4 Key Elements of a Strategic Prospect Profile

Wait, are there really only 4 key

elements in a strategic prospect

profile?

Yes, but I heard each one has a lot of

moving parts. I know a group who can tell

us more…

That’s us! We crowdsourced this info just for you!

First key element:

Contact information

Contact information

• Full name• Spouse/partner name• Main home address• Other homes• Business title• Business address• Phone numbers• Email address• Social media contact

info (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)

It may seem obvious, but correct contact information can tell you a lot.

• For example, second or third residences can lead you to a prospect’s leisure interests, like golf, skiing, or yachting, depending on where they’re located.

• Multiple residences are also a key capacity-rating indicator.

• Most critically, if you can’t contact someone, you can’t involve them. It’s as simple as that. Spelling their name correctly in your database is also important!

Second key element:

Giving

Giving

• How much has the prospect given to your organization?

• Where else has s/he donated?• Where did their largest gifts go?• Do you see patterns by interest or

organizational involvement?• Does her company also give? Does

she have any influence on the company’s giving?

• What is the frequency of his giving to your organization? Is it self-motivated or as the result of an ask?

Knowing about giving is really important • Some people simply aren’t philanthropic; it’s good to

know that before you spend time trying to cultivate them for a major gift.

• Others only make significant gifts when they serve on a board; the gifts of time, advice, and money are especially precious when all three come together.

• Pay attention to patterns: when a donor gives could be a clue that they receive bonuses.

Third key element:

Affiliations and interests

Affiliations and Interests

Include info on all adults in the house

Capture dates of service, if known

• Career history

• Corporate, philanthropic, and civic boards.

• Social clubs, societies, fraternal/ Greek, and professional association memberships.

• Hobbies

• Religious and political affiliations, if allowed by your data protection laws.

Knowing about interests and affiliations is really important

• Who else serves (or served) on the board concurrently with

your prospect? Could a link there provide you with an introduction?

• What causes or business affiliations are important in your prospect’s life? Can you help them fulfil those needs?

• Do they serve on more than one (or no) organizational board(s)? What does that tell you about their free time (or potential interest in serving on a board)?

Fourth key element:

Wealth indicators

Wealth indicators include (but are not

limited to)…

Be sure to look for assets held by both the prospect and

their spouse.

• Multiple residences• Boats, cars, art, horses,

collections…• Donor advised funds• Family office• Family foundation• Securities holdings• Successful private business• For money managers:

assets under management• 6-figure+ donations• Club memberships

Finding wealth indicators is really important • Use the information to create capacity ratings. These will

help you prioritize prospects.

• If you don’t see obvious wealth indicators within an hour of researching, talk to the person who requested information or move on to the next prospect on your list. Time = money.

• Spend time reading about and understanding wealth indicators; they can be fascinating and tricky. For example, yachts and mansions need staff to maintain them and have extra things attached (like 40-ft “dingy”s)

For more information

Click on our blog categories for more detailed articles on how to find each

of these key elements!

We love hearing from you! Call us at617-393-1983

Or email: info@HelenBrownGroup.com

We’re on the web at:www.HelenBrownGroup.com