Asking about Asking: Mastering the Art of Conversational Fundraising

The insights that Kent Stroman shared in this book were immensely helpful for my husband and I as we were raising funds to serve in a non-profit Christian ministry. We began to pursue our fundraising from a donor perspective rather than just from our own perspective.This book helped us to see that rather than just following our own agenda for asking for financial support, we needed to focus on building the relationship to find out what motivates the donor to give and what they want to accomplish with their donor dollars. Our support appointments became conversations about giving rather than merely coming across as "sales pitches".This book is a must read for anyone seeking to cultivate relationships with donors that will stick with you for years to come!

"The Ask" is too often treated like a mystical event. This book, while a bit disorganized, breaks down the evaluation and decision making process most donors need to go through. The central premise, that gift officers don't need to (and shouldn't) guess or assume what is important to the donors they are working with, is refreshing. I see too much "spray and pray" style communication. Donors don't always know what they want, we need to ask perceptive questions, listen, provide examples, and listen a lot more.The stair cultivation stair step is worth the prices of the book. For mgo's not currently using a gift proposal, the template is a bonus.

I have been in fundraising for over 20 years. I would contend that the majority of fundraisers are "tellers." They believe so much in their mission that they love to "tell" current and prospective donors about every aspect of it...and then ask for support. "Tellers" who are not very compelling typically don't last long as fundraisers. "Tellers" who are very compelling can do well at raising large "transactional gifts" -- i.e. impactful gifts that help move their mission forward. However, "transformational gifts" -- the kind that have a transformative impact on an organization's mission -- only come when the fundraiser learns to "tell" a lot less and "ask" a lot more; when they learn to love the sound of the donor's voice more than their own; when they become "donor-centric." Being a donor-centric fundraiser doesn't mean the fundraiser does not communicate his/her passion for the cause. Indeed passion is contagious. Rather, being donor-centric means focusing first on learning the donor's passions and discovering the connection points with the organization's mission...and then framing what is shared about the organization around the donor's passions. Being donor-centric means not treating donors like an ATM machine, but respecting them as human beings who need time to process major giving decisions. Being donor-centric means not assuming a donor's giving capacity and instead allowing them to dictate what an appropriate ask looks like. Being donor-centric means helping the donor to determine the means of giving that serves them best. Kent Stroman is a seasoned and gifted fundraising professional who has mastered the art of donor-centric fundraising, which he calls "conversational fundraising." In his book, he lays out what it looks like and provides the tools and process needed to become a donor-centric "conversational fundraiser." If you want to move from being a struggling fundraiser or a generally effective fundraiser to a high impact fundraiser - READ KEN'S BOOK!

This is an excellent book, full of practical advice for moving the cultivation process forward with donors. Each step of the staircase is essential in order to get to major gift success. It is also an easy read, so it is a perfect desktop companion for quick reference later.

What an inspiring book! As one who is new to the world of fundraising for a non-profit, this book has given me confidence and much thought provoking material to be better prepared as I approach donors.

Very practical book and it WORKS! Still working my way through it but what I've read and practiced has already made a difference in how I approach donors and potential donors. A special thanks to my friend who recommended I get this book. I've already passed it on to our donor relations team as well.

Kent is brilliant! This is the best book on face-to-face asks I've ever read. It's a must-read for anyone who hasn't yet mastered personal fundraising.

Great book. Very easy to read and great easy-to-follow practical tips.

If you are into fund raising, this is the book for you. I used it for that purpose recently and ti worked out really nicely.