BowerPower Papers, a quarterly digital newsletter from Bower & Co. Consulting LLC, aims to inspire non-profit, business, and event/festival leaders to think creatively about marketing, corporate sponsorship, events, and strategy.
Volume 5 Issue 3
Summer 2010
Dear , You'll probably want to take this issue of BowerPower Papers to the beach. It's all about relationships, featuring a beautiful gal, named Carla.
Alright, I can't mislead. There's no Harlequin romance involved; however it really is about a relationship with Carla. Get ready to learn a thing or two about developing strong relationships with sponsors, donors, collaborators, and others. (And if you do read this on the beach, please send a photo! This I have to see.)
Tomorrow I kick off BowerPower Programs, my 2010 teleseminar series. Thanks to everyone who registered already, especially to subscribers. You can still register for all six sessions plus tomorrow's bonus. If you'd like to check out just one session before you commit, scroll to the bottom of the newsletter and take advantage of aspecial offer, only for subscribers of BowerPower Papers.
As always, I encourage you to share this newsletter with your friends and colleagues in the nonprofit sector, or with anyone you think would benefit. I value you in the Bower & Co. community, and I appreciate your support. Thanks!
Warm regards,
Gail S. Bower President
MASTERING THE PHASES OF RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
by Gail S. Bower
Carla Credit: Nancy Barton
Meet Carla. Last summer she showed up in the courtyard where
my house/office is and decided she was staying. I suppose it was an easy
decision for a feral kitten. What's not to love about a place with secret hideaways
to escape bad guys and alcoves to duck into on rainy days? And then there are
those giant beings who leave delicious food and fresh water. No more mice, no
more puddles.
Meet Michelle, Curt, and Nancy. The four of us are those
giants. And this is the story about how we developed relationships with Carla,
which, unsurprisingly, is just like developing relationships with other humans
- donors, sponsors, collaborators, paying customers, members, friends, and so
on.
5 Phases of Relationships First Phase: Elusive. When Carla first came to the courtyard, we weren't sure if she was there or
not.
Was that Carla?
Did we just see a kitten dart in? Have you seen her lately? We sensed she
was around, but she hid, not sure if we were friends or foes.
Like Carla, your clients, customers, donors, collaborators,
sponsors are out there. They may be checking out your web site. Reading your
solicitations or emails. Hearing about your work and cause. But they may be
hiding.
Why?
Because they don't know if they can trust you and whether
there's anything in it for them.
The solution with Carla was pretty simple (either that or
Michelle, Curt, Nancy and I are geniuses and should start a TV show, called Cat
Whisperers): food and shelter. We figured
out what she needed most, then set out to get to know her.
Second Phase: Interested but cautious if not flat out
skeptical. "OK, alright, these people can dish up some Friskies," Carla
thought. "So what?"
Good question. This phase of our relationship was a bit
tenuous. It existed more on an
energetic level, as an intention. It was our intention to get to know this
kitten, whom we'd named after the Phillies player Carlos Ruiz in honor of the
World Series. That's how little we knew about her!
But how do you get to know someone who ignores you, doesn't
return your phone calls, or perhaps even runs away on all fours?
This stage is exploratory. Both parties are wondering if
there is potential for a relationship.
My friend and colleague Patrick Feeley is the Assistant Vice
President, Institutional and Event Fundraising, at Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia (CHOP), in charge of cause marketing, special events, and
corporate and foundation relations. We are on the faculty together of Temple
University's award-winning Event Leadership Executive Certificate Program and
have spoken together at conferences. He talks about three I-s: Introduction,
Involvement, and Intimacy.
During this Introduction phase, particularly with donors,
you're trying to pick up whether there's interest. If there is, you move to
Involvement, and if not, you move on. There are other donors to cultivate.
Same goes for sponsors. I recommend to consulting or
coaching clients clustering early contact with several companies within an
industry so you immerse yourself in that field. Take banking, for instance.
Learn about what's happening in the industry. Research several potential banks
you'd like to contact. How are they different or remarkably bland and alike?
Contact them all so that your brain is fresh from the research and
psychologically reminded that plenty of prospects exist - it's not a zero sum
game.
Well, needless to say, Carla was interested. In fact, she
often appeared in the courtyard just around the time I prepared to leave. Like
Pavlov's person, I dutifully went to the kitchen and cracked open a can for
her, which she gobbled up enthusiastically.
Tip: In this phase, you begin to lay the framework for your
behavior. Are you reliable? Are you trustworthy? Do you do what you say you're
going to do? Can the other person count on you? Got any Friskies?
Third Phase: Warming up, but still has her guard up. After a couple months of four people looking after Carla -
and there were others in the neighborhood doing the same, we learned - Carla
had indeed taken up residency. She began chatting and uttering various cat
sounds that we interpreted as greetings or demands for food. (Yes, animals talk
to us. Go back and watch Doctor Doolittle,
if you've forgotten.)
Carla, curiosity piqued.
She became more curious about us, so we'd sit outside with
her and discover more about how we might get to know Carla. If you approached
her, she ran away. Sitting in one place and letting her come to you were the
answers.
Also, she clearly enjoyed her dinners, so Nancy and I began
talking to her while she ate so she'd associate our voices with something
pleasurable.
Meanwhile, Curt and Michelle fortified her outdoor housing,
preparing for colder weather.
And still, we sat with her.
One day, she made her move.
Carla makes a move.
She began rubbing up against a
potted plant, and slowly but on her terms, made her way towards me seated on my
stoop. Soon she was sniffing the tips of my toes. She was this close! I
scarcely breathed! Then, she walked under my legs, allowing her back to rub
against my jeans.
Huge progress. And the others reported similar experiences.
This is a sign telling you to move to another level, when
Patrick moves to Involvement. He suggests a tour of the hospital; invites
parents to join a focus group so CHOP might learn more about their needs; or
encourages energetic and committed families to join a committee. He says he
knows their interest has been piqued so he takes a step on Involvement.
"And you'll notice," Patrick points out, "that I haven't
asked for any money yet."
Patrick calls this the "art of fundraising," when you pick
up on the verbal and nonverbal cues that indicate that the time is right to
move forward
In his book SPIN Selling,
Neil Rackham describes four possible outcomes of a complex sale - which is what
corporate sponsorship is. These outcomes are:
an order or win,
a no-sale or
loss,
an advance or next step, or
a continuation.
The first two are clear.
Distinguishing the middle two, however, are the art of selling. One indicates
that the buyer would like to take another step; the other leads to nothing but
false hope from the seller. That's when the buyer says something like, "This
has been great, call me anytime," or "Why don't you send me some more
information?"
There are additional signs in sponsorship development, and I
often strategize with clients through these labyrinthine discussions. The
potential sponsor gets excited about your ideas. He or she may even suggest a
few tweaks or clarifications or if really interested will begin to co-create
ideas. This individual wants to know what the next steps are and where we go
next.
The nonverbal cues include leaning forward and being clearly
engaged. Another that nonprofit leader Ann Mintz mentioned to me about her work
with corporations is "that spark" in the other person's eyes.
Patrick notes that a nonverbal cue may include an action -
for example, you notice that the person has attended one of your events.
And of course, for Carla, it was the sniff, the nearness,
and the rub of her back on my jeans. "Let's move forward," she was telling me.
Lack of
interest is just the opposite: the person's eyes are glazing over, he or she is
distracted, may rudely fumble with an electronic device or take another call,
and most likely is sitting far back in the chair. These are cues to not jump to the next step but determine where you can
find common ground or stimulate more provocative conversation. Or that you need
to jump ship.
Fourth Phase: Backing into things. The next phase may feel a little scary for some people. It
involves the "V" word - vulnerability. To a 4th grader, this might
look like sending a note to a girl you like, or having your friend tell his
friend that you like him. (Do we ever really evolve from 4th
grade?)
For Carla, Nancy, Curt, Michelle, and me, it looked a little
different. Winter was coming, and we needed to take action on Carla's behalf.
(In hindsight with three blizzards, I can affirm we made the right decisions.)
She needed indoor shelter and health care. We planned to trap her so that Curt
and Michelle could take Carla to a vet for shots, neutering, and an all around
check up. At risk - our point of vulnerability - was our relationship: do we
risk the trust we've built up by trapping her and taking her to the vet, a
pretty scary endeavor for most cats? Of course we knew it had to be done.
Curt and Michelle had instant success with the trap. We
learned Carlos was really Carla, her operation was successful, and she
recuperated at an office at Philadelphia Brewing Company, where Nancy is
co-owner.
Nancy is the true cat whisperer among us. As her mother
tells people, "Nancy has a way with cats." And it's true. Hello, Carla!
Thus began Carla's transformation from feral street kitty to
sweet and loving cat, now nearing her first birthday. Nancy continued her
sitting, talking, and feeding time with Carla, and as we all had, tried to pet
her. The first time I pet Carla, I completely caught her off guard but the
neurological signs were positive. (Cats point their tales straight up when
they're happy. Carla's was up up up.) But continuing this action was impossible
because Carla would flinch when she saw a hand coming near her. Nancy remained
undaunted.
One day she called with amazing news. Carla still hated the
hand but succumbed to her vulnerability. When she saw Nancy's hand coming, she
simply turned around and backed up - like a driver maneuvering a car into a
parking space - getting closer to Nancy, and finally allowing Nancy to pet her.
And she purred! What a triumph.
In these moments, there is a surrendering, a risk-taking,
and most importantly sufficient trust between you and the other.
For Patrick, this stage is where Intimacy (the third of his
3 I-s) develops. "You build on involvement," he says. "In the course of your
interactions, you have to understand what is fueling their interest and
involvement. As focused as organizations are, there are multiple ways donors
can help. They can help you expand, refine, or improve a specific part of your
organization."
Fifth and Ongoing Phase: Connection. Well, I'm happy to report that Carla is a new girl. She
loves to be pet, will curl up on friends' laps, and her fears of the hand are
mostly gone. Nancy remained committed, trustworthy, and made the rehab fun.
Carla at Philadelphia Brewing Company. Credit: Nancy Barton
She continues her residency at Philadelphia Brewing, and
Nancy is looking for a good home for Carla, a place where she will be the star.
That means a home without young children and other animals who might scare her,
a home where the humans can spend quality time with Carla and continue
cultivating the love connection. (Please call or email me if you know of a good
home.)
And that takes us to the final and ongoing phase of
relationship building, cultivating the connection. In development parlance,
it's stewardship.
In sponsorship development, both you and your contact are
actively involved and engaged. Your radar is alert for signals and indicators
of opportunity, possibility, and change about your client's needs, conditions,
and future goals. Then you bring these signals to light - discuss them,
strategize, and address them.
Patrick describes the stewardship process artfully. "You're
engaged in a conversation with the individual or organization, and you let them
start to lead you, vs. the other way around," Patrick says. "First you're
pulling, then you're dancing, then they're pulling you along."
"Another way I like to look at it is like a swing dancing,"
he continues. "Somebody has to take the first step and ask someone to dance. It
starts out awkwardly no matter how experienced both people are, but then it
gets smooth, and then the other person will take the lead. "
See? Sort of like in 4th grade.
Wondering how to improve your organization's relationship building process and skills? Please feel free to poke around on my blog, particularly under the "trust" category, or contact me personally at 215/922-6937. I promise not to make any sudden moves!
HOW TO JUMP-START YOUR SPONSORSHIP STRATEGY IN TOUGH TIMES CALLED A "'MUST-READ'" BY IE MAGAZINE
International Festival & Events Association (IFEA), the leading industry association for festival and event leaders worldwide, released its review by Ira L. Rosen, CFEE, of my guidebook, How to Jump-start Your Sponsorship Strategy in Tough Times, in the latest issue of its magazine, ie: the business of international events. Once you click on the link, scroll to page 14 (in PDF pagination) to read why he believes the book's ideas and recommendations are "incredibly valuable."
You can pick up your own copy of Jump-start at Amazon or through the store on my web site. If you're a
member of IFEA,
visit the member bookstore and save $2 on your purchase.
How to Jump-start Your Sponsorship Strategy in Tough Times
I invite you to subscribe by email or RSS; to participate in a discussion by commenting; and to send me suggestions of topics you'd like to read more about.
Gail Bower, President, Bower & Co. Consulting LLC, specializes in
raising the visibility, revenue, and impact of non-profit
organizations and festivals/events. She's a professional consultant, writer, and speaker,
with nearly 25 years' experience managing some of the country's most
important events, festivals and sponsorships. Launched in 1987, today Bower & Co. improves the results of clients marketing strategies, events, and corporate sponsorship programs. She is the author of the guidebook entitled How to Jump-start Your Sponsorship Strategy in Tough Times. For
more information, visit her web site or contact her at 215/92-BOWER
(215/922-6937).
If you read my book, don't miss this session. Find out what's changed in the last year, where are we now, and how you can take advantage of the opportunities. Plus at the request of readers, this special teleseminar - part update and part Q&A - is for readers of the book who'd like the opportunity to have their personal questions answered. See coupon below for a special offer for BowerPower Papers Readers.
8 Common Marketing Communications Mistakes & How to Avoid Them Friday, July 30, 2010, 12-1 p.m. EST In an increasingly media saturated world, we are barraged with marketing messages daily. Traditional media have less impact than just 5 years ago. Hundreds of millions of web pages now exist. We tweet, post, friend, and follow. But the challenge is on to tell compelling stories that really engage members, donors, constituents, clients, stakeholders, funders, and partners.
Improve your organization's visibility and repute by avoiding the top eight marketing communications errors marketing specialist Gail Bower regularly sees. Learn what those mistakes are, why correcting them is important, and how to take steps to change bad marketing communications habits. Learn more and register today.
Why Events Work & How to Make Yours Better Thursday, August 26, 2010, 12-1 p.m. EST Events provide a powerful way to connect with constituents, clients and influencers. Or they can be a big waste.
Are you getting the most out of your event investments? Do you understand all the ways you can deploy events to accomplish important strategies?
Learn more about the event medium and ways your events can become lightening rods for exciting steps forward for your organization and brand.
Check out the National Council of Nonprofits' Toolkit on Corporate Sponsorship, which includes several resources I developed for the Council.
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