The 11 Questions Every Donor Asks and the Answers All Donors Crave: How You Can Inspire Someone to Give Generously

Years from now don't be surprised if The 11 Questions Every Donor Asks and the Answers All Donors Crave is singled out as a watershed book in the field of fundraising.

People might well point to Harvey McKinnon's work and say, "That's when the conversation with our donors changed - literally." And they'd be right.

McKinnon has identified 11 core questions, ranging from "Why me?" to "Will my gift make a difference?" to "Will I have a say over how you use my gift?" And the suggested answers are illuminating.

One thing is certain: McKinnon is an eloquent instructor. Rather than dryly tell you to "Do this" or "Do that," the author punctuates his prose with dramatic real-life stories.

And they're highly engaging, each one skillfully selected to drive home a point. You'll discover, for instance:

* How a volunteer coached by a nationally known consultant secured a gift of $175,000 without ever once asking for the gift.

* How the chair of a YWCA sparked a first-time gift of $100,000 with a single disarming question from her heart.

* How by sensing his donor's ability to give, a development officer at a technical institute turned a $100,000 gift into a $1 million gift.

* How by artful negotiation the head of fundraising for a leading HIV/AIDS organization prevented the rock band Queen from donating a vast sum of money to something entirely wasteful.

* How with an exquisite 30-minute presentation, and a double-shot of espresso, the Head of Fundraising for Greenpeace International transformed a $1 million gift into a $10 million gift.

Jerold Panas, who knows a thing or two about fundraising, calls The 11 Questions "A beautifully polished gem, with real-life stories that unerringly hit their mark." That's high praise from America's grandmaster of philanthropy.