Having the participants complete the evaluation sheet allows you not only to prepare for the next seminar, but also to determine your prospect's level of interest. A week after the seminar, write a thank-you letter for attending. About two weeks later, follow up with a phone call. Thank your prospect again, and ask if they have any further questions - especially if they have indicated an interest in a particular planned giving concept on the evaluation form. Reaffirm their interest, and the level of commitment.
Seminars offer a wide variety of advantages for gift planners.
They can be tailored to the needs and interests of a target audience, provide good public relations for your institution if you hold the seminars in-house, and are an excellent tool for networking with allied professionals. Organizing things on the other hand, can be time-consuming, and not only may finding a qualified and entertaining speaker be difficult, but also you always risk the embarrassment of a small turnout. Seminars nonetheless can educate and cultivate a large audience in a small amount of time, and planned correctly, can be very powerful tools. Based on a presentation to the national conference of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners in April. Frank Dunn is a founding board member of the CAGP and a planned giving officer at the University of New Brunswick.