Your Call Time Fundraising Script

Asking someone for money can be awkward, and it is commonplace for candidates to seek the comfort of a script to help get them through a call with a prospective donor. However, one of the keys to having an effective conversation is actually to not hew too closely to a word-for-word script. This article discusses some best practices for developing a “call time conversation guide,” that can be far more powerful.

Relational, not transactional

A common refrain at CallTime.AI is that fundraising should be relational, rather than transactional. This is why a conversation guide is far more preferable than a script. Most of us can tell when you’re reading off a script, and it instantly feels impersonal and disconnected. Those are not the feelings you want someone to have before asking them to give you money. It’s important to stay present in the conversation, really listening to the person on the other side of the phone so you can offer a genuine response and let the conversation have a natural flow to it. A script often gets in the way of this. Instead, your call time conversation guide should focus on the goal of your conversation (i.e., are you asking for a specific amount of money, to stay in touch, to have them attend an event, etc.?), and a general outline for how your ideal conversation will flow.

A sample conversation structure:

Here is an example of an effective conversation structure to consider as you craft your own call time conversation guide:

Who are you?

Many make the mistake of just diving into a full monologue that covers everything from biography to policy. Instead, consider the most succinct way to describe yourself — see if you can do it in just a sentence or two.You’ll have plenty of time to talk more about yourself, later.

Some examples: “I’m a progressive candidate for congress,” “I’m a neighbor,” “I’m a local nurse,” etc.

Who are they?

Next, quickly turn the conversation towards them. Part of making the call feel personal is being able to offer some sort of context about why you are calling the person you are calling — no one wants to feel like they’re just one name on a list of thousands of names. In fact, if they do feel that way, it’s really easy to say “no” and assume you’ll get the money elsewhere.

This is where the CallTime.AI tools can be helpful, because you can use their past giving history, or social media data, or previous logged calls/notes to explain what about them motivated you to call.

Some examples: “I’m calling you because I believe you were a supporter of Assemblymember Parker’s last campaign, and she and I are actually both working on projects that are impacting the local public schools,” “I’m calling you because we had a chance to connect via email a few weeks ago, and I wanted to be sure I had followed up.”

Who are we, together?

Now that you’ve quickly set the stage for who you are, and why you’re calling them, it’s time to really dig into the meat of your conversation: how does this campaign bring us together? This is your opportunity to establish a sense of shared vision and purpose with this prospect. Just as before, however, you want to avoid doing so merely by speaking about your own background and policies. Instead, try and weave your own experiences and views into a back-and-forth conversation, that solicits serious input from the person on the other end of the phone.

The ideal situation is that the prospect feels truly invested in the work you’re doing, such that they want to be part of it. You don’t usually accomplish that just by telling them why you’re running. Instead, you have to bring them into it, and one of the best ways to do that is to ask their advice and opinions.

Some examples: “Something I’m really concerned about is access to quality healthcare in Georgia. I have some ideas about how we can address that in congress, but first I’d love to hear any thoughts you have.” “I decided to run for school board when I learned there were major gaps in performance in our high schools. I have started to put together a plan to get things back on track, and I’d love to get your feedback on it.”

The ask

Once you’ve had some positive back-and-forth, the real trick is then pivoting back to the goals and vision of the campaign, and the need for resources to support it. Essentially, you’re looking for a smooth transition where you can say, “…and that’s why this race is so important/why we’re running this campaign, and your support would be so valuable.” This is also where the tips/tricks of strong asks come in.

For people with significant giving capacity ($1k+) it’s okay not to make a direct ask on the first call. As long as you’re being disciplined about follow up (which CallTime.AI makes easier) you can afford to have early conversations where all you’re doing is introducing yourself, and starting to build that relationship. Then, record notes, and be sure to reference your prior conversations in future calls, building on the relationship, before making the ask on a subsequent call.

A final note: practice goes a long way. As long as you are reflective, you will become more effective as you do more calls. So consider starting off with some practice calls, or some lower-stakes calls to try out new things and sharpen your skills. And don’t forget that the CallTime.AI team is always happy to help!