Working On Closings For Refusals

Openings are pretty tough. They require just the right amount of politeness, determination, and persuasion to work. They require a caller to demonstrate an understanding of what is appropriate and what is acceptably risky. It would be nice if openings were easier.

Closings, on the other hand, are simple, maybe even easy. Remember to thank the prospect; remember to restate the gift amount; and remember to tell the prospect when to send in the check. A lot of remembering and not a lot of doing. Until now.

Just as we try to have a cordial, confident, and persuasive beginning to a call, we should have a strong finish. Getting a refusal is never fun. And it rarely results in a caller being very positive. But I think there could be information on the end of that call as valuable as the information on the end of the simple gift-get. Firstly, it's really important to know why alums who keep getting calls won't give. That information goes towards helping current and future calls. Also, the 'no phone's' are more important than you may think. Remember the fan club? I'll try to script a refusal closing.

Well, Mr. ______, since you aren't planning to make a gift this year, may I ask why?
May I also ask, "what kinds of efforts can Elon make in the future to make you proud to be an alum?"
Can I also make a request of you sir? Could you at any point in the next year take some time to consider your experience at Elon? To think about whether you are proud of being an alum and about what it would be like if you were a student now?
I appreciate your feedback on our program here at Phonathon. It was a pleasure talking to you about Elon.

Instead of getting refusals out of the way, which is what we all do, let's use them. Refusals are as much of an opportunity as pledges. (All we have to do now is figure out what to do with those damn 'Maybes') We can get good, honest feedback, find out the issues that have alums least positive towards Giving, and reposition for next time. We'll also figure out which 'refusals' are real REFUSALS, prospects with no intention of giving and not enough energy to ask not to be called again.

The politeness and persuasion are still there. They are just reaching the same end through a different means. The end is helping current and future students. The means is a plethora of new information at Phonathon's disposal.

And I didn't use the word 'remarkable.' Sort of.