How do you talk to donors about the benefits of including your organization in their will?

Let’s start with how not to do it:

As you know, you are going to die eventually, and you will probably leave some kind of estate behind. It would be great for our organization if you would leave some or all of that wealth to us. It will really help us accomplish our mission!

Unfortunately, that is pretty close to the way a lot of organizations “sell” the idea of bequest donations!

From the organization’s point of view. Not the donor’s. And it isn’t effective, as I’m sure you’re thinking. As with all fundraising (and really all kinds of sales and persuasion), it works best when you approach it from their point of view. Which is different from yours.

To get someone thinking about and then saying yes to a bequest gift takes real work, some specific expertise, and a lot of patience.

It starts with your Bequest Promise.

It’s basically the “fundraising offer” for including your charity in their will. It should answer, for the donor, whey they should include you in their will. Like a fundraising offer, it needs to be emotional, specific, and focused on their reasons for giving, not just your reasons.

But it’s different in some important ways:

It’s less immediately urgent. It’s about meeting the need for the long-term, not some current emergency. Also, you are not seeking an immediate “close,” as we do in fundraising (where delay usually means no gift). The decision to make a bequest gift typically takes weeks or months to make. Even years. Because it is a much bigger decision than to write a check right now.

The funding focus is usually much broader. It is more about the big goals of the organization that connect with the donor’s values than about specific projects and needs.

There are three questions you must ask yourself:

1. What do you want your donor to know or understand? (You want them to know the lasting impact their gift will have, and the specific achievements or changes their gift will support.)
2. How do you want your donor to feel? (You want them to feel inspired and confident that their legacy will make a significant difference. And to feel connected to the cause and the future benefits of their contribution.)
3. What do you want your donor to do? (You want them to include a gift to your organization in their will, and to feel motivated to take action and secure their legacy.)

Social proof and normalizing language.

• “Many of our supporters like to include a gift in their Wills to continue the work well into the future…”
• “Retired teacher Dorothy made the special decision to include [Organization] in her Will today so that together we can help the disadvantaged children of tomorrow.”

Gifts in Wills as a natural extension of giving to a cause they have cared deeply about during their lifetime.

• “You’ve been an important part of this work. Including [Organization] in your will keeps your passion and caring going long into the future.”

Reinforce trust, values, longevity, and vision.

This is a much “softer” approach than most fundraising. But it is also “deeper” – about what really matters in our lives. Be careful not to boast about your organization. You’re talking to someone who has a real affinity with the cause.

Keep it simple. Don’t include technical details about the type or size of their gift. And don’t try to pre-sell other more complex planned giving products, like charitable remainder trusts. These can be very valuable, but should only become part of the conversation as you get to know the donor better.

Recognize that they may wish to provide for their family and loved ones. Avoid the impression that the decision is either/or!

Your goal, to get people thinking, “Yes, I could do this too!”

Wondering how to start or improve your bequest giving program? Then you’ll want to download our free ebook, Easy Building Blocks for a High-Producing Bequest Program. It gives you the first steps for a program that zoom your toward getting those amazing bequest donations.

Related Blog Posts:

• This Breakthrough in Donor Surveys Can Unlock a Treasure Trove of Bequests
• A Practical Lesson from Star Wars: How to Raise 2 to 5 Times as Much from Real-Life Donors
• Your To-Do List for Skyrocketing Income in the Coming Years