Set the Cadence Without Forcing the Donor

The cadence control table

Build the follow-up cadence as a control table, not as individual staff preference. Every live bequest record should have six cadence controls.

1. 1 Stage-based default timing What it is: Each CRM stage from Lesson 3 needs a default review interval. The interval should match the strength of the donor signal, not the fundraiser’s enthusiasm. How to use it: Set a standard timing rule for each stage, then allow the donor’s own timing or permission to override it. What it looks like: – Stage 1 — Information enquiry: task within two business days to send requested material; review after three months if the donor gave follow-up permission. – Stage 2 — Values interest: review every six to twelve months if the donor has opted into gifts-in-wills updates. – Stage 3 — Active consideration: review after the planning window the donor named, usually three to six months. – Stage 4 — Disclosed intention in progress: acknowledge promptly; review in six to twelve months unless the donor sets a different boundary. – Stage 5 — Disclosed current inclusion: annual private review or update only if permission exists. – Stage 6 — Realised / closed to living pipeline: no living-donor cadence; close or suppress according to the Course 3 handover and closeout process. Example in use: “Stage 3 — Active consideration. Donor meeting solicitor in October 2026. Do not follow up before 15 November 2026. Task: email only, offer updated legal details if needed. No request for amount or confirmation.” Why it matters: Default timing prevents records from being forgotten, but the donor’s timing must be stronger than the template.
2. 2 Task purpose What it is: Every task needs a purpose that is administrative, not vague. “Follow up” is too loose. It can turn into an ask, a stewardship note, a legal-information email or a pressure call depending on who opens the task. How to use it: Write the purpose as the specific job the task should perform. What it looks like: Weak task: “Follow up with donor.” Usable task: “Email donor to confirm whether the legal name/ABN information sent in August is still sufficient; do not ask whether the will has been changed.” Another usable task: “Check whether donor remains opted into annual private gifts-in-wills update before next mailing selection.” Why it matters: A clear task purpose protects the donor from being over-contacted and protects the staff member from guessing what the previous fundraiser intended.
3. 3 Permission and channel control What it is: The cadence must carry the donor’s permission into the task. A task date without a permission boundary can cause a breach of trust. How to use it: Every task should state the permitted channel and any contact limits. If permission is missing, the next task may be to clarify permission, not to discuss the gift. What it looks like: “Channel: email only. Donor asked not to receive phone calls about gifts in wills. No recognition permission. No family contact permission. Keep contact factual and private.” What to do when permission is unclear: Do not treat silence as permission. Use the least intrusive appropriate channel already permitted for the donor relationship, or pause until a permission-safe contact point exists. Why it matters: Permission is not only a stewardship issue. It is a scheduling issue. The CRM should stop the wrong contact before it happens.
4. 4 Trigger events What it is: A trigger event is something that changes the normal timing. It may bring a task forward, push it back, pause it, or close it. How to use it: Build triggers into the record so staff are not relying on memory. What it looks like: – Donor requests legal name or ABN: create a two-business-day task to send approved information. – Donor says they are meeting a solicitor in a named month: set review after that month, not before. – Donor says they do not want to discuss the matter yet: suppress phone tasks and recognition tasks. – Mail is returned or email bounces: pause scheduled stewardship until contact data is repaired. – Donor reports bereavement, serious illness or family conflict: pause non-essential bequest follow-up and escalate internally according to vulnerability and supporter-care procedures. – Estate notification arrives: stop the living-pipeline cadence and hand over to Course 3. Why it matters: A trigger-based system is calmer than a calendar-only system. It responds to the donor’s situation instead of forcing everyone through the same schedule.
5. 5 Owner and backup owner What it is: A bequest task must belong to a named role or person, with a backup route if that person leaves, is on leave, or changes role. How to use it: Assign one owner for the next action and one backup owner for overdue-task review. What it looks like: “Owner: Gifts-in-Wills Lead. Backup owner: Supporter Services Manager. If task overdue by 14 days, appear in monthly pipeline hygiene report.” Why it matters: Bequest pipelines are long. Staff turnover is normal. A task that depends on one person’s memory will eventually fail.
6. 6 Pause, suppress and close rules What it is: The cadence needs rules for when not to contact, not only rules for when to contact. How to use it: Give staff clear administrative categories for stopping or changing the schedule. What it looks like: – Pause: temporary hold because the donor asked for time, is experiencing a sensitive event, or contact details need repair. – Suppress: ongoing removal from a specific contact stream, such as phone, recognition invitations or legacy-event invitations. – Close: removal from the active living pipeline because the donor withdrew interest, died and the matter moved to Course 3, or the record was found to be unsupported by evidence. Example in use: “Pause gifts-in-wills follow-up until 1 March 2027. Reason: donor asked for no contact while family matters are being resolved. Continue standard tax-receipt communications only. No legacy invitations.” Why it matters: A mature cadence includes restraint as an active setting, not an absence of work.