Publications

“The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.” – Thomas Berger

Published Books:

“Productive Conversations with Donors: A Handbook for Frontline Fundraisers” 2nd Edition

Are you moving the relationship forward with every donor interaction?

Simply visiting with a donor is not enough. Successful gift officers are curious, inquisitive, and able to ask probing questions in an authentic way that discovers the donor’s motivations and dreams, building a deeper relationship with them over time.

Productive Conversations with Donors: A Handbook for Frontline Fundraisers, by Kathy Drucquer Duff, gives frontline fundraisers new tools to have more productive conversations.

Learn how to use probing questions to:

Thank a consistent donor
Engage new prospects or “never donors”
Engage young alumni
Re-engage lapsed donors
Discover what motivates the “sometimes donor”
Expand your network of connections

Included are specific strategies for guiding donor conversations to inspire major gifts, planned gifts, and gifts from parents. The book also contains group exercises for your team.

Learn more about Productive Conversations with Donors: A Handbook for Frontline Fundraisers, and how it can help your development team. You can also read a sample and preview the table of contents.

Praise for Productive Conversations with Donors: A Handbook for Frontline Fundraisers:

“Kathy Drucquer Duff has zeroed in on the key to fundraising success – asking potential donors the right questions, in the right way, at the right time – and produced an invaluable handbook that equips frontline fundraisers with specific questions to ask on virtually every occasion, using every kind of medium, and to negotiate every kind of gift. Newcomers would be wise to absorb every word and use this book as a daily guide to ensure they optimize every opportunity with every prospective donor. And even the most accomplished veterans will find in its contents many useful tips for harnessing their greatest asset – endless curiosity – to secure the confidence of more donors and to frame more successful and sustainable philanthropic compacts”

— James M. Langley, President, Langley Innovations

“Kathy Drucquer Duff has artfully and skillfully crafted a “must have” new tool for front-line fundraisers that covers the full spectrum of conversations with donors – from early-stage engagement to stewardship and everything in between. Her problem-solving approach provides an array of useful tips and real-life scenarios that will benefit novices and seasoned pros alike. I’m buying a copy for every member of my team!”

— Dondi L. Cupp, Associate Vice President, University of Michigan