- "I'm really uncomfortable about approaching someone to make a donation!" Anyone would be, if they thought they were just expected to pick up the phone and start making calls. Tell volunteers that they will be trained and that you and other experienced solicitors will be available for moral and technical support. By the time their training is complete, they will be armed with approaches that have paid off for other volunteers over the years.
- "People hate to be asked for money." That's often true, especially if they're taken by surprise and asked to contribute to a cause that has no meaning to them. When the school has done its job—providing information about annual giving during the admission process, reviewing it during parent orientation, and laying the groundwork for this particular campaign—prospects will expect to be contacted. Assure your volunteers that most of the people they'll be contacting are willing to give because they believe in your school and know their support will have a direct and positive impact on students.
- "There's no way I can raise 'big bucks' for the school." New or inexperienced volunteers may think they'll be expected to pull in large donations and may be afraid of being judged as "failures" if they don't. Explain that your school has a separate major gifts program and that their role is to serve as part of a building process, encouraging families to become involved in the campaign. Smaller gifts today can lead to larger gifts tomorrow.
- "Fund raising should be left to the 'pros' at our school." While solicitations by the School Head and Development Director are becoming more prevalent, peer-to-peer contact continues to yield the best return. Prospects respond most positively to someone who is "on their level" in the school, particularly when they are members of the same group (children in fifth grade, daughters on the volleyball team). A donor who asks someone to "join me" in making a contribution also has a great impact; that sense of belonging is a key reason people give.
- "When parents are already strapped by tuition, how can we ask them to give more?" Parents should always give according to their means. If they truly must sacrifice and make major lifestyle changes to pay tuition, and if they are receiving financial aid, they may not be able to contribute much. But it is still important that they give.
As Development Director, you'll be much more successful in recruiting additional solicitors if you understand the fears and "roadblocks" that stand in the way. And, just like your volunteers, you must face the inevitability of rejection. Even careful preparation and your powers of persuasion won't convince every prospective volunteer to sign on for the direct solicitation effort. But don't let them slip away! You still need assistance with other campaign support tasks. There are mailings to prepare and send, records to maintain, and events and celebrations to plan. You may find that, through their involvement in specific annual giving tasks, a volunteer will "grow" into the solicitor's role in future years.
