Keys to Crafting a Great Donor Pitch - with Roy Lenardson
Show Notes
In this episode of 7-Figure Fundraising, host Trevor Bragdon interviews Roy Lenardson, president of Strategic Advocacy. Roy has worked with some of America's largest companies and organizations as a political strategist, operative, and manager. He is a specialist in crafting specific and clear messaging, and has worked as a pitch coach at all of the 7-Figure Fundraising workshops. Trevor and Roy discuss principles for creating a great pitch in this episode.
Roy’s Background
Roy developed his skill for pitching as a way to “survive a torturous environment.” For years, Roy worked as a non-partisan analyst in committee hearing rooms, and heard thousands of hours of testimonies. Then, on the campaign trail, he heard the delivery of countless messages, and developed a sixth sense as to which communication methods work and which ones don’t.
Structure for Crafting a Great Pitch
Trevor and Roy discuss principles for creating a great pitch, and the importance of writing multiple drafts with different goals in mind for each draft. Roy says that one principle of writing great pitches is not trying to be perfect on the first try. The first draft should be about 30% ready, the second draft 60% ready, and the third draft 90% ready. You should be able to get to 30% ready in one hour, as long as you don’t overthink it. In their workshops, Trevor and Roy use a template that walks through three sections of a pitch: look back, look down, and look forward. In the “look back” section, you should thank the donor for how they’ve helped you so far and recap your organization’s origin story. Next, in the “look down” section, you should share what you are currently working on and anything exciting that has happened in the past year. Lastly, in the “look forward” section, you should cast a vision for the future and how you can positively impact the world with the donor’s money.
1. Look Back
In the “look back” section, it is important to make the donor feel like they are a part of the cause, and show them how invested they have been in your company in the past. Remind them how much they have given in total to your organization, and provide practical examples of how that money has driven your mission forward.
2. Look Down
In the “look down” section, it is important to not overcomplicate day-to-day goings-on. Present the most important, interesting, and unique things your organization is currently working on or has worked on in the past year. Roy suggests avoiding growth stats or internal staffing information. Ultimately, you should aim for emotional connection. It is often easy to forget accomplishments, but Roy encourages listeners that it is important to be proud of them in a more aggressive way. While men tend to be overconfident, he’s noticed some women don’t take enough credit for their accomplishments.
3. Look Forward
In the “look forward” section of the pitch, you lay out the case for what you plan to do over the next one to two years. Roy suggests giving high-level plans, and not being overly detailed. List the biggest projects and give bits of interesting information about them. Paint a picture of what the future would look like if you are successful, but don’t overpromise. Be realistic. It is important to be enthusiastic, build momentum, and create excitement in the room when talking about the future. Get your donors excited about your optimistic future! Finally, close out the section – and the pitch – by asking for a donation. When you finally ask for the money, it can be awkward. Roy iterates that after you ask, you must stop talking. He suggests practicing the silence that will undoubtedly happen post-pitch while you wait for the other person to respond.
Revising & Polishing
Roy and Trevor discuss how important it is to fully script out your pitch. It is very difficult to write how we speak, so one way to get around this is by dictating the first draft of your pitch to your computer. Roy says that you should dictate each paragraph one at a time, and do it a few times until it feels right. Your document doesn’t need to look like a typical written document. It will have fragments, short sentences, and long sentences. A compelling pitch is written in the way that you actually talk, so that it becomes core to you and resonates. Roy says he still writes down and works through every pitch even after years of experience. If you have spent time to internalize and craft your pitch, you can modify an eight-minute pitch to create shorter or longer talks. Roy provides examples of times that he has had to speak on the fly, and was prepared because he had written down and prepared his pitch so well.
Finally, Roy and Trevor talk about “the money line,” which Roy compares to a pull quote in a newspaper article. This is the line in your pitch to which you want people to say “amen.” Trevor says this line should be memorable in a way that accomplishes your purposes and drives your point home. You should always have at least one or two money lines, no matter what you’re talking about. To find these, first figure out the parts of your talk that you are most proud of. Then take those one or two things that you love and reword them into money lines. Once you have it, Roy encourages you to enjoy the line. Pitching is performing, and you have to provide pauses, inflection, and visual aids to draw your donors in and tug at their heart strings. If you are passionate about your company, you are capable of giving a professional and moving pitch. The best way to perfect your pitch, Roy says, is simply to keep practicing.
Key Takeaways:
1:30 - Roy shares his background and how he developed a sixth sense for what makes a pitch work.
3:31 - Roy and Trevor outline the different focuses when working on a first, second, and third draft of a pitch.
5:55 - It is very important to use a solid structure for your pitch; Trevor and Roy suggest one with three parts: look back, look down, and look forward.
8:26 - Trevor shares a recent experience of being pitched to.
9:09 - Roy iterates that it is important to be a giver; it helps you understand your donors.
12:34 - Roy and Trevor discuss how men are sometimes quick to take credit, while women often don’t take enough credit for their accomplishments.
14:30 - How donors really view young people who pitch to them.
21:36 - Be realistic but optimistic; you are aware of the present but hopeful you can change the future.
26:51 - Roy explains the final transition, when you ask for money.
31:10 - The importance of writing down your pitch; Roy explains why he still does it.
37:00 - Roy discusses money lines and polishing your pitch.
39:51 - Find the things in your speech that you love, and enjoy those moments.
44:02 - Figure out what parts of your pitch you can highlight to lift emotions or use for show and tell.
48:25 - Roy iterates that the only way to pitch well is to practice.
Find out more about Strategic Advocacy on their website
Or email him at roy@strategicadvocacy.com