Exploratory Meeting Script
Opening
 The niceties:After talking for a short while, thank your contact for their time. Share your
title and very briefly, what you do for the LLS.
 Make them comfortable: It is our pleasure to be here to not ask you for a donation or to
volunteer today, but just to learn from you”.
 Someone suggested that I talk to you: If you can say this honestly, do! No need to mention
names unless it’s impressive.
 We’re here to listen to you: “It is helpful to have the opportunity to learn about your
company so that in the future we will know what you are interested in and how you might
like to work together.”
Questions
 Take Notes & Save the Margin for “Matches”: Before you begin asking questions, ask
permission to take notes. During your contact’s answers,make notes about potential LLS
matches in the margin so that you can mention them later.
 Tell me about Your Company…
(Don’t feelas if all these questions need to be answered. Sometimes, starting with “tell me a little
about your company” will start a conversation that yields all the information you need!)
 Better yet, tell me about your job/department first!
 Company product lines
 Target Market – message you want to communicate to them
 What is your marketing strategy,company mission?
 Who is your competition?
 What is your marketing/sponsorships are you already involved in? What
have you liked about them? What would you have done differently?
 How do you evaluate the success of a sponsorship after a project is over?
 How do you encourage, if at all, your employees to volunteer in their
communities?
The Value of Working with the LLS
 Our Mission in a Nutshell: Briefly, Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer
among children, adolescents and young adults under the age of 20. Make very brief mention
of what we do. Most important is the strength and reputation of the LLS as a partner.
Remember, also, this meeting is about them)
 The LLS is the best!:Establish the value of an LLS relationship. Use cause marketing
statistics/LLS marketing statistics found in the “What the LLS Can Do For Your Company”
handout.
 Why our assets work: Our standing assets are successful,and target captive audiences:
schoolsite, worksite, community site, healthcare site
 A few examples: What we’ve done with other corporate relationships—
 Tempu-Pedic mattress promotion for LTN
 VITAS – Remembrance Ceremony sponsor for LTN
 Make it comfortable?: Mention “Baby Steps” – we’re in if for the long term, our partners
are very satisfied, and starting out small often enables both partners to get to know each

other. It is my experience that the relationships that start small are the ones that endure over a
long period. (Don’t confuse this with settling for less. This is a very valid statement, and I
like mentioning it during exploratory meetings because it often increases the comfort level of
the person I’m talking to. It lets them know that we’re not looking for a huge commitment
right off the bat.)
 Local relationship: “Even when we’re working with a company on a large scale, we like to
have a great relationship with them locally, where they’re headquartered. This may be
having a representative serve on that local board, putting an LLS team together, etc”.
Closing
 Be a matchmaker: Make mention of any very HOT matches that you made immediately.
Express your enthusiasm that there is such a potentially natural match, but limit it to one or
two projects – no company is a match for everything. For example, if their main focus is to
sample a product to female consumers, LTN might be a great match
 Here’s where they ask you to come back, ifthey haven’t already: “I see a lot of
opportunities for cause marketing sponsorships, but don’t like to bombard companies with
multiple proposals. When should I be confident that a property-may be of interest to you?
(Demographics, timing, type of project?) “When should I call you?”
 Get permission to ask more advice: “May I call you after this meeting if I have questions
about what we’ve talked about today, etc.?”
 Show me the proposal: “Where would you like to go from here?” (By this time in a
meeting, we have almost always reached a point where they have already asked for a
proposal and at the end we are just agreeing to next steps and dates when they will be
accomplished)
And Remember….
 Like talking to a friend: Though this is a script, your meeting absolutely must come
across as a casual,friendly, conversational meeting. Don’t bring a list of questions or the
script! Use your judgement as to when you have enough information and need to move
on.
 Make that two friends: Always go with a team member on your exploratory visits. Two
sets of ears are more likely to hear potential opportunities, and one of you is bound to
“click” with your contact.
 Come as you are: Bring as little as possible with you on these calls: Your business card,
paper for note taking, maybe the annual report. Resist all temptations to carry along any
proposals or menus “just in case.” Your goal is to come back with a tailored proposal
that they have requested!