From the Desk of

Sandra K. Kidd | Senior Partner 

It’s 97 degrees outside, and the air conditioning is running full blast. Needless to say, no one in my neighborhood is porch-sitting, at least not before the sun begins to set and it cools down to 80 degrees.

Remember porches? Depending on where and when you grew up, the porch might have been wide and welcoming, with a swing (of course), rockers, and comfortable chairs with lots of room for family and friends to stop by. Or you might have had a stoop and steps, small but still a place to sit and say ‘hi’ to the neighbors. Or maybe your porch was a balcony or terrace, where you could wave to the people who lived across from you.

In this age of screens and smartphones, tablets and TVs that deliver endless entertainment into your home, the pleasure of porch-sitting feels like a nostalgic exercise. I am reminded of it, though, as I consider the importance of connections and conversations. The porch was a place where you talked to others, whether it was a long, perhaps lively, conversation of some importance, or a quick inquiry about the health of their Aunt Mae. You talked to these people, and they talked to you.

So, here in the heat of this summer day, I took a brief self-inventory of how many people I have talked with (not texted, emailed, or “socialed”) in the past week. All told, I counted up about 12 hours of personal conversation, about 10 percent of the hours not spent sleeping:

• I was in two in-person meetings for an organization where I volunteer.
• I had several phone calls with family members because they like to talk and I like to check in on them.
• I chatted a few minutes with a friend about an upcoming trip.
• I had a call with a mid-career professional to help her think through her next career steps. 

With the exception of my older relatives, every conversation I had this past week could have been handled more efficiently through text, email, or remote conferencing. But they would not have been as effective or satisfying to me personally. I learned something new about my volunteer and professional peers, felt reassured after touching base with family, and enjoyed the pleasure of hearing the familiar voice of a long-time friend.

Why am I writing about this in our latest fundraising newsletter? Because fundraising success is rooted in the power of building relationships. 

AI, CRMs, and analytics can assist our fundraisers in deciding where to focus their time and identify which individuals might be most interested in and receptive to supporting the causes we represent. Then, once they have some potential prospects, the most effective fundraisers go out or pick up the phone to actually engage with these people.

I have a “Sandra rule” that I often quote to my clients: You can only talk ABOUT your prospect three times, and then you have to talk TO them.

If you’re lucky, one of them will invite you to sit on their porch someday.