Communication for Askers

When I taught communications at university, one of my goals was to bring public speaking students to the point where they felt a level of comfort and ease as they delivered their speeches in front of their classmates.

Nonprofit fundraising is a profession that requires top-notch communication skills. The successful fundraiser has the ability and willingness to create strong connections and build positive relationships. Nonprofit asking is also a profession in which communication skills are used to create an experience for prospects, inspiring them to invest in your organization's mission. When it comes right down to it nonprofit fundraising - asking - is a specific form of interpersonal communication.

The words you choose to share, the arrangement of those words into sentences that supply meaning, the vocal tone in which they're delivered, and the physical gestures that accompany them create your message.

The message is only one element of interpersonal communication. There are five other elements that complete the communication cycle.

1. The Communicators
   For any communication to occur there must be at least two people involved. In fundraising this of course is your prospect and you. A nonprofit ask is an interactive process. While one person is talking the other is listening, but while listening they are also sending feedback in the form of smiles, head nods, and other nonverbals. You have an energy. Your prospect has an energy. Hopefully your individual energies create a synergy, making the exchange go as smoothly as possible.
2. The Message
   Adding to the definition of message established above...the message not only means the information conveyed, but also the nonverbals exchanged such as facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures, and body language. In a nonprofit ask this would largely be your case for support, the words you put together to communicate it, the gestures you use in sharing it, and how you connect your prospect to it.
3. Noise
   This is anything that distorts the message so that what is received is different from what is intended by the speaker. This can be actual noise in your environment. It can also be noise that comes with industry-specific jargon, out of sync body language, inattention, disinterest, and cultural differences.
4. Feedback
   Feedback is the messages a receiver returns which allows the sender to know how accurately the message has been received as well as the receiver's reaction. Think of this as the approvals or objections your prospect is sending you as you share your proposal. 
5. Context
   All communication is influenced by the context in which it takes place. This of course refers to the physical environment. It also can refer to the social context or the roles, responsibilities, and relative status of the participants. Is your context helping or hurting your chances of a successful ask? How does your prospect's perceived status play into your communication choices?
6. Channel
   The channel is the physical means by which the message is shared from one person to another. In face-to-face prospect visits (the best kind) the channels are speech and vision.

How are you choosing, delivering, and using your words? Are you attracting or repelling? Have you mastered the elements of interpersonal communication?

Whether you're talking with one or many, when you understand the six elements of interpersonal communication and know how to effectively use them in your fundraising work, you will be better equipped to bring a sense of ease and comfort to your work with prospects.