Expert Clone demo — CharityFrog

Great referral — those usually convert if you don't rush them. Two things matter more than everything else in a first meeting like this.

First, don't pitch. Do not walk in with a case for support, a leaflet, or an ask. Walk in with two questions and shut up. The two questions are:

• "What made you want to meet?" — she has a reason. It's rarely what you assume. Let her tell you.
• "What has your relationship with charity looked like over the last few years?" — this tells you if she's a considered donor or an event-and-appeal donor. Different playbook for each.

The first meeting is a listening meeting. Nothing else.

Second, come with one specific story, not a summary of the charity. Don't do the mission-vision-impact triangle. Tell her about one person the charity has helped and why it mattered. I'd use James's story right now — the skydive, the diagnosis, the moment. Concrete, specific, no charity jargon. If she asks for more, offer more. If she doesn't, don't force it.

The instinct on a £50k+ prospect is to over-prepare. Don't. Prepare like it's a coffee. Send a warm follow-up within 24 hours referencing one specific thing she said — that's what makes people remember you.

Want me to draft the follow-up email template for you now, so it's ready to send Friday morning?

Two rules for numbers in a first meeting.

Rule 1: Never guess. If you don't know a figure, say "Let me get you the exact number after the meeting — I'd rather send you the right one than the roughly-right one." That is not weakness. Wealthy donors respect precision. They've spent their lives being lied to slightly by people who wanted their money. Being the one person who says "I'll check" builds trust immediately.

Rule 2: Know three numbers cold. For Challenging MND right now those would be:

• £284k granted directly to families this year
• 187 families supported
• 83% of income goes to charitable activity (that last one matters — it's the one wealthy donors quietly look up on the Charity Commission site)

Any other number, say you'll check. And then actually check. Send it within 24 hours. That single behaviour is how you build a reputation for reliability inside a small circle of major donors. Two of them talk, and suddenly you have three warm introductions.

One more thing — if she asks a hard question you don't want to answer (about cost ratios, exec salary, reserves), don't dodge. Answer it directly and briefly. Then move on. Donors who ask hard questions have decided to trust you enough to test you. Passing the test is worth more than avoiding the question.

Very different playbook. A LinkedIn intro is a 15-minute coffee, not a meeting. Frame it that way from the invite: "20 minutes, no agenda, just to say hello." You are earning the second meeting, not converting the first. Take zero materials.

The mutual-friend intro is different because you've already been vouched for. She's expecting you to be someone worth her time — so treat it accordingly. Better preparation, more specific stories, and don't be afraid to hint at what a partnership could look like if she asks. Don't volunteer it. Wait for her to ask.

If you get a second meeting from either, that's where the real work starts. Want me to walk through what a second meeting should look like?