Following Up

The quality of relationships, not merely their quantity, shape your journey.

Several years ago, my boss asked me to visit a younger donor. His father was a famous venture capitalist but only gave a small check every year. With little hope of improving our relationship, my employer - a civil rights organization - sent me (the new guy) to see if they could stir his interest.

I arrived three hours early and was so nervous that I was shaking. The prospect was very friendly but gruff, and opened the meeting by letting me know that my civil rights organization wasn’t on his list of priorities.

“I’m thinking about what happens when we go to Mars, not civil rights here in the US. That’s too limited.” I don’t know what came over me, but I leaned into the desk and looked him in the eyes. “You know, Marcus,” I said. “Martians need civil rights, too!”. He stopped, looked surprised, and then started to belly laugh.

We kept in touch, even though there wasn’t much hope of a gift. I liked him, and he liked me. I built my follow up on a regular cadence. But one day, there was a crisis in the organization, and we had a huge political opportunity that needed funding quickly.

Without much hope, I called Marcus and left a voicemail. The next day I received a package overnighted from his office. In it was a check at 100x, his average giving size. It included a note thanking us for the regular communication. He was a prospect on our list, of course. But I put him on there because I was mapping everyone I knew, not because I thought that he’d actually give.

Neglecting to stay in touch risks losing connections and potential opportunities.

Given their busy lives, people can easily forget you unless you maintain contact. This oversight can be detrimental in business, where relationships and referrals are vital. All experienced fundraisers have had the gut-wrenching experience of having a mutual acquaintance inform us that a donor we left behind recently donated to another organization working in the same field. Incidents like these are wake-up calls and clear examples of missed opportunities due to neglect. However, staying connected needn’t be complex or time-consuming.

Some follow up conversations are simple - a mass mailing or newsletter that explains how the money is being used effectively.

Some is more personal. A brief email, a phone call, or a text to check in suffices.

Follow up has one purpose: sharing with the donor how you're stewarding the resources that they entrusted you with.

Consistency and intentionality are crucial. The pacing will depend on donor preferences and their value to the organization vs. the time that you have available. For most folks, appropriate follow up should happen at least once a month.

Maintaining contact with your network fortifies relationships, enhances opportunities, and positions you for success. Never undervalue the power of that consistent connection.