you start. Sit somewhere different when you make the calls. It is hard, and it does get easier. I am glad you were all here today. 

I am certainly leaving today a little wiser and more confident about picking up the phone. I am keen to hear from all the South Australian and Northern Territory fundraisers online about how you go. I am happy to chat about it further. 

I would also like to encourage everyone to register for our next Knowledge Series, The Gratitude Shift, on 11 September with Lisa Sargent. Lisa is a donor communications expert. Her webinar will look at how shifting your approach to gratitude can raise more money, spark deeper loyalty and keep supporters connected to your cause. It is another one you do not want to miss, so please join us on 11 September. 

Thank you again. Thank you all for joining us today. Really lovely. Thank you so much. Bye now.