Ver­i­ty five: this one is obvi­ous: you ask for the order

Written by
Jerold Panas
Added
September 11, 2013

Markita Andrew is 13 years old. She gives us the answer.

She is the all-time champion seller of Girl Scout cookies – 12,000 boxes last year. She has led the country for the last several years.

She says: ‘You can’t just stand around and chat. You’ve got to lean forward, look them in the eye, and ask them to buy your cookies.’ That’s it— you’ve got to ask for the order.

Ronald Steel wrote a biography of Walter Lippman. He asked Lippman why he gave all of his papers and memorabilia to Yale. He was, after all, a graduate of Harvard and a member of the Harvard Board of Overseers. He always assumed that Harvard would want his papers.

According to Steel, Harvard, in its usual way, assumed it would get his papers. But it never formally approached him. It never asked him.

And here’s the moral for all of us: Yale asked for his papers. And got them. It even got his beloved baseball hat.

It’s absolutely amazing what you don’t get when you don’t ask.

About the author: Jerold Panas

Jerold Panas has been professionally involved in fundraising for over 40 years. He combines his understanding and experience with a special talent for strategic planning, major gifts and volunteer development.

He is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars and a regular contributor to professional journals. Dr Panas is regarded as an author of particular note and his books are considered amongst the most significant in the field.

In 2013, he received the coveted lifetime achievement award for his contribution to philanthropy and fundraising. In 2011, the Cultural Office of Mexico cited him for his contribution to the nation’s philanthropy.

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