Face it, no one likes to talk about death - especially not his or her own. And to talk about planned giving, you have to acknowledge the fact that a "planned" gift is one that will be given to a charity after the donor has shuffled off his or her mortal coil. It takes a very specific approach - and personality type - to do it well. That said, there are some general things to acknowledge, or know, or master that can help propel your organization toward more successful planned-giving strategies. Here a handful of experts from across the fundraising spectrum weigh in on the best do's and don'ts of planned-giving campaigns.

Launching a capital campaign

From Alexander "Sandy" Macnab, president of Chicago-based Alexander Macnab & Co.:

Even though most development professionals understand the pyramid of giving and know that planned gifts sit at the top, many organizations never get a planned-giving program established because something else always seems a higher priority.

But a few simple steps can help even the smallest organization get started. Download the paper.