Fundraising Success 101: The Effective Ask
Like it or not, fundraising is the lifeblood of any successful political endeavor.
(Yes, I know you don’t like it. Yes, I know you don’t think money belongs in politics. Yes, you are correct. No, you are not special and have not figured out a magic formula to exist without money.)
Running campaigns in our system as it exists means the dollars fuel everything from volunteer supplies and grassroots field efforts to paid advertising and critical campaign operations like software and filing fees.
The center of this process — whether you are talking about traditional fundraising or digital fundraising — is the “hard ask.” This is a specific, concise, urgent way to phrase your question so that it increases the likelihood of securing financial support (and applies equally to volunteer commitments and earning votes.
At Evinco, we coach our clients in the mechanics of the “hard ask” and often have to remind them to stick to best practices to meet their goals. Here are some of our most-repeated tips:
Be confident and specific. When making a hard ask, be confident in your request. Clearly state what you're asking for, whether it's a donation, volunteer support, or a vote. People want to invest in a winner. You have to sound like one, whether you believe it or not.
Know your audience. When making fundraising calls, your ask should be tailored to the individual. If they're a past donor or supporter, take their history into account when determining the ask amount. If they aren’t, look for information on their occupation and employer and then use the internet to get an idea of their salary. It’s not a perfect system, but it’ll keep you from asking a teacher for $5,000 and a tech CEO for $35.
Build urgency. Create a sense of urgency leading up to the hard ask. Use fundraising deadlines, budget needs, or event dates to emphasize the need for their support. (“I need to raise $7,000 by the end of the week to send out my last campaign mailer, can you help by donating $200 today?”)
Be persistent. Don't be discouraged by an initial "no." If they decline your first request, consider making a secondary or tertiary ask, adjusting the amount or request type accordingly. But be human about it. If someone in their family was diagnosed with cancer, or just lost their job, consider pivoting to a volunteer ask.
Pause and wait: After making the hard ask, give the person time to respond. Avoid over-explaining or talking too much immediately after the request. Silence can be powerful in encouraging a clear response. My favorite tool for this is keeping a glass of water on my desk. I make the ask and then take a sip of water. The water forces me to be quiet for 6-8 seconds and keeps the ball in their court.
Just as important as making the hard ask is being able to recognize a soft ask and avoid it like the plague. Whether you find yourself slipping, or are coaching a client in fundraising, keep an eye out for these flags:
Ambiguity and generalities. Soft asks are vague and lack clarity. Avoid open-ended questions that don't clearly state what you're seeking. ("Could you consider supporting my organization?’)
Lack of urgency. Soft asks typically lack the urgency found in hard asks. Without a clear call to action or deadline, potential donors may not feel compelled to act immediately. ("Are you able to attend an event for my re-election campaign?")
Limiting opportunities for follow-up or negotiation. Soft asks don’t provide an opening for additional requests if the initial response is negative. This can limit your ability to secure money or additional support.
If you follow these tips and avoid the soft ask, you'll increase your chances of meeting the budget for your cause or candidate.
And like I said, even if you’re just paying a filing fee – your campaign will cost money. While you don’t necessarily have to have millions, you do need to suck it up and fundraise. Making a hard ask will make the process more effective and efficient so you can get it over with.
Want more help fundraising for your campaign? Book a free 15-minute consultation today to see how we can help your campaign reach its funding goals.