Recently I was enjoying lunch with a client team. At one point in the animated conversation, one of the development staff handed a card to her colleague. It was a simple white business card with only two words:
She went on to explain that she has several of these cards around the house and in her purse. She shared that when her husband begins to nag her about things, she hands him the card! We all had a good laugh and then talked about all of the related uses for the cards. (Yes, it was even suggested that consultants needed to be handed a card now and then!)
Although we had great fun with the card, it really is a wonderful reminder for all of us in our work with our donors and prospects. So often we dominate conversations in a rush to deliver as much information as possible. Perhaps we are anxious to share all of our good work. Maybe it’s just nerves. Either way, we need to remember to stop talking!
When we stop talking, we can start listening. When we listen, we learn. We discover things we didn’t know about our donors’ concerns, loves, joys and frustrations. A good rule of thumb is we want our donors/prospects to talk at least 60% of any conversation.
The next time you’re getting to know someone, remember this simple card. Let’s stop talking … and listen!
