FOUR simple components to inviting a prospect for a face-to-face meeting to discuss their Campaign gift:

1) GREETINGS
Whether the donor is a dear friend, an acquaintance, or someone you have not yet met, be sure you offer a friendly greeting.

2) MAKE YOUR MESSGE PERSONAL, ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS, AND LISTEN WHEN THEY RESPOND

Examples of open-ended questions and a conversation flow:

“What is most important to you about why you make your gift to the Jewish Federation?”
“What motivates you to give?”
Wait and listen

Some response options: “Tell me more about that?” 

Find a common interest you share with your prospect. Do your children or grandchildren attend the same school? Are you both Blazers fans? Or University of Oregon or Oregon State University alumni? Are you both already donors to a specific cause or initiative?
 

 If the only common link to your prospect is the Jewish Federation, then look on their pledge card or visit their social media pages to learn more about them.

3) THE ASK
Be direct when asking for the meeting. Be assertive and offer a date, time and location when making the invitation. A face-to-face meeting will usually be the most effective.

4) CLOSING
Close the exchange by confirming the meeting details and share that you’re looking forward to the meeting. Follow up by email or text with details.

Helpful Resources

SAMPLE LANGUAGE

Each donor deserves individual attention! We encourage you to avoid copying and pasting the same message from one donor to another. People can tell when they’re being mass texted or emailed.

If your donor isn’t returning your text, then try picking up the phone or sending an email. Each person prefers to be contacted in a different way. If they aren’t responding, talk to your Federation campaign professional; they are here to help! It frequently takes multiple attempts to close a gift. Do not get discouraged if you need to follow up after an email, text, voice mail or face-to-face meeting one or more times – it’s part of the process. If they aren’t responding at all, talk to your Federation campaign professional; they are here to help!

For authenticity, a text message invitation should include a few exchanges, rather than one long text message to the recipient. Wait for the recipient’s response before texting them another exchange.

Campaigner: Hi, ______ (donor’s name)! How’s it going? (wait for reply). If they don’t know you yet, make sure to identify yourself in this initial text. 

Campaigner: Glad to hear all is well. It was great (seeing you/running into you/attending, etc.) at________, and I was hoping we could meet soon to discuss your gift to the Jewish Federation’s 2026 Annual Campaign. (wait for reply)

Campaigner: Let’s meet for coffee or lunch! How does your calendar look on _____ (proposed date/time)? (wait for reply)

Campaigner: Sounds great! I look forward to our meeting. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Texting is the most informal form of communication, so if you are comfortable using emojis and images, that is a good way to break the ice.

Campaigner: Hi, ________ (donor’s name)!

I enjoyed _____ (seeing you/running into you/attending, etc.)

We’ve just launched the Jewish Federation’s 2026 Annual Campaign; do you have time this week to discuss your gift and what community priorities are important to you and how you can address them. Are you available for coffee or lunch on _____ (proposed date/time)?

TIP: Your body language can be interpreted through your vocal patterns, so remember to smile and stand up while talking on the phone

Campaigner: Hi, _____________ (donor’s name),

This is ____________ (your name). I’d like to grab coffee or lunch with you to learn more about what you’re passionate about in our Jewish community and to discuss your commitment to the Jewish Federation for this year.

Do you have time to meet at ________ (location) on _____ (proposed date/time of meeting)?