Face first

After weeks of planning an approach to a prospective donor or sponsor, how can you convince them to support you at a face-to-face meeting? Andrew Maiden reveals the techniques that will increase your powers of persuasion

To maximise your chances of success, you must take control of the meeting to present the benefits of your proposal and ask for support in a structured way.

The headteacher should be the lead presenter, even if the bursar or development director is the project manager, since decision-makers expect the headteacher to be a leading advocate.

Making the ask
There are several key questions:

• what do you want to achieve from the meeting?

• can you expect a commitment from the meeting?

• if your target achievement is not possible, are there lesser commitments you could ask for? and

• if your request is turned down, can you contact them for future proposals?

These questions will help provide you with signposts for the meeting.

You also need to research the prospect. The key is knowing what you are able to offer them in return for their support. Match their requirements with benefits that association with your school can provide.

A meeting of minds
Invite them to attend your school for the meeting to manage their first impressions. If there are numerous entrances to the school grounds, give them directions to the one that shows the school at its best.

Since the beneficiaries of any funding will be the pupils, include them in the process in some way, perhaps as guides. It is important to win your prospect’s confidence early on, otherwise you may never get it. Negative thoughts include:

• I don’t trust you;

• you don’t understand me;

• I don’t understand the project; and

• we are not interested.

It is important to switch these thoughts to:

• I am important;

• I have needs;

• will your ideas help?

• what are the details?

• where are the problems? and

• we are interested.

People relax when asked about themselves. Try these questions:

• what challenges does the organisation face? and

• who are the organisation’s customers?

Keep it to yourself
If you have any literature or a copy of your presentation, do not hand it to them at the beginning of the meeting. If you do, they will glance through it without properly listening. Also, they may begin to ask questions at inappropriate stages of your presentation. Only offer information for them to review at the end of the meeting.

If they do interrupt with a question, don’t dismiss them with “I was just coming to that...”, listen to what they are saying, answer them concisely and explain that you will respond more fully later in the presentation. If they ask questions, this is a good sign: they are interested. While you run through your presentation, keep an even balance between the benefits for the school and the corresponding benefits to the prospect. As the prospect asks more questions, don’t make wild promises you can’t keep or bluff your way through a response.

Go for broke
As you conclude the meeting, always remain prepared to ask a leading question, such as “will you be supporting our project?” If you don’t ask directly, the meeting may end with vague assurances that come to nothing. By being afraid to be bold, you risk all your hard work being wasted. If they agree to support the project, thank them and close the meeting.

Whatever the outcome, confirm details in writing. Clarify what has been agreed and set out a joint timetable of funding and project start dates.

Andrew Maiden is the editor of Funding for Independent Schools.

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