Client Conversation Starters: Exploring the Philanthropic Question
Here are some helpful suggestions on how you as a professional advisor can discuss philanthropy with your clients:
Values conversation: Before jumping into the specifics of an estate plan or investment strategies, ask, “What are your values? What are the principles that have guided how you have lived your life, raised your family, run your businesses?”
This question helps not only to deepen the client-advisor relationship, but it helps ascertain the priority treatment the client places on philanthropy and/or volunteerism — providing an indicator of where an entry point to discuss charity may be established.
Charitable interests: Based on the previous answer, you can ask, “What charitable interests have you pursued as an outgrowth of these values? What have you learned from this giving?
This becomes an opportunity for you to assess what your client is passionate about and what he/she would like to accomplish in the future.
Volunteer experiences: Perhaps the client has been involved with philanthropy more in a volunteer capacity. If so, ask, “Have you engaged in any volunteer work? What have you done, and why that particular agency or cause?”
This can help open up discussions about ways in which the client sees him/herself in the context of his/her community (e.g., local, national, global), and how s/he can provide legacy support above and beyond volunteering for the causes and agencies s/he cares about.
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Gratification: “What has been your most gratifying gifting experience? Why?”
This is an opportunity to gauge what it is that motivates your client. Is it awareness of being a change agent for good? Personal recognition by peers and community members? A generous tax deduction? Answers to these questions help indicate what some of the important motives may be for clients to engage in philanthropy.
Future of community: Without the fear of devolving into a conversation about personal politics, asking a client, “What are the major challenges facing your community today and in the foreseeable future?” helps put into focus some of the major issues that matter to them. Is it public education? The arts? Health care for the uninsured?
This helps to link your client’s charitable interests with issues the community foundation is addressing.
Additional Information
For more ideas and suggestions, contact Director of Planned Giving Carol Bradford at (213) 413-4130.
You may also find helpful information on the following Web sites:
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