Everyone loves secrets. How about some secrets to solicitations?

Terence M. Green, vice president of development at Childrens’ Hospital Los Angeles, provided some secrets and suggestions in his presentation, “How to Ask: A Practical Guide for Your Staff, Your Board and Your Volunteers,”  during this year’s Association of Healthcare Philanthropy’s International Conference in Chicago.

Here are 16 of his secrets to successful major gift solicitations:

• Set reasonable and achievable goals
• Maintain a positive attitude about yourself as well as your prospects
• Believe in  yourself and your institution
• Learn and execute the fundamentals of solicitation
• Understand your prospect and meet the person’s needs
• Establish long-term relationships
• Be prepared
• Have a professional appearance
• Strive to establish a rapport and confidence
• Master the information
• Tell the truth
• Be sincere
• Sell the impact, not the means
• Qualify the prospect
• Never criticize other agencies or fundraisers
• Be on time

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