Episode Summary:
Raise your hand if you’ve ever walked out of a donor meeting thinking, “Oh my gosh, I totally messed that up.” 🙋‍♀️ We've all been there! Asking for a major gift can feel stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, I break down the five biggest solicitation mistakes I see fundraisers make every single day—and how to avoid them.

Whether you’re struggling with when to ask, what to say, or how to handle donor objections, this episode is packed with real-life strategies to help you make stronger asks and close bigger gifts.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
✅ Why asking too soon can cost you the gift (and how to fix it)
✅ How to make your donor meetings feel like a conversation—not a monologue
✅ The #1 mistake that leads to vague, unconvincing asks (and how to make yours clear & compelling)
✅ What to say when a donor hesitates or pushes back
✅ Why following up is a must—even if the answer is “I need to think about it”

Mistakes Covered in This Episode:
🚨 Mistake #1: Asking Too Soon – Why 90% cultivation, 10% ask is the magic ratio
🚨 Mistake #2: Talking Too Much – How to get the donor to do most of the talking (and why silence after the ask is golden)
🚨 Mistake #3: Not Being Clear About the Ask – How to structure your ask so the donor knows exactly what you’re requesting
🚨 Mistake #4: Not Handling Objections Well – Why objections are NOT rejections (and how to turn a no into a maybe, and a maybe into a yes)
🚨 Mistake #5: Failing to Follow Up – The easiest way to leave money on the table

Resources & Links:
📌 FREE Objection Handling Guide – Listen to the Podcast HERE
📌 15 Best Questions to Ask Donors During Cultivation – Download HERE
📌 Connect with Me on LinkedIn – Let’s talk fundraising! Connect & Follow Me HERE

Your Next Steps:
🎧 Loved this episode? Leave a review and let me know your biggest takeaway!
📢 Share this episode with a fellow fundraiser who could use a confidence boost before their next big ask.
📩 Got a question or topic request? Send me a voice message here: [Insert SpeakPipe Link]

Thanks for listening, fundraiser! Go out there and make some magic happen. 🚀✨

Welcome to the first podcast of 2025! Starting a new year can feel like both a blank slate and a daunting challenge—especially when your fundraising total resets to zero. But don’t worry, fundraiser, we’ve got you covered.

In this episode, we break down how to approach your annual fundraising goals with clarity, strategy, and confidence. You’ll learn:

1. How to divide your big fundraising goal into actionable quarterly milestones.
2. The importance of maintaining a prospect list full of ready-to-close donors.
3. How to build work-back plans for each prospect to keep you on track.
4. How to account for life’s distractions, from gala season to vacation time.
5. Why quarterly reviews are critical to staying proactive and hitting your targets.

Whether your fiscal year aligns with the calendar or not, this episode is packed with tips and tricks to help you tackle your goals head-on and stay flexible as life happens.

Resources Mentioned:

• Download your FREE Major Gift Fundraising Planner here

Got a big fundraising goal for 2025? Let’s tackle it together! Listen to the full episode, and don’t forget to share this podcast with a fellow fundraiser who could use a motivational boost.

Major Donor Meeting Mastery:

If you want to lean in to how to set yourself up for getting to the ask quicker and having deeper relationships, check out this $47 masterclass.

Subscribe & Follow:

• If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to the Hey Fundraiser! podcast so you never miss an episode.
• Join Mary in the Major Gift Fundraisers Facebook Group for more fundraising tips, funny moments, and promotional content.

Connect with Mary:

• Website: www.heyfundraiser.com
• Email: mary@heyfundraiser.com

→ Join The Fundraising Collective

→ Connect with Mary Petersen on LinkedIn
→ Join our Private Facebook Group

→ Schedule Your Free Gameplan Call with Mary

It should not take you more than a year to close a major gift. The days of cultivating for 18+ months is OVER. I hope this story inspires you to:

• embrace permission-based fundraising
• trim your portfolio so that you have 40-60 qualified prospects
• go deeper with fewer prospects, as opposed to shallow efforts with hundreds of prospects

Send a voicemail to Mary: https://www.speakpipe.com/heyfundraiser

Major Donor Meeting Mastery:

If you want to lean in to how to set yourself up for getting to the ask quicker and having deeper relationships, check out this $47 masterclass.

Subscribe & Follow:

• If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to the Hey Fundraiser! podcast so you never miss an episode.
• Join Mary in the Major Gift Fundraisers Facebook Group for more fundraising tips, funny moments, and promotional content.

Connect with Mary:

• Website: www.heyfundraiser.com
• Email: mary@heyfundraiser.com

→ Join The Fundraising Collective

→ Connect with Mary Petersen on LinkedIn
→ Join our Private Facebook Group

→ Schedule Your Free Gameplan Call with Mary

What sets the most successful major gift officers (MGOs) apart from the rest? In this episode, we explore the single most important trait that top-performing MGOs share—a quality that helps them thrive in the face of challenges, build meaningful donor relationships, and achieve extraordinary results.

We’ll unpack how this trait shows up in daily fundraising work, why it’s so crucial for long-term success, and, most importantly, how you can cultivate it in your own career. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, this episode will give you practical steps to strengthen your skills and unlock your potential as a fundraiser.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why this one trait is a game-changer for major gift officers
• How this quality impacts every stage of the donor journey, from cultivation to stewardship
• Real-life examples of how top MGOs use it to overcome challenges and build trust
• Actionable tips to develop this trait and incorporate it into your daily work

Don’t Miss This Episode If:

• You’ve ever struggled with setbacks in your fundraising efforts.
• You’re looking for strategies to improve your donor relationships.
• You want to learn the secret that separates top MGOs from the rest.

Listen now and discover the #1 trait that will take your fundraising career to the next level!

Subscribe & Follow:

• If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to the Hey Fundraiser! podcast so you never miss an episode.
• Join Mary in the Major Gift Fundraisers Facebook Group for more fundraising tips, funny moments, and promotional content.

Connect with Mary:

• Website: www.heyfundraiser.com
• Email: mary@heyfundraiser.com

→ Join The Fundraising Collective

→ Connect with Mary Petersen on LinkedIn
→ Join our Private Facebook Group

→ Schedule Your Free Gameplan Call with Mary

In today’s episode, we tackle one of the most vital elements of major gift fundraising—finding new prospects! Whether you're a seasoned fundraiser looking to sharpen your strategy or a newcomer eager to build your prospect pipeline, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you cultivate meaningful relationships with future major donors.

Join Mary as she shares proven tactics for identifying and qualifying high-potential prospects who will truly make a difference in your organization. We’ll dive into the importance of affinity and capacity, leveraging your board’s network, qualifying potential donors through discovery calls, and even mining your own database for hidden gems. This episode is all about finding, qualifying, and nurturing the best prospects so you can spend more time building relationships and less time chasing “maybes.”

If you’re ready to create a lean, focused portfolio of prospects who are passionate about your mission, then this episode is for you!

Key Takeaways:

1. The Right Prospect Pool Equals Major Gift Success
   Learn why a lean, well-curated prospect pool is worth more than a list of hundreds of "maybe" prospects. Mary shares why quality over quantity is the key to securing transformative gifts.

2. Affinity + Capacity: The Qualifying Formula
   Discover how identifying prospects with high affinity for your mission and strong giving capacity is essential to building a successful prospect list.

3. Leverage Your Network Through Board and Volunteers
   Tips for turning your board members and campaign volunteers into powerful prospecting partners, allowing you to expand your network without spending extra hours on direct prospecting.

4. Mining Your Database for Hidden Gems
   The database you already have is one of your best resources for finding potential major donors. We discuss how to identify mid-level donors, lapsed major donors, and ways to use wealth screening wisely.

5. Building Trust from the First Contact
   Mary shares her favorite “sticky trust strategies” to make a memorable impression from the first interaction, laying the foundation for a lasting donor relationship.

Mentioned in this Episode:

• 6 Ways to Build Your Best Major Gift Portfolio — Explore our blog post that dives into portfolio management, qualifying prospects, and maximizing every spot in your pipeline.
• Major Donor Meeting Mastery — Mary’s $47 training that gives you the frameworks and confidence to land major donor meetings and turn those relationships into big wins for your organization. Learn more here.

Additional Resources:

• Current Trends for Major Gift Officers — Read up on trends for gift officers to hone your portfolio, maximize prospect outreach, and cultivate transformative donor relationships.

→ Join The Fundraising Collective

→ Connect with Mary Petersen on LinkedIn
→ Join our Private Facebook Group

→ Schedule Your Free Gameplan Call with Mary

In this episode, Mary dives into the number one challenge faced by her major gift coaching clients—fear of making the ask. Whether it’s the fear of rejection or the fear of damaging a relationship, many fundraisers struggle with taking that final step. Mary shares practical strategies to help you confidently make major gift asks, even when fear kicks in. From mindset shifts to cultivation tactics, and knowing when it’s time to ask, this episode is packed with actionable advice. Mary also discusses how to handle objections and what to do if your prospect says no.

Key Takeaways:

• Fear of Rejection is Real: Mary shares her own experiences with the fear of rejection and how getting past that initial "no" helped her grow as a major gift officer.
• Mindset Shifts: Learn how to reframe your thinking from viewing an ask as a withdrawal in the emotional bank account to seeing it as an opportunity for your prospect to make a meaningful impact.
• Cultivation Tactics: Discover the importance of preparing your prospect for the ask by understanding their motivations, interests, and connection to your organization’s mission.
• Permission-Based Fundraising: Mary emphasizes the value of gaining permission for next steps in every interaction to build trust and ensure that the ask won’t be a surprise.
• Handling Objections: Mary provides examples of open-ended questions that can help you understand and address any concerns your prospect might have, reducing the chances of a "no."

Resources Mentioned:

• Free Download: 15 Questions to Ask During Cultivation - These questions will help you deepen your relationship with your prospect and get you closer to a successful ask.
• Schedule a Game Plan Call: Book your free 45-minute call with Mary to discuss your unique challenges in major gift fundraising and how to overcome them.

Subscribe & Follow:

• If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to the Hey Fundraiser! podcast so you never miss an episode.
• Join Mary in the Major Gift Fundraisers Facebook Group for more fundraising tips, funny moments, and promotional content.

Connect with Mary:

• Website: www.heyfundraiser.com
• Email: mary@heyfundraiser.com

→ Join The Fundraising Collective

→ Connect with Mary Petersen on LinkedIn
→ Join our Private Facebook Group

→ Schedule Your Free Gameplan Call with Mary

In this episode, Mary dives into transforming board members into effective storytelling fundraisers. She highlights the significance of board members feeling comfortable and skilled in connecting with donors through the organization's stories. Mary categorizes board members into four types: connectors, storytellers, visionaries, and closers. She offers insights on how board members can craft three vital stories: their involvement story, impact story, and thank you story. Additionally, Mary outlines key storytelling rules and suggests conducting storytelling exercises during board retreats to enhance these skills.

Book a FREE gameplan call with Mary

Watch this podcast episode on the Hey Fundraiser! Youtube channel

Grab a copy of the slides here

Listen to the previous podcast episode
Four Types of Board Members

Takeaways:

• Board members are pivotal in fundraising by engaging with donors and narrating the organization's stories.
• Board members can be identified as connectors, storytellers, visionaries, or closers.
• Each board member should develop three core stories: their involvement story, impact story, and thank you story.
• Stories need to be genuine, relatable, and focused on the organization's community impact.
• Board retreats offer a great opportunity for board members to hone their storytelling abilities.

→ Join The Fundraising Collective

→ Connect with Mary Petersen on LinkedIn
→ Join our Private Facebook Group

→ Schedule Your Free Gameplan Call with Mary