Active Listening for Nonprofit Askers

One surefire way for nonprofit askers to move closer to a yes to their requests is to listen (and I mean REALLY listen) to their prospects.

According to Kate Murphy, author of You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters, at the end of every conversation we should be able to answer two questions. When working with prospects this means at the end of every visit we should be able to answer...

1. What did you learn about your prospect?
2. How did they feel about what they said?

But how do you make sure you are able to answer these two questions? You use what Kay Lindahl of The Listening Center calls the three qualities of deep listening during the visit.

1. Silence
2. Reflection
3. Presence

How do you cultivate these three qualities?

1. Stop Talking
   When we're talking, we're not learning. Be judicious with your words and opt for an intentional pause whenever you feel the impulse to jump in during a prospect visit. Mentally assess the flow of the visit. Then allow your prospect to finish sharing. The goal is to grasp what your prospect is saying and how they feel about it rather then to respond or react.
2. Keep an Open Mind
   Approach your prospect visits with creative curiosity as opposed to judgement.
3. Listen with Empathy
   Nonverbal cues plays a large role here. Nod in agreement. Lean into the conversation. Let your gestures and facial expressions show that you're hearing and understanding what your prospect is sharing.

When you incorporate deep, active listening into your visits, it's a sign of respect. You're offering your prospects a safe space to express their thoughts, ideas, and needs while gaining more information, more understanding, and a more meaningful connection.

We all want to be heard. Truly listening to our prospects is one of the simplest yet impactful things we can do for them.