First meeting with a wealthy individual donor next week. How much do I research him beforehand without it getting creepy?
Research the public professional person, not the private one. His company, his board seats, his foundation if he has one, anything he has said publicly about causes. That is all legit and he expects it.
Do not research his family, his house, his children’s school, or his personal social media. If he asked ‘how do you know that about me’, could you answer without embarrassment? If not, do not know it.
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That test is genuinely useful, thank you.
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Add one thing. Spend less time researching him and more time deciding what you will actually ask for. The most common failure in a first HNI meeting is not insufficient research, it is the fundraiser having no clear ask and defaulting to a vague relationship conversation. He is a busy man and he knows why he is there.
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and do not open with the ask either. we have all overcorrected on this at some point
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