A major gift ask should never be the first conversation with a prospect, it's the culmination of a cultivation sequence that has already established a personal relationship, a clear case for support, and a specific, well-researched ask amount tied to that donor's known capacity and giving history.
Catapult builds ask amounts from prospect research and giving history rather than a flat, round-number request across the board, whether that's an Engagement Officer working from five-year giving history in an AF Connect program, or a Gift Planning Specialist discussing a specific planned gift structure with a qualified Legacy Call prospect.
The ask itself should also always include a genuine thank-you for past support before the request for more, a discipline built into every Catapult calling program's first-touch script.